Pitt vs Jacksonville: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines

The Pitt Panthers get one more game at home before leaving for a massive week in Brooklyn.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have one more game standing in between them and a stretch of five straight against high-major opponents. 

They'll have to square off with Jacksonville in their final home game before a trip to Brooklyn for the Preseason NIT kicks off that gauntlet.  

Game Info
Opponent: Jacksonville (2-1 overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Petersen Events Center; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Broadcast: ACC Network Extra and 93.7 The Fan

Odds
Pitt is a 15.5-point favorite over Jacksonville. The Dolphins are available for +1,448 odds on the moneyline, per Action Network, compared to -4,236 for the Panthers. The point total line has been set at 141.5. 

Battle on the Boards
Pitt's added length and size will be put to the test against a Jacksonville team that has size at every position and ranks 19th nationally in offensive rebounding rate and 13th in offensive rebounds per game. Their relatively poor shooting rates are supplemented by a focus on rebounding misses. 

The Panthers have been one of the best in the country in rebounding of all kinds, ranking 20th in defensive rebound rate and 16th in offensive rebound rate. Their improved size this season makes them a formidable team on the glass but this will be no walk in the part for Pitt on the boards. 

A New Leading Scorer?
Bub Carrington has led the Panthers in scoring in two games and Blake Hinson as led them in scoring in one other. But there is one Pitt player who has been a steady force offensively without the kind of gaudy scoring nights that Carrington and Hinson have experienced. 

Ishmael Leggett is averaging 15.3 points per game and been a force on both ends for Pitt so far this year. But a scoring breakout feels imminent for Leggett, who's been versatile and reliable. Teams have film on Carrington and Hinson's shot has been inconsistent at times through only three games. This could be a game where Leggett takes over for the first time in a Pitt uniform. 

One More Tune-Up
The Panthers insist they cannot and will not overlook this opponent but there are bigger challenges looming on the horizon. After this game against Jacksonville, Pitt will play five straight games against high-major competition, including the ACC opener against Clemson and the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia in consecutive games.

Pitt is not looking ahead of this game, but says they are rather hyper-focused on this game. This is a contest they should win handily but a loss would be devastating and entering next week with all of the momentum built over the first two weeks of the season having been dashed would be even worse. The Panthers can enter a difficult stretch riding high or deflated - it all depends on how seriously they take the Dolphins. 

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