MORGANTOWN, W.Va — Blake Hinson did not go into Wednesday night’s game against West Virginia thinking he had to do anything more than normal. He just went out and played his game. In doing so, he recorded a career-high 29 points, set Pitt’s record for most three-pointers in a game with nine, and helped end a six-game losing streak to West Virginia with an emphatic 80-63 victory over the Mountaineers.

“I’m always feeling it,” Hinson told reporters after his historic performance.

In the past three games, he must be really feeling it. Hinson is already one of the most prolific three-point shooters in Pitt history and he is on a torrid pace right now. He has posted three consecutive 20-point game for the Panthers and is playing like one of the best players in the ACC. When asked if he believed there was an advantage with getting Hinson three-point looks in this game specifically, Jeff Capel said that’s the expectation for him period.

“We think that for every game,” said Pitt’s sixth year head coach of Hinson attempting 15 shots from long range. "I think Blake is one of the better players in the ACC. I think he can be one of the better players in the country. He’s off to an outstanding season, but probably the thing that he’s done best is lead.”

Hinson’s scoring prowess was key in the win over West Virginia, but as the lone senior in the rotation, he is aware that it takes more than just himself to win games. Pitt got contributions from all across the court, but it’s hard to deny the major impact the bench had in the drubbing of the Mountaineers.

Pitt’s bench of Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham, Jaland Lowe, and William Jeffress outscored the Mountaineers’ bench 25-3 in the game. Perhaps the biggest impact among the reserves was Jeffress, who only scored one point, but collected a team-high nine rebounds and played tight defense on West Virginia’s Quin Slazinski in the second half.

“I already told him everything I could say, but as far as the public statement is…that is what it looks like to be a winner,” Hinson said of his teammate. “That’s the definition of being a winner.”

Hinson’s team simply needed a victory, too. The Panthers were reeling a bit, having lost three of four to power-five opponents. Pitt also needed to end its own personal losing streak to West Virginia, as the Mountaineers have simply dominated the Brawl of late and had won six consecutive games in the series prior to Wednesday.

“Obviously it means a lot being a rivalry game, but it just means a lot because we needed a win and that’s what we went out and got,” said Pitt’s senior leader.

Hinson has an infectious energy, a cool confidence, and the willingness to take big shots. His play rubbed off on his teammates, because while he made nine three-pointers to steal the headlines, his supporting cast drained seven more. This Pitt team certainly is not shy about taking three-point shots, and Capel believes that is what his squad does best.

“Well, that’s who we are,” Capel said after his team shot 42% from behind the arc. “I think we can shoot the basketball. We haven't shot it well in the last four games, but this is more of who I think we can be. More importantly, I thought we did a really good job of moving the basketball and sharing."

Hinson’s performance was, well, a classic Hinson performance. While he broke the school’s three-point record on Wednesday, a mark he already tied when he made eight against Wake Forest last season, he notched another one as well. He has now made 15 three-pointers in Pitt’s past two games, which is also now a school record over a two-game stretch, and again, it was another record of his own which he broke.

Hinson has been the catalyst through the first nine games of the season and he will also be the driving force for this team for the remainder of the year if it wants to make a repeat trip to the NCAA Tournament. He is now averaging 21.4 points per game and has connected on 39 three-pointers on the year, which is a pretty ridiculous pace if you were to put it into perspective.

Pitt’s single-season record for three-pointers is 102, set by Ashton Gibbs in 2011. Hinson has the third-highest total on that list when he produced 97 makes from deep a year ago. He could topple both his own mark and Gibbs' if he keeps at this current pace.

Hinson came back to Pitt to lead this team for another successful season, but also to improve his individual game. Capel watches him on a day to day basis and when he pops off for 29 points on the road against the school’s biggest rival, it’s hardly something that surprises him at this point.

“I’ve seen him do a lot, but more importantly I see how he works,” Capel said of his senior forward. “I see the time he puts in on his game, body, and when you work like that, you take care of yourself, and you’re about the right stuff, usually good things happen for you.”

For Pitt, a lot of good things were happening in Morgantown on Wednesday night.