PITTSBURGH – If you would have told a majority of Pitt basketball fans one year ago, Feb. 7, 2022 – following a 74-47 loss to Virginia Tech and dropping to 3-10 in the ACC – that the team would be in first place with seven regular season games remaining, they’d probably call your bluff.
The Panthers hold all the cards.
Dominating Louisville 91-57 at the Petersen Events Center and sweeping the season series, Pitt (17-7, 10-3 ACC) has moved into a tie for first place in the ACC with Clemson. The 34-point win is the largest margin of victory for the Panthers in ACC play. A win by No. 8 Virginia against No. 22 NC State late Tuesday would cement a three-way tie for the top spot entering the weekend.
Five Panthers scored in double digits, led by 15 from Nike Sibande. Greg Elliott (14), Blake Hinson (11), Nelly Cummings (11), and Guillermo Diaz Graham (11) capped off a night where Jamarius Burton scored eight points and tallied six rebounds in the victory.
Pitt has exceeded all expectations following an 11-21 season, only winning six of 20 conference games. In his fifth season at the helm, Jeff Capel propelled the Panthers to victories against NC State, Syracuse, Virginia, Wake Forest, Miami, and North Carolina twice in an attempt to do what no other team has done before.
Projected to finish 14th out of 15 conference teams in the ACC Preseason Poll, the Panthers are on course for their best finish since beginning ACC competition 10 years ago.
Pitt battles Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida beginning at 12 p.m. with the chance to tie for the most ACC wins in program history. In its first season since joining the conference, Pitt’s 2013-14 team finished 26-10 overall and 11-7 against a new set of opponents. The Panthers are 6-2 on the road this season and an impressive 5-1 away from home facing conference teams.
Panthers Remaining Schedule:
Feb. 11 at. Florida State
Feb. 14 vs. Boston College
Feb. 18 at Virginia Tech
Feb. 21 vs. Georgia Tech
Feb. 25 vs. Syracuse
Mar. 1 at. Notre Dame
Mar. 4 at, Miami
Great work!!! One game at a time…