Pitt’s men’s basketball team has enjoyed many successful things this season. It sits at 17-4 and 5th in the ACC standings and have seen guys like Michael Young and Jamel Artis have career best seasons thus far. However, there is one thing that is currently missing from this season; a signature win. Yes, Pitt has a great 17 wins, but looking at the schedule closer, there is really no win that really stands out over the rest. One can say the Panthers best win came on the road against Notre Dame or more recently the exciting come-from-behind win on the road against Florida State. The record of both those teams is just 15-7 and both sit below Pitt in the ACC standings.
To begin a path to a higher seed when it comes tournament time in March, the Panthers need a win that stands out to the selection committee. It has an opportunity to earn that tomorrow when the ninth ranked Virginia Cavaliers come to the Steel City tomorrow for a matinee matchup. The Cavaliers sit just a mere half-game above the Panthers in the ACC standings, which will create an even bigger stage. Virginia has provided a thorn in Pitt’s side since they joined the ACC as the Panthers have yet to defeat the Cavaliers in three matchups. The first of those matchups occurred in the Petersen Events Center just over two years ago when Malcolm Brogdon devastated the Panthers with a game-winning three-pointer with just 0.4 seconds to go to win 48-45.
Brogdon and company enter winners of five straight, which includes an impressive win on the road last Saturday against Louisville, who hammered the Panthers just a few short weeks earlier in the same building. The Cavaliers also lead the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage and scoring defense while sitting second in the ACC in total field goal percentage. However, Virginia’s offense overall sits near the bottom of the ACC in scoring offense which gives the Panthers inconsistent defense a chance to break out on Saturday. The Panthers could cripple Virginia with a strong game defensively beyond the arc. Most importantly, they need to limit Brogdon who comes off a 27-point effort against Boston College on Wednesday.
Pitt has had chances to score signature wins needed to build their resume, but has come up small in the big conference games like against Louisville and Clemson. While they need a complete effort on defense, the Panthers need their offense to start fast and not dig a deep hole like it has done in previous weeks. One of the keys to upsetting the Cavaliers is ultimately the guard play from the Panthers. Pitt has the frontcourt to compete against anyone, but they absolutely need the best out of guards: Sterling Smith, James Robinson and Sheldon Jeter tomorrow to help breakthrough the strong Cavaliers defense.
The Panthers have a prime chance to knock off the Cavaliers Saturday. This game starts a tough stretch of quality opponents that includes road games against: North Carolina, Miami, and then a rematch with Louisville at home. So if the Panthers do not come away victorious tomorrow, they have opportunities later to build their resume. But simply, the Panthers cannot let this game slip from them. Pitt needs to feed off the Oakland Zoo that will be dressed in black, and ultimately try and give them and every Pitt fan what they have been waiting for all season, a signature win.
