Pitt men’s basketball future up in the air
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 20, 2018
The dominoes have started to fall after a tumultuous weekend for the Pitt men’s basketball team, which saw nine current players and two recruits request releases from the program. First-year guard Marcus Carr became the second Pitt player to be granted his release from the program Monday night. H...
Pitt grants Marcus Carr release from program
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 19, 2018
First-year point guard Marcus Carr became the second player from the Pitt men’s basketball team to be officially granted his release from the program on Monday night, according to reports from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Carr joins junior guard and forward Jared Wilson-Frame, who was granted his...
Demon Deacons dunk on Panthers, 63-57
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 22, 2018
In a game where neither team led by more than seven points, the Pitt men’s basketball team battled fellow ACC bottom-dweller Wake Forest Wednesday but couldn’t convert enough opportunities down the stretch and suffered its 16th straight loss, 63-57. A home game against the Wake Forest Demon De...
Panther Spotlight: Jared Wilson-Frame, Nick Wolk, Callie Frey
By Jon Shaiken | For the Pitt News
February 7, 2018
There have been a number of standout seasons for winter sports at Pitt — for better and for worse. For the track, field and women’s tennis teams, sustained individual success has been the story of their strong seasons. As for the struggling men’s basketball team, a junior college transfer ...
Panthers swept away by Hurricanes, 69-57
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 1, 2018
The Pitt men’s basketball team continued its trend of poor play late in games Wednesday night at Miami. As in their previous two contests, the Panthers held a lead in the latter part of the second half, but they failed to maintain that lead and fell to the Hurricanes, 69-57. With Miami’s (16-5 ...
Panthers drop ninth straight, lose to Syracuse, 60-55
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
January 27, 2018
The Pitt men’s basketball team seemed closer than ever to winning its first ACC game of the season after Wednesday’s close loss to NC State. The Panthers came into Saturday’s home game looking to amend the late-game mistakes that cost them their previous match. Instead, Pitt (8-14 overall, 0-9 ACC) once a...
Take Five: London, Luther, lazy reporting
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
January 12, 2018
In the age of media saturation, a lot happens in the sports world in a short amount of time. At the Pitt News, we’re embarking on a journey to pick the five most enticing sports headlines each week. This week, staff writer Brandon Glass shares a few of the highlights and lowlights, from Pittsburgh to...
Blue Devils dismantle Pitt, 87-52
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
January 10, 2018
A sizable crowd of Pitt fans were left in the stands watching Wednesday’s game, wondering if they would see their team score even half as much as the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils. The Panthers did, but not by much, as Duke crushed Pitt, 87-52. The Pitt men’s basketball team (8-9 overall, 0-4 ACC) continue...
Team of young men’s basketball players work on rebuilding
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
January 8, 2018
At the beginning of the season, The Pitt News — along with most other sports media outlets — placed the Pitt men’s basketball team at the bottom of its preseason ACC basketball rankings. The Panthers’ prospects didn’t seem too promising, considering they were bringing back just two players ...
Mountaineers take down Panthers in Backyard Brawl
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
December 9, 2017
Down 18 at the half, Pitt men’s basketball nearly mounted a second-half comeback, but West Virginia’s aggressive defense held the young Panther team in the final minutes. Though Pitt came within two points with six minutes remaining, the Mountaineers pulled away to avoid the upset, winning 69...
Nittany Lions level Panthers, 85-54, in Progressive Legends Classic semi-final
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
November 21, 2017
In a semi-final matchup of the Progressive Legends Classic versus Penn State, the Pitt men’s basketball team was annihilated by its in-state foe, falling 85-54 in a game that was essentially over by halftime. The Panthers (1-3 overall, 0-0 ACC) had nothing going for them in a blowout loss to the ...
Panthers chase down Gauchos, 70-62, claim first season victory
By Grant Burgman | Staff Writer
November 16, 2017
The Pitt men’s basketball team came back from an early and consistent deficit to claim its first victory of the season with a 70-62 victory over the University of California, Santa Barbara Gauchos. Pitt (1-2) played its second game in the 11th annual Progressive Legends Classic Wednesday night ag...
Pitt loses to Montana with record-low attendance, 83-78
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
November 13, 2017
Entering Monday night’s game, the Pitt men’s basketball team had not lost a home opener since 1996. Kevin Stallings was also the coach during that loss — but for the Panthers’ opponent, Illinois State. This time, Stallings experienced the defeat from the other side. The Panthers (0-2) committ...
Pitt men’s basketball ices Slippery Rock for 71-59 victory
By Kevin Bertha / Staff Writer
November 4, 2017
The Pitt men’s basketball team overcame a slow start marred by turnovers and foul trouble to beat Division II Slippery Rock 71-59 Saturday at the Shoot Down Cancer Exhibition Game. Head coach Kevin Stallings attributed the slow start to nerves from younger players, but was positive following the w...
Basketball overhaul: Pitt’s 2017 class
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 31, 2017
Coming off the program’s worst season since 2000, this offseason has signaled next year could be worse. The past few months have been some of the most tumultuous in the team’s history, with four seniors graduating and five others transferring elsewhere. As of now, the team only has two return...
Men’s basketball signs 6-foot-10 center Peace Ilegomah
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 25, 2017
After a plethora of defects to start the offseason, the Pitt men’s basketball program received a recruit on Monday with the signing of 6-foot-10 center Peace Ilegomah. Ilegomah played at Montverde Academy in Florida this past year and averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds per game. His team finishe...
Next year will be turning point for Panthers’ program after lost season
By Steve Rotstein | Sports Editor
March 14, 2017
Now that we know the season is over for Pitt’s men’s basketball team — with no postseason appearance and no winning record for the first time in 17 years — one question remains. Where do the Panthers go from here? Some have called for the axing of head coach Kevin Stallings after just one year on...
Pitt men’s and women’s basketball teams sign 2017 recruits
By Steve Rotstein | Sports Editor
November 10, 2016
Even though the 2016-2017 basketball seasons are just days away, both Pitt men’s basketball head coach Kevin Stallings and women’s basketball head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio solidified their rosters for next year on Thursday. Stallings officially inked four players to the Panthers’ 2017 recruiting class...