Pitt vs Wake Forest: Panthers Open ACC Tournament

The Pitt Panthers face a must-win game against Wake Forest in their ACC Tournament opener.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Pitt Panthers will begin their ACC Tournament run by playing one of their biggest games of the season. 

There is so much on the line for both the Panthers and the Demon Deacons as they clash at the ACC quarterfinals in our nation's capital. 

Game Info
Opponent: Wake Forest (20-12 overall, 12-9 ACC)
Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
Location: Capital One Arena; Washington, D.C.
Broadcast: ESPN2 and 93.7 The Fan

Odds
Pitt is a 1.5-point underdog to Wake Forest, according to Action Network, with moneyline odds of +104 to -125 for the Demon Deacons. The point total line has been set at 146.5.

Three Storylines

Postseason Hopes Hang in the Balance
It all comes down to this for both Pitt and Wake Forest. The weeks of prognosticating about who will or won't make the NCAA Tournament come down to one game for both sides. Win, and you stay alive. Lose, and it's a long wait before a likely unsatisfying Selection Sunday. 

It is a refreshingly simple task for both the Demon Deacons and Panthers. The past month and a half has been spent debating paths and probabilities, bubbles and bracketology. It's pretty easy now - score one more point than the other team and you've given yourself the best shot. 

"Well, the most important thing is, first, we're playing Pitt, who we split with, and they're really, really good," Forbes said. "What I'm worried about is getting to Friday. I'm not worried about all that other stuff, and neither are they because we don't know what those people are thinking in the room. We don't know where we're at right now. They're the only people that know."

Wake Forest currently sits on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble by most estimations. Pitt does not. But they are in generally in the same boat - contenders, but far from safe. A win guarantees nothing but a loss sure does. 

The Rubber Match
Pitt and Wake Forest have already met twice during the regular season with two wildly different outcomes. 

The Panthers took the first game at the Petersen Events Center, rallying from down as many as 12 early in the second half to win by five. Will Jeffress defense in the final 10 minutes of the second half proved to be the difference. The second matchup fell to the Demon Deacons, who dominated the Panthers from start to finish, defending their undefeated home record with a 58% shooting night that ended in a 91-58 defeat for Pitt.  

With so much - a trip to the ACC semifinals and perhaps the NCAA Tournament - on the line, the rubber match of one of the most compelling series in the ACC this season promises to deliver on it's biggest stage yet in front of a national television audience. 

Can The Frontcourt Be Fixed?
There was one glaring deficiency for Pitt in each of their first two matchups with the Demon Deacons and it was the play of their frontcourt, particularly the centers, against the imposing, talented Efton Reid. He's averaged 13 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 70% from the field overall. 

The Panthers found a temporary solution in the first game, when Will Jeffress was subbed in as a last resort and ended up shutting down Reid over the final 10 minutes of the game, but the same trick didn't work a second time, when Reid tallied an effortless 12 points and 5 rebounds in just under 18 minutes of work against Guillermo Diaz Graham and Federiko Federiko. 

Diaz Graham and Federiko have struck a nice balance as a tandem recently, providing the Panthers different things as they each fit into their niche. But Neither have been consistently good post defenders this year. Each has shown flashes of being that over their first two seasons at Pitt but they will need to play strong one-on-one defense to keep the Panthers out of rotations and allow their teammates to cover Wake Forests' excellent shooters. 

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