The Pitt Panthers return to action tonight in a pivotal ACC showdown against Florida State. Pitt is coming off of a 90-65 win over Boston College on Saturday and has only two games left in the regular season. Tonight’s matchup is set for 9:00 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center with coverage on ESPN2.
Pitt carries a 19-10 (10-8) record into tonight’s game. The Panthers are firmly on the bubble right now and they still have work to do if they want to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year.
The challenge tonight is a tricky one. Florida State is 15-14 and has a 3-7 record over its past ten games. Despite those numbers, the Seminoles certainly are not without talent as longtime head coach Leonard Hamilton usually recruits well. Florida State will feature a dynamic forward in 6’7” junior Jamir Watkins, a lethal outside shooter in Darin Green Jr., plus the typical size you would expect from Florida State with four starters 6’7” or taller.
Can Pitt pick up another win and remain in the NCAA Tournament discussion? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks.
Stephen Gertz (20-9): The Pittsburgh Panthers need to be prepared for the Florida State Seminoles to throw a lot of bodies at them. Florida State does not have a problem playing 10 to 11 players on any given night, which allows them to cycle through a lot of different looks. However, not all those players are consistent game-to-game so the Seminoles will try to make that up in the aggregate. The one consistent bright spot has been Jamir Watkins, who is FSU's leading scorer and rebounder. Watkins profiles as the kind of athletic forward that often gives Pitt fits. The Panthers are also going to need to overcome Florida State's size advantage at every position. They are not strangers to that, but it remains a factor. I think Pitt will continue their hot shooting and they just have better players, especially at the guard positions. The Seminoles are not good at defending the three-point line but they do force turnovers. If the Panthers take care of the ball as they have been, they should be able to neutralize the one thing FSU does well on the defensive end besides blocking shots. Even if Pitt starts slow at home, which they tend to do, I do not think that Florida State has enough outside firepower to really separate on the road.
Prediction: Pitt 75-68
Jim Hammett (21-8): I was impressed in each of Pitt’s last two games with the sense of urgency the team played with in the first couple of minutes. Obviously against Clemson, the Tigers battled back, but in that game and against Boston College, Pitt certainly won the first couple of minutes and had the edge you would expect a team on the bubble to play with at this time of year. I think that is the key tonight: getting off to a fast start. I think we will know right away the mindset this team has in the first five minutes of the game. They don’t necessarily have to be up 15 points, but if the Panthers are playing with poise and effort, I think they will be able to pull out this game. If the shots aren’t falling, they allow Florida State’s size to become an issue, and get into foul trouble, then that could be a different story. I am really looking at how this team comes out of the gates, and I think given where this team is currently, I expect to see a sense or urgency from the start. Pitt is favored by 7.5 points and if they have the chance, I’d expect Pitt to try to win by as many points as possible tonight to help the metrics.
Prediction: Pitt 84-70
Matt Steinbrink (23-6): There are only a few chances left for Pitt to make their claim for a tournament bid, and the Florida State Seminoles are in town for a late tip tonight. They are basically the definition of a mediocre team and their record basically sits at .500 for the season. For Pitt, it is a game that they cannot overlook and the Seminoles will look much different than the team they just blew out on the road. It is not one of the better Florida State teams that we have seen, but they still are just as impressive getting off the bus. They have some legitimate athletes and impressive size, led by impressive transfer Jamir Watkins. As long as Pitt holds up on the glass and is disciplined on the offensive end, they should be able take advantage of Florida’s State’s struggles in shooting the three. After losing on Saturday, there is a chance that this Florida State team starts to pack it in for the season. With the late tip and limited atmosphere expected, it will be critical for Pitt to start strong.
Prediction: Pitt 77-71
Houston Wilson (21-8): Pitt took care of business Saturday and continued to live for another day on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. Tonight, they will look to remain in the NCAA Tournament picture as they host Florida State. The Seminoles are currently in 8th place in the ACC with a record of 9-9. FSU has been a hard team to figure out this year after a lot of inconsistent play which is why Pitt has a great chance to lock up another conference win tonight. Bub Carrington has been the leading scorer for Pitt the past two games including a career high on Saturday. If he is starting to become the player he was when the season started, this Pitt team becomes more dangerous. With it being a home game for Pitt, I expect Pitt to dominate from start to finish in this one.
Prediction: Pitt 83-71
Chris Peak (18-11): Another big game for Pitt that the Panthers absolutely must win, and I think they’ll do it. Jamir Watkins can be a matchup issue, but I think Zack Austin will challenge him well. The Seminoles don’t shoot the three very well and they don’t defend it all that great either; they’re also at the bottom of the ACC in rebounding. That’s especially true on the defensive end - nobody in the ACC is averaging fewer defensive rebounds per game than FSU - so I look for Pitt to get plenty of second-chance opportunities that turn into three-pointers. Most of all, I think the Panthers are simply a really good team right now. They’re playing well and should be feeling confident after Saturday’s blowout win at Boston College. They also know what’s on the table if they take care of business, and I think they’ll do exactly that tonight.
Prediction: Pitt 81-69
