Pitt Basketball’s Milestone Victory Over VMI

On Monday night, Jaland Lowe, a sophomore player for the University of Pittsburgh, achieved a noteworthy milestone during Pitt’s 93-48 victory against the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). In front of an audience of 6,391 at the Petersen Events Center, Lowe notched a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. This feat follows a similar achievement by Bub Carrington a year ago, making Lowe the second Pitt player to reach this milestone within the past year.

Lowe, standing 6 foot 3, realized a triple-double was within reach by halftime, having accumulated six points, six rebounds, and three assists. «It was just in the flow of the game,» Lowe explained, acknowledging he became conscious of the possibility early in the match. His achievement was sealed when Jorge Diaz Graham scored a three-pointer, one of the crucial assists from Lowe, with just over a minute remaining in the game.

The game saw a collective effort from Pitt’s lineup, as all five starters, along with Jorge Diaz Graham from the bench, contributed double-digit points. Ishmael Leggett led with 14 points, followed by Guillermo Diaz Graham with 13, and others close behind.

Pitt managed to advance to a 5-0 record for only the third time since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2013. Past instances include the 2013-14 and 2018 seasons, under different coaching tenures. Jeff Capel currently leads the team as head coach, striving for continued success.

This match was part of the Greenbrier Tip-Off event and marked the last home game for Pitt until December 11. The Panthers will continue the competition in West Virginia against Louisiana State University (LSU) and later face either the University of Central Florida (UCF) or Wisconsin.

VMI faced challenges against Pitt’s formidable defense, not managing to hit 30 points until deep into the second half, despite coming into the game with an average of 86 points per matchup. After Pitt opened with a 10-point lead, VMI narrowed the gap before Pitt finished the half on an impressive 18-2 run.

Jerry DiPaola, a veteran reporter with TribLive who has covered Pitt athletics since 2011, reported on this historic game, highlighting the strategic moves and significant contributions leading to Pitt’s dominant win.