Pitt Continues Rise in ESPN Bracketology

The Pitt Panthers continue their rise in ESPN Bracketology.

Nov 15, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have had a strong start to the season, which has seen them rise up in the latest ESPN Bracketology.

Pitt traveled down to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. and participated in the Greenbrier Tip-Off at The Greenbrier Resort.

They defeated LSU, 74-63, on Nov. 22, as sophomore guard Jaland Lowe scored a team and career-high 22 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the field, 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 6-for-7 from the foul line, while also leading Pitt with eight rebounds and six assists, and also adding three steals.

Panthers senior guard Ishmael Leggett dropped 21 points himself in the victory, shooting 6-for-14 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line, while also making five steals and six rebounds.

Pitt would lose their first game of the season, 81-75 to then ranked No. 19 Wisconsin on Nov. 24 in the Greenbrier Tip-Off Championship. They also lost graduate student guard Damian Dunn to injury, who will miss the next six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right thumb.

Joe Lunardi put Pitt up two seeds from last week, going from No. 10 to No. 8., and taking them out of the "Last Four In."

He placed PItt as the No. 8 seed in the East Region, facing off against No. 9 BYU in the First Round at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.

The winner of the two schools would face No. 1 Tennessee or No. 16 Quinnipiac, the automatic qualifier out of the MAAC, in the Second Round.

The Panthers have faced the Cougars just once, a 93-73 loss on Dec. 23, 1986 in Provo, Utah. The Cougars built the longest unanswered run by any Panthers opponent ever, 21-0 in the first half, and led 55-24 at halftime, with the 31-point lead tied for the most fourth largest halftime deficit in program history.

BYU is 5-0 in the first season under head coach Kevin Young, with all of their wins by 20+ points, except for their 86-80 victory vs. UC Riverside on Nov. 8.

Pitt struggled initially in ACC play last season, with a 1-5 start, but managed to win 11 of their last 14 games, finished No. 4 overall in the conference and made the ACC Tournament Semifinals. Still, they missed out on the NCAA Tournament and rejected a bid for the NIT, ending their season at 22-11.

They came close to making the NCAA Tournament, but the Selection Committee chose to go with six teams from the Mountain West, who all lost by the Sweet 16.

Pitt, along with Lowe, has a stellar backcourt along withAll-ACC Preseason Team honoree senior Ish Leggett, freshman Brandin Cummings and Dunn when he returns. They'll also rely on freshman guard Amsal Delalić, who hails from Bosnia and Herzegovina and played professionally.

They also have a strong front court in Florida State transfer/junior Cam Corhen, twins in Jorge and Guillermo Diaz Graham and redshirt senior Zack Austin, who have defended the basket with ferocity.

Pitt will face Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 29, with a 2:30 p.m. tip-off in their next game.

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