Pitt Basketball Discovers Opponent for ACC/SEC Challenge

The Pitt Panthers will, once again, take part in the ACC/SEC Challenge in 2024 and have now discovered their opponent.

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 will play again the ACC/SEC Challenge this upcoming season, and discovered who they'll play

According to Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today, Pitt will travel to Starkville, Miss. to face off against Mississippi State on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The two teams played each other in the First Four in 2023 in Dayton, Ohio in a thriller. Pitt led 58-52 after a logo 3-pointer from forward Blake Hinson with three minutes remaining. Mississippi State would go on a 7-0 run, capped off with a layup from Tolu Smith to give them the lead with 32 seconds remaining.

Guard Jamarius Burton stepped up on the next possession and hit a clutch mid-range jumper to give the Panthers the lead with 10 seconds to go. Forward Guillermo Diaz Graham then blocked a shot from Smith on the ensuing possesion, but 2.7 seconds remained on the clock.

Bulldogs guard Shakeel Moore had a wide-open 3-pointer on the inbounds pass at the corner, but missed the shot. Forward D.J. Jeffires then missed the tip-in off the miss and the Panthers held on for the 60-59 victory.

That win for the Pitt was the first in the NCAA Tournament since 2014, when they demolished Colorado in the First Round, 77-48. It was also the first NCAA Tournament game for the program since 2016, as the team struggled under head coach Kevin Stallings and in the first four seasons under head coach Jeff Capel.

Pitt is 25-29 against the SEC All-Time and 28-32 with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas for this upcoming season.

This will serve as the second straight season with the ACC/SEC challenge, which replaced the ACC/Big Ten challenge that Pitt competed in since joining the conference in 2013.

Pitt lost their first ACC/SEC Challenge matchup last season, a 71-64 loss to Missouri. That loss would hurt Pitt throughout the season, as Missouri finished 8-24 overall and 0-18 in the SEC, playing a role in them missing out on the NCAA Tournament, despite finishing 24-12 overall, No. 4 in the ACC in regular season standings and an appearance in the ACC Tournament Semifinals.

Mississippi State is just one of a few other opponents for Pitt on their non-conference schedule. They open up against Radford at home on Monday, Nov. 4, as well as the Backyard Brawl against rival West Virginia at home too.

They play in The Greenbriar Tip-Off at The GreenBrier Resort in Sulphur Springs, W.Va. which is a bracketed tournament and also features LSU, UCF and Wisconsin. Pitt will play two of these teams, with matchups still not know yet. They also play VMI at some point as a part of the GreenBrier Classic - River Division.

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