George Washington 60, Pittsburgh 54: Kethan Savage scored 17 points and the visiting Colonials survived a cold shooting performance to hold off the Panthers in the opening round of the NIT.

Patricio Garino added 14 points and four steals for fifth-seeded George Washington (22-12), which won for the fifth time in seven games to advance to face Bucknell or Temple in the second round. Kevin Larsen finished with seven points and nine rebounds for the Colonials, who shot 34.4 percent from the field and 14-of-28 from the free-throw line, and made two field goals in the final 12 minutes.

The Panthers (19-15) could not overcome 16 turnovers and 8-of-18 free-throw shooting, closing the season on a five-game losing streak. Cameron Wright scored 11 points and Jamel Artis added 10 for Pittsburgh, which surrendered 14 offensive rebounds.

The Panthers trailed by eight with less than 13 minutes to play before pulling within 50-48 on Artis’ 3-pointer with a little more than 6½ minutes remaining, but the Panthers missed two shots and the front end of two one-and-ones, and a pair of Garino free throws and Joe McDonald's free throw pushed the Colonials’ lead to five. Artis brought Pittsburgh within 55-53 on a free throw with 1:06 left, but Savage rattled home a left-wing jumper with 40.8 seconds left and McDonald added two free throws with 21 second remaining.

Savage scored eight points during a half-closing 16-6 run to put the Colonials ahead 28-23 at halftime, but Artis scored six points in the opening five minutes of the second half and Chris Jones’ bucket with 14½ minutes to play evened the score at 36. Larsen converted a three-point play on the ensuing possession and Paul Jorgensen’s 3-pointer with just under 12½ minutes left pushed George Washington’s advantage to 44-36.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Garino surpassed the 1,000-career point mark on a layup with just over 13 minutes remaining. … Pittsburgh, which averaged 9.7 turnovers per game coming into the contest, committed 10 in the opening half. … Savage fell two points shy of his season high of 19, set Nov. 29 against Seton Hall.