Pitt Travels to SMU Amidst Losing Streak

The Pitt Panthers face a difficult road test vs. SMU in Dallas.

Feb 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Ishmael Leggett (5) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (3) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers face a tough road test in Dallas, as they take on ACC newcomer SMU for a late night battle.

Pitt has taken a different path than previously projected after a 67-66 loss on the road to North Carolina on Feb. 8 — their third straight — after defeating North Carolina less than two weeks ago at home.

After an inspiring hot start, 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the ACC, the Panthers sat comfortably inside the field of 68, the teams likely to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

A four-game losing streak and now the Panthers current three-game losing streak has moved the Panthers' hopes of receiving a bid from hopeful, to unsettled, to doubtful.

SPN's Joe Lunardi's Bracketology has Pitt projected in the "Next Four Out" tier of Tournament hopeful teams, meaning the Panthers have a lot of work to do.

But time is running out. The Tar Heels, who the Panthers split the series with, are also in the "Next Four Out" tier, making the recent loss a blemish on the resume and the win two weeks ago seem less important.

Pitt has eight more games left in the regular season. The only one of those games against opponents projected to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament is a road trip to Louisville on Mar. 1. First, Pitt faces a team in the, "First Four Out" tier, SMU.

Preview: Pitt vs SMU

The Mustangs are in their first season as members of the ACC after 11 seasons in the AAC.

First-year head coach Andy Enfield leads SMU, coming in after spending the last 11 years at USC including five NCAA Tournament Appearances. Enfield got the job at USC after coaching the legendary "Dunk City" Florida Gulf Coast team in 2012-13 who made a run to the Sweet Sixteen.

Sitting with an 18-5 record and 9-3 in-conference record, the Mustangs are looking for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2016-17 season. Considering they are just outside the Field of 68, the Mustangs will have to go through the Panthers to realize their dreams.

Redshirt junior transfer guard Boopie Miller leads the Mustangs with 13.8 points and 5.8 assists in his 28.3 minutes per game, but is one of five, almost six, Mustangs who average double-digits in scoring.

Miller, who spent his first season at Central Michigan, earned MAC All-Freshman team scoring 13.1 points per game. He only played in four games the next season due to injury, but then had a very productive season in last season, after transferring to Wake Forest, scoring 15.6 points per game.

He has started all 23 games for SMU this season, a career-high in assists, blocks, and steals per game and a career-low in turnovers. Standing at six-foot, most of Miller's field goal attempts come from inside the arc, but Behind the arc, Miller shoots a solid 35% on 3.5 attempts per game.

Fifth-year senior transfer, 6-foot-7 forward Matt Cross leads the Mustangs in the front court.

Cross has had success his entire collegiate career, averaging just shy of seven points a game while shooting 40% from deep as a first-year at Miami. He had a less productive season his next season at Louisville, but then found a home in UMass last season.

He earned First Team Atlantic-10 First-Team Selection averaging 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, both career highs.

Cross leads the Mustangs with 8.3 rebounds per game while adding 11.9 points. He has also found his shooting touch again, as he's shooting 38.8% from deep on 3.9 attempts per game.

Bolstering the Mustangs' frontcourt is first-year, seven-foot-two center Samet Yigitoglu, hailing from Istanbul, Turkey.

Yigitoglu leads SMU with 1.1 blocks per game and field goal percentage of players who average more than nine minutes per game. He recorded four blocks recently against Louisville on Jan. 21 and has recorded double-digit scoring in 14 games this season, including the last six games.

Junior guard B.J. Edwards leads the Mustangs on the defensive end with 2.3 steals per game. Edwards does a little of everything, adding 10.3 points, 3.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds.

Edwards started his collegiate career at Tennessee, but had limited opportunity. He has found much more opportunity after transferring to SMU prior to last season, starting all but three games.

He has started every game this season, averaging 28.3 minutes per game. He recorded a season high 19 points against Georgia Tech on Jan. 11 where he also swiped six steals.

#dwards recorded eight assists and grabbed eight rebounds in their 81-75 road win over the Virginia Tech Hokies on Feb. 5. Standing at six-foot-three, Edwards is adept at pressuring opposing guards and will likely cause trouble for the Panthers.

The Mustangs pose a variety of problems the Panthers have to solve. They shoot an average number of three-pointers per game but are very efficient on the shots. They roster several players who can lead the team in scoring any given night and strong defenders in both the front court and back court.

Considering the Panthers' recent offensive struggles, especially in the first halves of games, and their ability to close out games, a road-trip to Dallas, Texas will not be easy for a desperate Panthers team.

How to Watch: Pitt vs SMU

Pitt travels to SMU at 9 p.m. on Feb. 11. at Moody Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on theACC Network.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Pitt Football Offers Son of Former Steelers DT
  
• Three Pitt Alums Win Super Bowl With Eagles
• No. 15 Pitt Wrestling Loses to No. 14 Iowa State
• Takeaways: Pitt's Late Game Struggles Continue
• Pitt Gives Update on Injured Starting Guard

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt