NCAA Tournament - Pitt knocks out Iowa St. after Cyclone shooting woes

Yahoo Sports college basketball writer Nick Bromberg recaps 11-seed Pittsburgh’s victory over 6-seed Iowa State in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Video Transcript

NICK BROMBERG: Iowa State narrowly avoided NCAA tournament infamy in its 59 to 41 loss to Pitt on Friday. The number 6 seed Cyclones shot just 23% from the field, and were a few late baskets away from challenging the modern men's NCAA tournament record for worst shooting percentage in a single game.

Iowa State didn't make its first field goal until there were fewer than 10 minutes to go in the first half. And Pitt had a 22 to 2 lead. It was an absolutely miserable start. Yet Iowa State clawed back and cut Pitt's lead to 7 at halftime.

Then things somehow got worse in the second half. The Cyclones made just two of their first 25 shots from the field in the second half as Pitt stretched its lead out to 20 points before making three of their last four shots from the field in the final minutes when the game was well out of reach.

Iowa State finished the game with just 14 made baskets on 60 attempts, and was just 2 of 21 from 3. In case you're wondering, the modern men's NCAA tournament record for worst shooting performance belongs to Butler. The Bulldogs shot under 19% in their 2011 national title loss to UConn.

Pitt, meanwhile, is a win away from becoming the fifth team to go from the play into the Sweet 16. The Panthers didn't shoot well either on Friday, but they did enough, and they also ensured that at least one team from one of the first four games has advanced to the second round in all, but one tournament since the field was expanded to 68 in 2011.