Redshirt junior forward William Jeffress (24) dunks during a game against Wake Forest in the Petersen Events Center on Jan. 31, 2024.
This Saturday, Pitt men’s basketball (14-6, ACC 5-4) will travel to North Carolina for an exciting dual against Wake Forest. The game is an important conference matchup for the Panthers who are coming off an electric win against UNC on Tuesday night.
The Panthers have had a rocky start to conference play, losing close games to Louisville, FSU and Clemson, as well as a tough loss to Duke. Those results only make the upcoming ACC games even more crucial for the Panthers.
Pitt is coming off a great win against UNC earlier this week and has to keep its momentum rolling. Redshirt senior forward Zack Austin delivered a career-defining performance with 15 points, three rebounds and five blocks, making clutch plays all over the court. If he can capitalize off this big game and bring that same energy on Saturday, he could give the Demon Deacons a major scare.
The Panthers can also count on other big playmakers this weekend in sophomore guard Jaland Lowe and graduate student guard Damian Dunn.
Lowe is an extremely consistent piece of this Pitt offense, averaging 17.6 points per game. The Missouri City, Texas, native staying hot on offense is key in this conference matchup. Dunn is getting back into the groove after suffering a thumb injury that required surgery and caused him to miss six games earlier this season. Since recovering from injury, he’s shown real defensive maturity on the court, forcing turnovers and making defensive plays to generate points.
In addition to his defensive performance, he’s starting to put up some points on offense as his shooting hand returns to full health. Dunn playing well on both sides of the ball against the Demon Deacons would give Pitt a major advantage.
Taking down Wake Forest isn’t an easy feat, and the Demon Deacons have accomplished some big wins against tough opponents this season. Wake is 7-3 in conference play and held No. 2 Duke to a season-low 63 points, only losing by 7 points in its matchup last weekend.
Wake Forest senior guard Hunter Sallis is a big offensive threat, averaging 18.6 points per game. At 6 feet 5 inches, he’s not scared to drive into the lane or shoot from beyond the arc. In 2024, he was the second-leading scorer in the ACC during league play and was named the Associated Press ACC Newcomer of the Year.
Sallis is joined by senior forward Tre‘Von Spillers who is a big help on the boards, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game, creating more scoring opportunities for his team.
Spillers and Sallis both came from the Transfer Portal to Wake Forest in the past few years with Spillers playing at Appalachian State and Sallis playing for head coach Mark Few at Gonzaga. With years of playtime across different programs, they stand out as leaders of this Wake Forest team.
As Selection Sunday approaches, both teams are eager to prove they deserve a spot in this year’s tournament. This game will surely offer thrilling ACC play as both Pitt and Wake Forest are hungry to show off their talent and ability.
Saturday’s matchup offers Pitt one of its four remaining Quad One opportunities. Fans can watch this pivotal game at noon on ESPN 2.
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