Pitt gears up for first real test of season

The Pitt basketball team has looked unstoppable through four games, but a new chapter in this 2023-24 season is upon them. Pitt is set to embark on a five-game stretch against power-five competition and it begins tonight in the Preseason NIT in Brooklyn. The Panthers will take on the Florida Gators in the night cap of the first round at 9:30 this evening. Pitt will meet either Baylor or Oregon State on Friday depending on the outcomes tonight.

Pitt has been in cruise control early on with a 4-0 record and a high-flying offensive attack. The Panthers have twice toppled the 100-point plateau and are averaging 95.5 points per game. Pitt is coming off a 107-56 drubbing of Jacksonville on Friday.

Each member of this Pitt program will carry a different perspective heading into tonight’s game against Florida. For freshman guard Bub Carrington, it will be his first time playing against a power-five opponent under the bright lights of an NBA arena on national television.

“Yea, of course. I’m excited for it,” Carrington said at a press conference earlier this week. “Everyone is going to be a little nervous, or whatever it is, excited or whatever, but I’m ready to face it for sure.”

Carrington will enter the game with plenty of pregame buzz. In his first two weeks as a college basketball player, he has collected ACC Rookie of the Week each time. The freshman guard is averaging 18 points per game, 6.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. He is also shooting 52% from three and has quickly asserted himself as one of the breakout freshmen in the country. In a recent mock draft by Yahoo, Carrington is already being projected as a first round pick. It still seems early to have those discussions, but the young freshman is eager to play on the stage tonight.

“Real excited, real excited,” Carrington said of playing at the home of the Brooklyn Nets. “It’s something I want to do in the future. Why not do it now?”

Carrington will get his first crack of playing in a big time game at a big arena tonight, but for junior center Federiko Federiko, it will be a chance to showcase his improvement. Pitt had a similar schedule set up last season when the Panthers played Michigan and VCU in the Legend’s Classic, also a two-day event held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.

Pitt lost both games, including a 91-60 blowout to Michigan on the first night. The Panthers were still finding their way as a team, and Federiko was also settling into his role. At that point last season, John Hugley was still with the team, and Federiko was still thought of a reserve.

As we know, Hugley did not play much longer and Federiko went onto start 27 games on Pitt’s NCAA Tournament team. Federiko only scored three points and grabbed three rebounds in those two games in Brooklyn and is eager to show he is better prepared for the spotlight this time.

“It’s different now that I have a year under me,” he explained. "I have played against the top bigs in the country, so yeah.”

The loss to Michigan was a devastating blow for Pitt last season. Jeff Capel believed he had a good team, but the 31-point loss had him doubting himself. The Panthers bounced back the next day against VCU, not with a win, but enough to show the Pitt coach was right and his gut feeling. Ultimately, he was spot on with the assessment of his team. Pitt won 10 of its next 11 games and eventually contended for an ACC title before making the second round of the NCAA Tournament. As Capel returns to Brooklyn in his sixth season, he is eager to showcase his team that looks very promising on a big stage.

“Florida is a different level,” Jeff Capel said after Pitt’s win over Jacksonville. “It’s a power-five. We’re playing in New York. It’s a tournament and there’s an opportunity to win a championship. So all of those things. The field is great with Baylor and Oregon State. We’re really really excited to go up there and see where we are against that type of competition.”

The Gators should provide a stiff test for sure. Florida is 3-1 and its only loss is a 73-70 defeat to Virginia. The Gators also just handled Florida State 89-68 in their last game. They pack a good scoring punch with four starters averaging double figures led by Walter Clayton Jr. and Riley Kugel, who both average 13.8 per game. Florida will also have the added benefit of getting Zyon Pullin back in the lineup, a highly regarded transfer guard who had to serve a three-game suspension to start the season. He scored 15 against Florida State off the bench and adds another weapon Pitt will have to account for tonight.

For Pitt, this is a showcase opportunity. The Panthers surprised as a team last year and overcame a dreadful experience in Brooklyn and used it as a turning point. This time Pitt wants to put its best foot forward under the bright lights of New York and make a statement.

“Even though we were blown out and lost a close one, I felt good leaving there about who we were and what we could become,” said Capel. “I’m anxious to get up there this time and see if we can maybe be a little bit better.”