Dec. 4, 2005
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Despite getting a game-high 18 points from Ronny LeMelle, Auburn (3-2) could not withstand Pitt's 22-0 run in the first half as the Panthers (5-0) defeated the Tigers 78-41 on Sunday.
"We were physically manhandled and that was easy to see," head coach Jeff Lebo said. "We had too many turnovers and got outrebounded on the boards. We had a hard time scoring around the basket we were just manhandled. We had a hard time manufacturing points and a difficult time getting shots. This is a difficult place to play. They have won every nonconference game here except for one in the last three years."
LeMelle scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half and finished a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. A native of Harrisisburg, Pa., LeMelle connected on 6-of-8 field-goal attempts in the loss. He scored 16 of the Tigers' 26 second-half points.
After scoring on their first two possessions to begin the game, the Tigers went cold, missing their next nine field-goal attempts, while committing nine turnovers. Pitt took full advantage of Auburn's slow start and put together a 22-0 run and opened up a 26-4 lead before Frank Tolbert's tip-in at the 6:49 mark ended the Tigers' scoring drought of 10:59.
With Pitt holding a 39-15 advantage at the break, the Panthers put any thoughts of an Auburn comeback to an end by opening the second half on a 9-0 run and expanding their lead to 33 (48-15). The Panthers led by as many as 48 at 71-23 before the Tigers outscored Pitt 18-7 to close the game.
The 41 points scored by Auburn is its fewest since the shot clock was introduced and the fewest since Auburn defeated Mississippi State 38-36 in overtime on Mar. 3, 1982.
For the game, Pitt shot 51.8 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers. Both marks were season highs against the Tigers. Auburn connected on 40 percent of its shots, while making 6-of-12 three-point attempts.
Pitt shot 48.4 percent from the field and connected on seven three-pointers in the first half. The Panthers outscored the Tigers 17-0 off of the Tigers' 11 first-half turnovers. Auburn shot 35 percent in the half on just 7-of-20 shooting.
The 15 points by the Tigers in the first half were their fewest since scoring 14 at Georgia on Feb. 19, 2005.
Carl Krauser led Pitt with 14 points on 5-fo-8 shooting.
Auburn returns to action on Dec. 14 when the Tigers host Southeastern Louisiana at 8 p.m. at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.