Pitt vs Virginia: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines

The Pitt Panthers welcome another ranked ACC opponent to the Petersen Events Center.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are as hot as they have been since the Jamie Dixon era all those years ago. They've won nine of their last 10 after starting 1-3 and are undefeated through three games of ACC play. 

The Panthers will try to break a 12-game losing streak to the Cavaliers and will have the benefit of home-court advantage. The last time they beat Virginia in 2017, they did it at home and with Kevin Stallings manning the sideline. A lot has changed since then. 

Opponent: No. 13 Virginia (10-2 overall, 2-1 ACC)
Time: 9:00 PM EST
Location: Petersen Events Center
Broadcast: ACC Network and 93.7 The Fan

Odds

The Panthers opened as 4.5-point underdogs to the Cavaliers. Pitt is +168 on the moneyline while Virginia sits at -205. The over/under for total points has been set at 129.5. 

These are significantly better odds than what the Panthers got heading into the North Carolina game. The Tar Heels were 5.5-point favorites at the Petersen Events Center and Pitt was +220 on the moneyline. 

Three Storylines

Vintage Virginia

The Cavaliers have become synonymous with defensive excellence ever since head coach Tony Bennett took over in 2009. In the 13 years he's been at Virginia, Bennett's teams have surrendered more than 60.5 points per game just twice and it was during his first two years in Charlottesville. 

Virginia is 54th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They contest shooters well at every level, force turnovers at a high rate, block shots frequently and do it all without fouling. That combined with one of the slowest - 361st nationally in adjusted tempo - but most efficient - 29th in Division I in adjusted offensive efficiency - offenses in the county make for a quintessential Virginia team. 

They are slow, smart and suffocating all at the same time. While more and more teams prefer to overwhelm opponents with speed and points, Virginia retains a classic and routinely effective look. 

Revenge Game

The Panthers suffered two brutally close losses to the Cavaliers last season - the first a 57-56 defeat on the road in early December and the second a 66-61 decision in mid-January at the Petersen Events Center. They were just two of the many wins Pitt felt they had within their grasp but let slip away on the way to another losing season. 

This season has a "revenge tour" element to it for the Panthers, who despite going through extensive roster turnover, have taken extreme pride in separating this program for its lackluster recent history - you could see that in the energy they played with against North Carolina. In this game against Virginia, Pitt has a chance to avenge those losses and prove that their improved experience on paper can pay dividends on the court. 

Battle in the Backcourt

Kihei Clark and Nelly Cummings are two of the best passers in the conference. Both are in the top five of the conference in total assists and the top six in assist-to-turnover ratio. Cummings is a better and more prolific shooter but Clark is the better defender and the two will be matchup on each other for as long as they're on the floor together. 

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