March Madness officially got it's start today with two first four games. In the later game was a matchup of 11 seeds with Pitt and Mississippi State looking to battle with a chance at Iowa State.
Here is how the action played out on Tuesday night.
1st half
These teams wasted no time in getting the scoring going and especially for Miss St. It seemed like three after three was going in for these two in the opening minutes. Starting a combined 5/6 from three to begin would see an early score of (14-8) but Pitt would answer and at the under 12 media timeout the Bulldogs lead was (14-13). After the opening shots fell played slowed up and Pitt took their first lead with 11:34 left in the opening half at (15-14). Pitt would use a 10-0 run to go up 18-14 after starting 4/5 from three themselves. That was before the Bulldogs ended a five-minute drought to bring the score to 18-16. How did Pitt respond by the next possession getting a chance at a second four-point play on the night. Mississippi State would tie the game back up at (21-21) at the under eight-minute timeout. From there it would be back and forth for a bit. No team over the next four minutes would lead by more than three points as it would be tied once again at (27-27) with 4:58 left in the half. The back and forth would continue as they lead changes were crazy. The teams traded leads for four straight possessions with just over a minute left in half. The halftime score would read Pitt 35 Miss St. 34, Pitt would hit eight threes and Mississippi State hit five of their own. Shakeel Moore would lead the first half scoring with 10 points.
2nd half
The second half began how the first half ended. Trading baskets and leads in the first minutes. From (35-34) to (42-41) the teams would exchange baskets. At the first media timeout it would be Miss St. 42 Pitt 41. Seven lead changes in the first four minutes of second half. Play once again would slow up after the opening four minutes as it would result in a (46-44) Miss St lead at the under 12 media timeout. You look up the definition of "close game" I think you will find this game, after an injury timeout the score was still within a point at (50-49). After the hot (4/5) from three mark posted earlier from the Bulldogs, would be (5/18) from behind the arc at the under eight media timeout. Three more lead changes would take place out of the media timeout, with a score of (53-52) Pitt bringing the total to 19 lead changes that point. Pitt would try to claim control as they took a six-point advantage with just over two minutes left. But the Bulldogs wouldn't let it happen as they brought the game right back to a one-point game with just one minute left (58-57). This would lead to a 9-0 run and a (59-58) lead for Miss st. before Pitt answered with just seconds left to claim the lead back and make it 21 lead changes for the game. Pitt would close out the game and take it home the final, Pitt 60 Miss St. 59.
Closing
The opening night of the tournament did not disappoint. This game was a classic 20 plus lead changes, players stepping up where they need to, and no team led by more than six points over the 40 minutes. Pitt would have four players in double figures led by Cummings with 15.