After finishing out the season losing four of their last five, Pitt men’s basketball will compete in the ACC tournament as the No. 13 seed. A first-round rematch with No. 12 seed Notre Dame at 2 p.m. on Tuesday awaits the Panthers to keep their season alive.
The Panthers and the Irish both head into this game coming off of massive wins against Boston College and California, respectively. Pitt handled Boston College by 26 points in its final home game on senior night, while Notre Dame fended off Cal on their home floor in a one-basket, four overtime thriller.
If both of these programs carry their recent momentum into the Queen City, this game should be a dogfight between two programs that have one more opportunity to make it to the Big Dance. Betting odds currently have the spread set at 4.5 in Pitt’s favor, a tight contest where two or three crucial moments make or break the outcome.
The player to watch out for is Notre Dame’s sophomore guard Markus Burton. Burton is the most prolific bucket-getter in the ACC, averaging a conference-high 22.2 points per game. The last time he saw Pitt, the Panthers were in for a 20-piece, and Burton comes into this game fresh off of a 43-point performance. Not just a scorer, Burton leads the Irish in assists and steals, which could give the Panther guards trouble on the defensive side of the ball.
This game could very well serve as the senior Panthers’ last time in blue and gold, and I would expect to see them play hard to prolong their collegiate careers. In his last showing against the Irish, senior guard Ishmael Leggett dropped 21 points on an efficient 57% from the field. Another showing like this could help Pitt secure a much-needed win.
First-year guard Amsal Delalic has seen inconsistent minutes throughout the season. After barely touching the floor in South Bend, he contributed decent numbers in his increased playing time over Pitt’s last two games. If Capel continues to throw him in lineups, a big three here or there could end up putting the Panthers over the edge.
First-year guard Brandin Cummings also saw an increase in playing time during Pitt’s last showing, seeing the floor for nearly the full game while picking up 16 points. The local hero had just a basket to his name in the Panthers’ last game against Notre Dame, albeit on about a third of the minutes. We’ve seen big scoring bursts from Cummings before — and another on the biggest stage of the season is just what Pitt could need.
This game is über-important for Pitt. After a total collapse from the forefront of the season, the Panthers have one saving grace for the season — the auto bid.
If Pitt can bottle up Burton, it can take its get-back and prance into the second round. If not, though, the Panther faithful could get served a tough ending to an even tougher season. Pitt has undoubtedly dug itself into a deep hole, and the only way out is a win. And then another one. And then two and possibly even three more.
While it’s best to take it one game at a time, there is a long road ahead to rewrite the woes of the season. It’s up to Capel’s caravan as to whether they put the pedal to the metal or crash and burn.
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