Jamie Dixon and the Pitt basketball team get back at it tonight when the Preseason NIT tips-off at the Petersen Events Center.
After a record-setting performance from the floor in their season opening win against Mount St. Mary’s, Pitt will attempt to duplicate the results in their first round matchup against Fordham, the first game of the evening.
While it is doubtful that Dixon’s Panthers shoot anywhere near the 71 percent they did on Friday against the Mountaineers, it should prove valuable for freshmen Steven Adams and James Robinson as they get more acclimated to the collegiate game.
Fordham, from the Atlantic 10 Conference, lost its opening game of the season to Texas State.
The nightcap of the evening will be much more exciting as it will feature guard C.J. McCollum and the Lehigh Mountain Hawks squaring off against Robert Morris.
McCollum dazzled in last year’s NCAA Tournament as Lehigh upset Duke and would have been a sure fire first round pick in June’s NBA Draft had he elected to come out. He is a special talent who can play either guard spot and is already off to a good start to the season.
Despite Lehigh losing their opening game to Baylor, the senior guard dropped 36 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded three steals against the Bears.
Robert Morris also lost their opening game of the season, 79-54 to Rider.
The Colonials were led in scoring by Karvel Adams, who came off the bench to score 11 points.
The winners of the tonight’s two games will meet tomorrow night at the Petersen Events Center and the winner of that matchup will head to Madison Square Garden for the rest of the tournament next week.
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