The full swing of the college basketball season is here. After a choppy December, Pitt has now settled into ACC play with two games a week being the standard from here until March. The Panthers secured an 86-74 win over Cal on Wednesday, and will look to notch another conference win over Stanford today.
The Cardinal and Panthers will meet tonight at 6:30 for a nationally televised ESPN2 game at the Petersen Events Center. This marks the first time these schools have played since 2013, and will also be the first matchup as members of the same conference.
Stanford brings a 9-4 record into tonight’s showdown. The Cardinal are led first-year head coach Kyle Smith, who came to Palo Alto at previous stops at Washington State, San Francisco, and Columbia. Smith’s first team in the ACC is anchored by a good one.
Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud is the ACC top scorer at 20.8 points per game, as well as the league’s leading rebounder at 11.9 per contest. Raynaud has collected 11 double-doubles in 13 games this season, and will likely be the most skilled big man Pitt has faced to this point in the season.
On Wednesday, the Cardinal dropped an 85-71 decision to Clemson to fall to 1-1 in league play. Stanford has also lost games to Oregon, Cal Poly, and Grand Canyon this season.
The Panthers started 2025 in impressive fashion. After falling behind Cal by 16 points, the Panthers put on a clinic in the game’s final 24 minutes to improve to 11-2 (2-0) on the season. Pitt will look to keep that rolling tonight with another winnable conference game at home on the docket.
Can the Panthers move to 3-0? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks below.
Stephen Gertz (10-3, 4-9 ATS) - After surviving a first half scare on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Panthers are going to need to be a little sharper at the start and a little healthier if they want to beat the Stanford Cardinal. They are the best opponent that Pitt has played in a month and have a 7'1" center - Maxime Raynaud -that seems primed to feast on the Panthers frontcourt. But they are an average three-point shooting team, and their scoring really drops off after their two transfer guards - Jaylen Blakes (Duke) & Oziyah Sellers (USC). Stanford has not really beaten anyone of consequence so if Pitt brings energy and a game plan to limit Raynaud, they should take care of the Cardinal at home.
Prediction: Pitt 81-72
Jim Hammett (11-2, 6-7 ATS) - Pitt had to use a bit of a survival roster of sorts on Wednesday, as neither Jaland Lowe nor Brandin Cummings had much of a chance to leave the floor with Ishmael Leggett out of the game. It took Pitt a while to sort of figure out how to play without him, so if Leggett remains out a second game, the Panthers should be able to play a little more comfortably from the start today. Obviously, today's assignment is a bit more challenging because Maxime Raynaud is a force inside and will be the best big guy Pitt has faced this season. I thinK Raynaud will get his production, but Pitt just has to make sure his supporting cast stays grounded. This should be a good game for a while, but I think over time Pitt pulls away to move to 12-2.
Prediction: Pitt 79-69
Matt Steinbrink (10-3, 2-11 ATS) - This Stanford team could provide a challenge today. Given how dominant Maxime Raynaud is, I’m guessing the Pitt staff will decide to double frequently. When executed well, it could force others to make plays and get them out of their offensive rhythm. There is also risk in doubling, as he can see over the defense and potentially find open three point shooters. Now, Stanford only makes about 8.3 threes per game and their best shooter is 38%. Therefore, I think they will view the doubling as a worthy risk. This is something to watch today. It would also be nice to see them play a full 40 minutes and not fall behind in the first half. Leggett’s status is also unknown at this time. Regardless, I think Raynaud gets his and provides a huge challenge up front, but Pitt is too balanced and at home in this one.
Prediction: Pitt 80-70
Houston Wilson (11-2, 6-7 ATS) - After a slow start on New Year’s Day against Cal, Pitt found their rhythm in the second half to secure another ACC victory. Today, they face Stanford with a chance to notch another win against the other California-based ACC team. Whether or not Ishmael Leggett suits up, Pitt has the tools to get the job done. Jaland Lowe has been in outstanding form, and his contributions will likely be crucial again. If Lowe delivers and the supporting cast steps up, Pitt should handle business effectively.
Prediction: Pitt 80-70
Chris Peak (11-2, 7-6 ATS) - The game on New Year's Day left me a little gun shy about picking Pitt to win by a lot, so I'll cut the margin of victory a little bit for this one - but I'll still pick the victory. I don't know if Ishmael Leggett will play tonight; if he does, that would obviously be better for the Panthers, but if he doesn't, I still expect them to win. I don't expect Cam Corhen to have the kind of game he had against Cal, and Stanford's strength in the post is probably what will keep this one closer. But I still think Jaland Lowe, Zack Austin and Brandin Cummings will have big games and get Pitt to 12-2.
Prediction: Pitt 82-73
