The Pitt Panthers return to action today riding a little wave of momentum. Jeff Capel’s team has won back-to-back games, and still has some postseason hope, albeit with little room for error. As long as Pitt keeps winning down the stretch, the Panthers will remain in the bubble conversation.
The challenge today is a 2:15 showdown against Notre Dame in South Bend. Pitt is 16-10 entering today’s contest, with a 7-8 mark in ACC play. The Panthers defeated Miami last Saturday, and followed that with an 80-69 takedown of Syracuse on Tuesday night.
In both instances, Pitt took down a team below them in the conference standings, which is what the Panthers are facing today. Notre Dame is 11-15 (5-10) and has lost back-to-back games, and five out of its last six contests as well.
The Irish are led by second-year coach, Micah Shrewsberry. The former Penn State coach has yet to find his footing in South Bend, but even with the team struggles this year, there are some dangerous weapons in the Irish lineup.
Markus Burton is the ACC’s leading scorer at 20.3 points per game. His back court mate, Braden Shrewsberry, the coach’s son, is one of the league best three-point threats with 72 makes this season. Up front, Tae Davis has been a reliable scoring option in the post, as he averages just over 15 a game.
Despite that talented trio, Notre Dame just has not been able to translate that into wins. It has become a frustrating season in South Bend, and Micah Shrewsberry himself expressed those feelings in a press conference earlier this week.
Pitt’s season has not gone as expected either, but the Panthers at least a clinging to some sense of hope. The team sits No. 51 in the NET rankings, which at least puts them in the right range, but any loss over the final five regular season games could be the death blow to the resume.
Can Pitt grab a much-needed victory over Notre Dame? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks below.
Stephen Gertz (17-9, 9-17 ATS) - I am getting the same feeling I did before the Pittsburgh Panthers went to play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Several players for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish seem primed to bounce back after their recent loss to the SMU Mustangs. They also are a good three-point shooting team with multiple players that are dangerous from beyond the arc. Pitt has started very slow the last two games and while they were able to overcome that at home, I do not think they will be able to do so on the road.
Prediction: Notre Dame 74-73
Jim Hammett (20-6, 14-12 ATS) - The line here is pretty small (Pitt -1.5), and I think that’s about right. When looking at the Notre Dame, it is obviously a flawed team overall, but not one without talent. Markus Burton, Braden Shrewsberry, and Tae Davis comprise a rather formidable scoring trio, but it has not resulted in a productive season for the team. I think Pitt is in for a challenge anyway. The Panthers have not really blown anyone out this season, and needed a late surge on Tuesday to win that game by double digits over Syracuse. I could see this game being a bit of a grind. Both teams have talented backcourts, but it could be a little bit of a chess match, and maybe low scoring. I think Pitt has finally started to realize its season is on the line, and I think that mentality will carry them to a third straight win.
Prediction: Pitt 72-68
Matt Steinbrink (19-7, 10-16 ATS) - The Notre Dame program is at a bit of a crossroads, and Coach Shrewsberry is running out of patience. Despite their record, they have been in a lot of these games. It starts with the backcourt, where Pitt is also strong. These two teams are comparable and close in talent. Right now, I just feel like Pitt has a little more momentum and energy right now because of their bench. That is where Pitt needs to take advantage. It is never easy for this team at Notre Dame, and today won’t be any different in front of a quiet and reserved crowd. I see this one going back and forth with Pitt just finding a way to keep the last bit of hope alive for another few days.
Prediction: Pitt 79-74
Houston Wilson (19-7, 13-13 ATS) - Pitt has a great chance to pick up another win today against a struggling Notre Dame squad. While victories like this won’t do much to boost their tournament résumé, a loss would be another setback. Expect Pitt to take care of business on the road and continue building momentum as the season progresses.
Prediction: Pitt 83-78.
Chris Peak (19-7, 13-13 ATS) - Just like every remaining game on the schedule, Pitt’s matchup with Notre Dame this afternoon is a must-win if the Panthers want to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. The Irish are reeling right now, having lost five of their last six with a “call out the fans” rant from Micah Shrewsberry in the middle of that stretch. Pitt, on the other hand, seems to have found a good rhythm in the last two games; the Panthers are still dealing with the issue of slow starts, but they have turned those slow starts into really strong performances to beat Miami and Syracuse. Notre Dame isn’t much better than either of those teams - the Irish are 1-2 against the Orange and Hurricanes this season - but the key challenge will be defending the three-point line. Braeden Shrewsberry is one of the best shooters in the conference, and Pitt has given up a lot of points to guys who were not nearly as good as Shrewsberry. The Panthers need to try to keep his production from beyond the arc to a moderate level; if they can do that and maybe get a slightly better start, they should be good to come out of South Bend with a win. Mostly, I think Ishmael Leggett, Zack Austin and Jaland Lowe pick up where they left off against Syracuse and Pitt builds on its current momentum.
Prediction: Pitt 74-66
