NCAA First Four: Pitt edges Mississippi State, will next play Iowa State

Posted March 14, 2023 1:00 am

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer

DAYTON, Ohio - Jamarius Burton made a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left and Pitt edged Mississippi State 60-59 in a back-and-forth First Four game Tuesday night that featured 21 lead changes - the most in the NCAA Tournament in five years.

Mississippi State had a great chance to win at the end, but Shakeel Moore missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner with two seconds remaining and D.J. Jeffries' tip-in attempt was off target just before the buzzer.

Nelly Cummings led Pitt with 15 points. Greg Elliott scored 13 and Blake Hinson added 12 as the Panthers (23-11) won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2014. They slotted into the Midwest Region as the 11th seed and advanced to face No. 6 Iowa State on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina.

A layup by Tolu Smith gave Mississippi State a 59-58 advantage with 32 seconds left, but Pitt - after a three-minute scoring drought - grabbed the lead back on Burton's short jumper.

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