Inside The Panthers

Pitt Basketball Discovers New Non-Conference Opponent

The Pitt Panthers had another mid-major opponent revealed as a part of their non-conference schedule for next season.

Dominic Campbell

Mar 15, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel looks on from the sidelines against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel looks on from the sidelines against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports / Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers found out another non-conference opponent for their men's basketball schedule for the upcoming season.

Made for March reported that Pitt will host Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday. Dec. 11 at the Petersen Event Center. This is also a buy game, as Pitt is paying Eastern Kentucky $90,000 to travel and play.

Pitt has played Eastern Kentucky three times prior, winning each time. They faced off home-and-away in 1980 and 1981 for their first two meetings, with Pitt holding on for an 80-78 victory on Feb. 4, 1980 and then demolished Eastern Kentucky, 80-56, on Jan. 12, 1981.

The most recent meeting was Nov. 19, 2009 at the Petersen Events Center, with the Panthers winning 71-60.

Guard Ashton Gibbs led the way with 20 points for the Panthers, shooting 8-for-14 from the field and making two 3-pointers and two foul shots each. Forward Nasir Robinson made six of his nine attempts from the floor for 15 points, while then freshman forward Lamar Patterson came off the bench and scored 10 points, with two 3-pointers as well. Panthers guard Travon Woodall led with seven assists, freshman forward Dante Taylor led with 12 assists and tied center Gary McGhee with four blocks each

Pitt is 17-1 overall against teams in the Atlantic-Sun (ASUN) in program history. They defeated two Atlantic-Sun teams last season at home, with a 86-74 win over Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) on Nov. 13 and a 107-56 blowout of Jacksonville on Nov. 17. That 51-point margin of victory for Pitt ranks tied for sixth biggest in program history.

The official non-conference schedule is not out yet, but there are a few games that Pitt has ready for next season.

They'll open up against Radford on Monday, Nov. 4 at home, and travel to take on Mississippi State on Wednesday, Dec. 4, as a part of the SEC/ACC Challenge for two confirmed matchups with dates.

Pitt also has the Greenbrier Tip-Off in Sulphur Springs, W.Va., Nov. 22-24, where they'll face two teams of either LSU, UCF and Wisconsin. VMI is another home game as a part of the Greenbrier Tip-Off, and they'll face rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl at home too.

The ACC added three new schools for this upcoming with conference realignment making big changes across college sports. Those schools are SMU from the American Athletic Conference and both Cal and Stanford from the Pac-12.

ACC men's basketball keeps a 20-game slate, but changes how many times everyone plays each other. Each team has two primary opponents like previous, but just one repeat opponent, compared to four previously. Each team plays the other 14 teams once, for seven home games and seven away games. 

Pitt will keep Syracuse and Louisville as primary opponents and North Carolina will serve as next season's repeat opponent. They'll play Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, Stanford and Virginia at home and they'll travel to take on Duke, Florida State, NC State, Notre Dame, SMU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest on the road.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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