Brandin Cummings is the key to Pitt’s success this season // Matthew Scabilloni, Sports Editor
Pitt men’s basketball has a very intriguing season in front of it. It’s clearly not the most talented team head coach Jeff Capel has assembled, but it has a chance to do some damage in the ACC.
Each of the transfers Capel grabbed in the Portal can provide some value to this team, and two first-year recruits, Omari Witherspoon and Roman Siulepa, will both have a lot of usage in their first year in Pittsburgh.
But the difference in how great this team becomes is not the transfers or even the talents first-years — it’s sophomore guard Brandin Cummings, who showed flashes of greatness throughout the 2024-2025 campaign.
Against Eastern Kentucky last season, we saw the potential he has as he scored 30 points in one of his four starts as a first-year. And in the two exhibition games for Pitt, Cummings scored in the double-digits — 12 against Providence and 10 against Pitt-Johnstown.
However, the biggest concern for me with this team is the front court. Don’t get me wrong, senior forward Cam Corhen looked good in the two exhibition games, but the same thing was said last year, and multiple times in key games, he was bullied in the paint.
Corhen would work great as a rotational big man, but with Iowa State transfer Dishon Jackson’s health up in the air, that’s probably not possible anymore, and Pitt could have some serious trouble on the horizon in front of it because of that.
Pitt will go 17-13 in the regular season and 7-10 in the ACC in 2024-2025 — not an extremely impressive season, but a season that will keep hopes of Panthers fans alive longer than most seem to anticipate.
New faces, high hopes// Karis Mameniskis
After having two strong exhibition wins over Providence and Pitt-Johnstown, Pitt men’s basketball is ready to play its first regular season game against Youngstown State, and head coach Jeff Capel is hoping to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022-23.
One of the first things that stands out about this year’s team is how young it is — nine out of the 15 players are either first-years or sophomores. In the Pitt-Johnstown game, two first-years even made the starting lineup — forward Roman Siulepa and point guard Omari Witherspoon. It’s cool to see Capel trust these young players right away.
And speaking of newcomers, Witherspoon is already standing out. He’s shown a ton of poise and leadership for a first-year, something Pitt will definitely lean on as the season gets going.
The schedule for Pitt this year is pretty tough, with games against teams like Ohio State and Texas A&M, so Pitt has some big early matches. With such a young roster and a few experienced transfers, it’s clear Capel is still building and developing.
In the ACC, I think Pitt will play competitive basketball but probably land somewhere in the middle. Trips to North Carolina and Duke are always tough, and history hasn’t exactly been kind in those matchups. My prediction is an 11-7 conference record and a trip back to the NCAA Tournament — a little optimistic, but definitely possible.
Beebah Cummings Break-Out Season// James Carter, Staff Writer
I will not lie to you and say that this Pitt outfit has the potential for another March Madness run, but what I am confident in is a great season from Beebah Cummings. While the sophomore guard did not move the needle last year, he had plenty of moments of brilliance during his 2024-2025 campaign.
His high shooting percentage gives Panther fans a lot to look forward to this season, as he shot 42% from the field and 37% from behind the arc last season. He looked a little raw while running the offense, but he showed the physical skills necessary for an ACC guard.
But, with more emphasis placed on the offensive interior for Pitt this season, Cummings should have some space to use his talents on the perimeter, which Pitt desperately needs.
With Jaland Lowe leaving for Kentucky and Ish Leggett graduating, a lot is placed on the young guard, but with an off-season of training and preparation under his belt, Cummings is in good shape to take the next step forward.
Pitt men’s basketball returns to 2018 roots // Ari Meyer, Senior Staff Writer
This season is shaping up to be an all-out disaster for the Pitt men’s basketball team. Unlike their other seasons in the transfer portal era, the team was unable to replace any of their departing players with anyone encouraging to some degree.
Each transfer or new addition brings some sort of major flaw to their game with them. First-year Omari Witherspoon will need significant time to adjust to ACC-level play. First-year forward Roman Siulepa is unable to make three-point shots and has shown to play worryingly bad defense for a “three-and-d” defensive prospect.
While the team defeated a good Providence team in their first exhibition, the underlying stats were poor at best. Playing against a team that was not playing their hardest to defend the perimeter, the team shot a combined 3-of-15 from three.
While those paltry numbers might work against their non-conference opponents, Pitt would be lucky to finish in the top 15 of 18 teams in the conference. If the team makes the ACC tournament, which only includes the top 15, I would be quite surprised.
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