Inside The Panthers

Pitt Starting G Returns from Injury

A Pitt Panthers starting guard has returned from injury.

Dominic Campbell

Nov 15, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damian Dunn (1) warms up before a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 15, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damian Dunn (1) warms up before a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will have one of their starting guards back for their biggest game of the season.

Panthers graduate student guard Damian Dunn has returned from injury and is available to play vs. No. 4 Duke on the road on Jan. 7, according to Jim Hammett of PantherLair.

He still has some tape on that right thumb and around his wrist, but he is warming up against the Blue Devils.

Christopher Carter reported that Dunn is healthy enough to play vs. the Blue Devils, but that the Panthers still have caution after his recent injury. He will play some, but not starting minutes like had before the injury.

Dunn missed the last seven games for Pitt, after he underwent surgery on his right thumb and alsosuffered a right ankle sprain in the loss to then ranked No. 19 Wisconsin at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. on Nov. 24.

The program announced that Dunn would miss the next six weeks, which marked Jan. 6 as the earliest comeback date from surgery on Nov. 25. His availability conicides with this date and shows that he returned just on time.

Dunn did go through warmups in their last game, an 83-68 victory over Stanford at home on Jan. 4, but didn't play in the game.

Panthers head coach Jeff Capel said that Dunn was never going to play vs. the Cardinal, but that he wanted to go out with his teammates and warmup.

Dunn was one of the best players for Pitt this season prior to this injury, ranking third with 13.0 points per game and averaging 25.2 minutes and 2.5 rebounds per game, while starting the first six contests. He also shot 50.0% from the field, 52.6% from 3-point range and 75.0% from the foul line.

He starred in the 86-62 win over rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl at the Petersen Events Center on Nov. 15. He scored a team-high 23 points and shot 7-for-12 from the field, 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 5-for-7 from the free throw line.

Dunn also had a great game in the 83-68 win vs. Murray State at home on Nov. 8. He scored 19 points, shot 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 4-for-6 from the foul line.

He hails from Kinston, N.C. and played for Meadowcreek High School in the Atlanta metro.

Dunn would commit to Temple and played for them for four seasons from 2019-23. His best season came in his last, 2022-23, putting up career-highs of 15.3 points and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.8% from 3-point range and 81.4% from the foul line.

He would eventually transfer to Houston for his fifth season, starting just four of the 37 games he played in, averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game last season and shooting 35.9% from the field, 31.7% from 3-point range and 70.6% from the foul line as well.

Dunn's return also means that the entire Pitt team is healthy, as senior guard Ishmael Leggett missed the home win over Cal on New Year's Day with a lower body injury and freshman guard Amsal Delalić also missed the first two games of the season after hurting his shooting hand in late September.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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