Pitt men’s basketball trots into Thanksgiving matchups

As Thanksgiving rolls around the corner, Pitt men’s basketball looks to feast as it stands in front of a schedule tabled with tough nonconference competitors. 

Cited as a big reason as to why the Panthers missed last year’s NCAA tournament, these Power Five, nonconference games will dictate whether Pitt can serve big wins on its resume or take a seat at the kids’ table come March. So far, Pitt’s nonconference schedule was composed of non-power schools, and last year’s losses to Florida and Missouri hurt the Panthers when the spring rolled around. This year, they could rewrite the script.

Greenbrier Tip-Off

On Friday, the Panthers travel to White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia, to kick off their play in the Greenbrier Tip-Off against LSU at 2:30 p.m. Pitt will play in the Mountain Division with Wisconsin and UCF on the other side of the bracket. With a win against LSU, Pitt will advance to the championship against one of the other two teams on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. With a loss, Pitt will play a third-place consolation game two-and-a-half hours before the final. 

This game is Pitt’s second Power Five game of the year. Both LSU and Pitt head into the contest undefeated, and the game stands as a chance for Pitt to continue its winning momentum.

In KenPom metrics, Pitt, ranked at 16, sits way above LSU, ranked at 48, and if the analytics speak for themselves, the Panthers should make stuffing out of the Tigers. For a team whose offense is hot and firing on all cylinders, the Panthers are licking their lips at the sight of a Tiger defensive efficiency rating at just .878, which ranks 39th in the country. Pitt, which has scored over 80 points in each of its games this season, should fare well against a team that has seen an average of 63.5 points from its opponents across its first five games.

This season, Pitt’s star guards have played nothing short of fantastic, and expect the trend to continue. After a triple-double from sophomore guard Jaland Lowe against VMI and strong performances from senior guard Ishmael Leggett, first-year guard Brandin Cummings and senior guard Damian Dunn, watch out for the Panther’s backcourt train to keep on chugging.

With a win against LSU, the Panthers have a chance to take on UCF, a matchup that would not only produce a great game of basketball but would include some drama as well. The two programs have recent lore dating back to 2022 when Dior Johnson, who now plays for UCF, was suspended from Pitt’s team after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges.

If Wisconsin awaits Pitt, however, this will stand as the Panthers’ hardest contest yet. Wisconsin ranks 19 in the top 25, and with a game like this, Pitt stares at a chance to take down one of the big dogs and cement itself as such. A win against a ranked Wisconsin team could go a long way for Pitt in the eyes of the committee in the spring.

Ohio State

After the Greenbrier Tip-Off, another Big 10 foe awaits right around the corner. On Friday, Nov. 29, Pitt takes on Ohio State in Columbus. The Buckeyes are a good team, and for Pitt to go on the road and steal its second-to-last nonconference game before heading into ACC territory, the team will have to play some of its best basketball yet. 

Mississippi State

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, Pitt takes on Mississippi State as part of the ACC/SEC challenge. The Panthers will play a night away game at 9:15 p.m. against the Bulldogs in a rematch from their First Four head-to-head in the 2023 NCAA tournament where Pitt advanced after a one-point victory. 

The next two weeks give Pitt basketball a great opportunity to fill out its nonconference schedule with resume-bolstering wins before heading into a tough ACC season.