Pitt continues its five-game road swing tonight, with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi. The No. 18 Panthers will take on Mississippi State (6-1) at 9:15 p.m. with coverage on the SEC Network.
Jeff Capel’s team is coming off of a dramatic 91-90 overtime victory against Ohio State last week. That win vaulted the Panthers into the AP Top-25 for the first time this year, and achieved Pitt’s highest ranking in the poll since the 2014 season.
Pitt trailed by 11 points with 16 minutes remaining, but battled to force overtime before senior forwards Zack Austin hit a memorable game-winning 3-pointer to improve the Panthers’ record to 7-1 on the season.
Now, the next challenge for Pitt is to win a different type of challenge. This is the second year of the SEC/ACC Challenge, replacing the longstanding ACC/Big Ten Challenge, as Pitt will look for its first win in the event.
Heading into tonight, the SEC is leading the ACC XX to XX. Overall the ACC is just 12-28 (going into Tuesday) against other power conference this year, although Pitt has done most of the heavy lifting for the league, going 3-1 in such contests.
Tonight, the Panthers will take on a Mississippi State team that was picked to finish 10th out of 16 teams in the SEC preseason poll. Despite the modest preseason expectations, the Bulldogs have been solid in recent years.
Chris Jans is in his third season leading Mississippi State, and he has posted back-to-back 21-win seasons with a pair of NCAA Tournament berths to his credit. His 2023 team saw its season end in Dayton with a 60-59 loss to Pitt in the First Four.
The Bulldogs opened the year with six straight wins, including victories over Utah, SMU, and UNLV, but lost their most recent outing with an 87-77 defeat to Butler last Friday. Pitt will need to be mindful of a strong inside/outside duo from Mississippi State.
Josh Hubbard, a 5’11” sophomore guard, is pacing the team with 19.1 points per game. Hubbard is shooting 45% from three with 26 makes already. He has four 20-point games out of seven, and is what drives this team.
The Bulldogs also feature 6’10” junior Keshawn Murphy, who will enter this game averaging 11.1 points and nine rebounds a game. Murphy has three games this season with 12+ rebounds, and is a force on the glass.
Pitt already has claimed a win over an SEC opponent this year with a victory over LSU at the Greenbrier Tip-Off. Can the Panthers grab a second one? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks below.
Stephen Gertz (6-2, 3-5 ATS) - I think the Pittsburgh Panthers are a little more battle tested and are coming off an impressive road win. While the Mississippi State Bulldogs are licking their wounds, post their recent loss to the Butler Bulldogs, and are looking to enjoy some home cooking having not played there in over three weeks. Pitt is the better team on both ends of the floor. There is an opportunity for them to get back on track from three-point land as Mississippi State does not defend them all that well. The Panthers do need to protect the ball as the Bulldogs force steals as well as any team in the country. But with their seasoned guards, I do not think that will be a problem. If Pitt can slow down Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State is going to struggle to score despite comfortably playing nine guys. I think this will be a close one, but the Panthers have not blinked on the road this season and I do not expect that to start here.
Prediction: Pitt 76-73
Jim Hammett (7-1, 5-3 ATS) - It has been a bloodbath thus far for the ACC in the challenge against the SEC. The conference where it just means more is up 9-1 after one day, which is not a good thing for any ACC program that may eventually find itself on the bubble. All Pitt can do really, is just keep winning. The Panthers are 5.5 underdogs, which surprises me because I don't think Mississippi State is quite as good as Ohio State. The Bulldogs have a talented guard in Josh Hubbard and a big-time inside presence Keshawn Murphy. This won't be an easy game at all, as Chris Jans was taken Mississippi State to back to back tournaments. There will be confidence for this team playing at home, and it is never easy to win on the road.
But, this Pitt team usually seems pretty comfortable on the road. The Panthers are 8-4 over the past two seasons in road games, with usual suspects like Jaland Lowe, Ishmael Leggett, and Zack Austin all playing big roles. I think the continuity from last year has carried into this year, and this team looks prepared to win games on the road. I'm going to keep picking Pitt until it makes sense to stop. The Panthers have two really good guards, and I think they'll continue to get it done.
Prediction: Pitt 78-71
Matt Steinbrink (6-2, 1-7 ATS) - The Panthers remain in the road for the middle of a three game stretch tonight. It is a late night tip at a very unfamiliar place as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge. To my surprise, the Bulldogs are actually favored by about 4.5 points. It’s never easy away from home in college, but I really think Pitt is the better team here. The Ohio State win should have created a lot of momentum and the bench is developing. Containing Josh Hubbard will be a challenge and the front court is legit, but I think Pitt finds a way on the road.
Prediction: Pitt 82-75
Houston Wilson (7-1, 4-4 ATS) - A major takeaway from the weekend was Jeff Capel highlighting how important the road win over Ohio State was for Pitt, calling it a real program boost. That victory has given them strong momentum heading into tonight's game in Starkville, yet somehow they’re still 5.5-point underdogs. Mississippi State hasn’t done much to stand out this season, in my opinion. While losing Damian Dunn is a blow, I expect the other guards to step up. I’m picking Pitt to pull out a win.
Prediction: Pitt 86-80
Chris Peak (7-1, 5-3 ATS) - Looks like we're all on board for this one, and how couldn't we be? The buzzer-beating thriller against Ohio State wasn't just exciting; it was a testament to what this team can accomplish - even without Damian Dunn. And the emergence of Papa Amadou Kante as a usable forward only makes the team even stronger. I didn't think Pitt would lose more than one game in the non-conference, and that one happened two games ago, so I think the guards and the getting-better front court get it done tonight.
Prediction: 81-74
