Pitt won its first NCAA Tournament game since 2014 on Tuesday night, beating Mississippi State in the First Four.
With the victory, the Panthers moved on to face sixth-seeded Iowa State in the first round tomorrow. Former President Barack Obama is picking Pitt to spring the upset over the Cyclones.
Asked by reporters how it feels to know that Obama is riding with them, three Pitt players gave their reactions on Thursday.
“You think Barack gonna see this?” asked Blake Hinson. “Barack, what up man? I’m not gonna forget that right there.”
“It just feels good that Barack Obama is placing us to get this win, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to come out and take care of business,” added Nike Sibande, while Greg Elliott said it is “exciting to know we have people believing in us.”
Shoutout @BarackObama‼️ pic.twitter.com/gGIKDUlRBB
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) March 16, 2023
Pitt and Iowa State will tip off at 3:10 p.m. ET on Friday from Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina. The winner will face the Xavier-Kennesaw State winner on Sunday.
We’ll see if the Panthers reward Barack Obama’s faith in them.