Pitt Guard Heads to Locker Room with Injury

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers lost one of their starters in the second half of their road game vs. North Carolina.

Panthers graduate student guard Damian Dunn went up for a shot and missed, but struggled getting up after the attempt. He grabbed is left elbow and also his right leg, showing apparent discomfort in both.

Pitt medical staff treated Dunn and escorted him off the floor and into the locker room for further treament. He had six points, making four free throws in his 30 minutes in the game.

Dunn missed seven games this season after he underwent surgery on his right thumb and also suffered a right ankle sprain in the loss to then ranked No. 19 Wisconsin at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. on Nov. 24.

He returned on Jan. 7, for Pitt's road matchup with then ranked No. 4 Duke, a 76-47 defeat. He has started four of the last eight games for Pitt, averaging 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.1 assists per game, while shooting 39.1% from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range and 82.4% from the foul line.

Dunn was one of the best players for Pitt this season prior to this injury, ranking third with 13.0 points per game and averaging 25.2 minutes and 2.5 rebounds per game, while starting the first six contests. He also shot 50.0% from the field, 52.6% from 3-point range and 75.0% from the foul line.

He starred in the 86-62 win over rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl at the Petersen Events Center on Nov. 15. He scored a team-high 23 points and shot 7-for-12 from the field, 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 5-for-7 from the free throw line.

Dunn also had a great game in the 83-68 win vs. Murray State at home on Nov. 8. He scored 19 points, shot 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 4-for-6 from the foul line.

He hails from Kinston, N.C. and played for Meadowcreek High School in the Atlanta metro.

Dunn would commit to Temple and played for them for four seasons from 2019-23. His best season came in his last, 2022-23, putting up career-highs of 15.3 points and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.8% from 3-point range and 81.4% from the foul line.

He would eventually transfer to Houston for his fifth season, starting just four of the 37 games he played in, averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game last season and shooting 35.9% from the field, 31.7% from 3-point range and 70.6% from the foul line as well.