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PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team pulled to within eight points of Pittsburgh with just over a minute to play; however, the Panthers were able to stave off the late rally and defeat the Colonels, 71-60, Thursday night at the Peterson Events Center. The game was part of the 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.

With EKU (1-1) trailing 68-55 with 3:25 remaining in the game, junior Spencer Perrin knocked down his first three-pointer of the season and then converted a layup to make the score 68-60 with 1:03 showing on the clock.

Pitt (3-0), however, hit three free throws and held the Colonels scoreless over the last minute to escape with a 71-60 win.

Junior Justin Stommes led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting including 3-of-7 deep. Perrin contributed with an excellent all-around performance, scoring 11 points and recording team highs with six rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Senior Josh Taylor, in his return to his hometown, scored 11 points and knocked down three trifectas.

Ashton Gibbs paced Pitt with 20 points while Nasir Robinson contributed 15 points.

The Panthers out-rebounded EKU 47-25 on the night.

After Pitt took a 14-7 lead on a three-pointer by Lamar Patterson with 13:47 showing on the clock in the first half, junior Josh Daniel reeled off five unanswered points – a fall-away three pointer with the shot clock expiring and a breakaway layup – to pull the Colonels to within two.

EKU continued to match the Panthers’ runs. After Pitt scored six straight points to take a nine-point lead, 25-16, Stommes and Taylor drilled consecutive three-pointers to pull the Colonels back to within three at the 7:34 mark of the first half.

However, Pitt outscored EKU 14-2 from that point forward as the Colonels went into the locker room at halftime down by 15 points, 39-24.

Stommes led EKU at the break with 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Perrin contributed in the first half with four points, five rebounds and two assists.

Gibbs paced the Panthers in the first half with 14 points.

Sparked by a layup from sophomore Joshua Jones, three straight blocks on the defensive end and a jumper by Stommes on their ensuing possession, the Colonels opened the second stanza with a fiery 6-2 run to pull within 11.

Following eight straight points by Stommes – including two three-pointers – EKU trailed only 59-48 and had a chance to cut the deficit to single digits; however, Daniel missed an open three from the corner with 6:43 remaining in the game and Pitt scored on its ensuing possession.

The Colonels return to action on Monday, Nov. 23, when they host Fairleigh Dickinson at McBrayer Arena at 6:00 p.m.