Pitt Hopeful Federiko Federiko Will Return for Iowa State Game

The Pitt Panthers could get their starting center back soon.

DAYTON -- The Pitt Panthers survived a rock fight with Mississippi State and their first-team All-SEC center Tolu Smith, despite playing without their starting center, Federiko Federiko, in the lineup. 

While Federiko sat with a knee injury, the Panthers turned to wiry freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham, whose fearless efforts defending Smith on the inside helped Pitt escape the First Four with a win in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. More good news came from the locker room and press conferences that followed - Federiko's injury isn't a long-term situation and he could return in time for Pitt's first round matchup with Iowa State. 

"If we would have played later in the week, Thursday or Friday, maybe there was a chance he could have been ready for that," Pitt head coach Jeff Capel said. "There's a chance he could be ready for Friday. We're very, very hopeful."

Starting guard Greg Elliot said later in the locker room that he believes Federiko will in fact, be ready to go for tip-off against the Cyclones, scheduled for Friday at 3:10 p.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina. Typically, teams who win in the First Four on Tuesday have to play in the first round on Thursday, but Pitt will benefit from an extra day of rest. 

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