Pitt Non-Conference 2024-25 Schedule Revealed

The Pitt Panthers basketball non-conference schedule for the 2024-25 season is revealed.
Mar 14, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel gestures from the bench against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel gestures from the bench against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have their full basketball non-conference schedule out, which includes a number of great opponents.

The Panthers have one preseason game against Point Park on Tuesday, Oct. 22, who recently moved up to Division II from the NAIA.

Pitt will start off with Radford at home on Monday, Nov. 4. This will serve as the first ever meeting between the two programs. Pitt has also only played four games against opponents from the Big South, the conference Radford is in, throughout their history. 

They then host Murray State on Friday, Nov. 8. Pitt defeated Murray State on Dec. 20, 2003 in a 70-49 blowout, also at the Petersen Events Center, in their only matchup between the two schools.

Gardner-Webb will come to the Petersen Events Center on Monday, Nov. 11. This will serve as the third meeting between the two schools, with Pitt coming out victorious 99-80 on Nov. 14, 2016 and 67-50 on Dec. 12, 2020, both at the Petersen Events Center.

The Backyard Brawl, pitting the Panthers against their rival in the Mountaineers, will take place at the Petersen Events Center on Friday, Nov. 15

The two programs restarted the Backyard Brawl in 2017 after dealing with conference realignment, WVU dominated intially, winning the first five games back through 2022, but Pitt got its first win in the rivalry last season, in an 80-63 victory at WVU Coliseum on Dec. 6, 2023. Blake Hinson starred for Pitt, dropping 29 points, including a program record nine 3-pointers as well.

Pitt will then play in the Greenbrier Tip-Off at The Greenbrier, a luxury resort in Sulphur Springs, W.Va. They start off against LSU on Friday, Nov. 22, marking their first matchup in 55 years and fifth overall, split 2-2 all-time.

If Pitt wins, they'll play in the Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 5:00 p.m. and if they lose, they'll play the same day at 2:30 p.m. They'll face either Wisconsin or UCF in the next round.

Pitt will also play VMI as a part of the GreenBrier Tip-Off at home on Monday, Nov. 18, prior to the preseason tournament. They defeated VMI both times at the Petersen Events Center, including a 94-55 blowout in the most recent contest in 2018, head coach Jeff Capel's first season in charge.

They will then travel to face Ohio State on Friday, Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving and Mississippi State on Wednesday, Dec. 4 in the SEC/ACC Challenge.

The Panthers and Buckeyes have faced off 26 times in their long history, with Ohio State holding a 15-11 advantage in the series.

They have only played each other twice this century, with the Panthers winning both games of the home-and-away. They took down the Buckeyes on the road on Dec. 19, 2001, 62-55, and they dominated them at the Petersen Events Center on Dec. 18, 2002, 69-49.

The Panthers have played the Bulldogs just once, which ended in a thriller, a 60-59 victory for the Panthers in the First Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Pitt will host two more non-conference opponents, including Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and Sam Houston State on Saturday, Dec. 21.

They beat Eastern Kentucky in all three previous meetings, with the most recent contest coming on Nov. 19, 2009 at the Petersen Events Center, a 71-60 victory for the home team. This is the first matchup between Pitt and Sam Houston State, who won the Conference USA Regular Season Title last season.

Pitt Basketball Non-Conference Schedule 

Confirmed Matchups + Dates
Tuesday, Oct. 22-Point Park (Home) (Preseason)
Monday, Nov. 4-Radford (Home)
Friday, Nov. 8-Murray State (Home) 
Monday, Nov. 11: Gardner-Webb (Home)
Friday, Nov. 15-West Virginia (Home) (Backyard Brawl)
Monday, Nov. 18-VMI (Home) (Greenbrier Classic - River Division) 
Friday, Nov. 22-LSU (2:30 p.m.) (Greenbrier Tip-Off/Sulphur Springs, W.Va.)
Sunday, Nov. 24-UCF or Wisconsin (2:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m.) (Greenbrier Tip-Off/Sulphur Springs, W.Va.)
Friday, Nov. 29-Ohio State (Away)
Wednesday, Dec. 4-Mississippi State (Away) (SEC/ACC Challenge)
Wednesday, Dec. 11-Eastern Kentucky (Home)
Saturday, Dec. 21 Sam Houston State (Home) 

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Dominic Campbell

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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