Sophomore forward Mike Scott cries after Kent State lost, 79-64, to Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. Pitt will play the winner of the Kansas-Bradley mat

Credit: Steve Schirra

It’s one-and-done for the Kent State men’s basketball team as they lost 79-64 to Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Friday night at the Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Kent State was outmatched from the opening tip when Pitt’s 7-foot junior center Aaron Gray towered over Kent State’s 6-foot-6 sophomore forward Mike Scott. The Panthers took control right away and opened the game on a 9-3 run and shot for 68 percent in the first half.

Senior forward Kevin Warzynski led the Flashes with 15 points, as he was the only player with a successful post presence.

Gray, who broke to the Big East Tournament record for rebounds last weekend, posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Gray, and Pitt’s guard Ronald Ramon both shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor, and forward Levon Kendall hit 5-of-6.

“You’ve got to take your hat off to Pitt,” Kent State coach Jim Christian said. “For us to have had a shot in this game, they would have to have shot poorly, but they didn’t. I’m proud of our kids though, they battled uphill the whole game and never gave up.”

Contact basketball reporter Sean Joseph at [email protected].