Pitt sports look to hop back into the win column and start the season on high note this weekend

Men’s basketball

After a rollercoaster of a week for Pitt men’s basketball, which included a national ranking and a 33-point bludgering on the road, the recently humbled Panthers look to get back to their winning ways and kick-off ACC play with a win at Virginia Tech on Saturday at 2 p.m. 

For 7-2 Pitt to get back into the top-25, they will need to beat the breaks off of the 3-5 Hokie squad and prove that Wednesday night’s loss was a fluke. Currently ranked last in the ACC and 153rd in KenPom, one would believe that Pitt is to dominate, yet Vegas is calling the game at a mere 3.5 points in the Panthers’ favor. 

The Panthers are still missing senior guard Damian Dunn who obviously impacts the lineup’s firepower with a surplus of 10 points per game stuck on the bench. Fans will see how the boys in the blue and gold can bounce back in another matchup without Dunn.

Pitt, now 26th in KenPom, has a massive analytical advantage over VT that can hopefully carry them through the finish line on the road in Blacksburg. Catch the game on the ACC network at 2 p.m.

Swimming & diving

From Dec. 7-15, the Pitt diving team will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to compete in USA Diving Winter Nationals. Pitt, California, Stanford, North Carolina, Boston College and Duke will be in attendance from the ACC. 

On Sunday, Open Training, the men’s 1m qualifier and women’s 3m qualifier will simultaneously begin at 5 p.m. The National Championships will begin on Dec. 11.

Sophomore Mariana Osorio Mendoza recently won three medals, including two gold, in Colombia at the South American Games. She also took home bronze on the platform at the Junior World Championships. Osorio Mendoza was named a PNC Achiever of the Week on Dec. 3. 

Last year, fifth-year Dylan Reed and senior Cameron Cash represented Pitt at the 2023 USA Diving Winter Nationals. Cash placed 19th in the 3m semifinal round and ninth on the platform finals as well as second overall in the prelim competition. Reed placed ninth in the men’s 3m finals. 

Track and field

The Panthers will kick off their season by traveling to Youngstown, Ohio, to compete in the annual YSU Icebreaker. Located in the Watson and Tressel Training Site and beginning at 1 p.m., Pitt hopes to start their season off strong. 

Twenty-seven local teams will be traveling to compete in the event, including neighbors Carnegie Mellon, Chatham, Duquesne and Pitt-Johnstown, as well as rival West Virginia. 

Last year, Pitt had major success in the YSU Icebreaker — capturing eight event titles and setting three meet records. Sophomore Success Duruzor placed first in the women’s 400m. Senior Ilse Steigenga won the women’s long jump with a mark of 6.28m.