The Pitt Panthers return to action today, as they welcome the Miami Hurricanes to town for a noon tip at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt is in a bit of a freewill and in desperate need of a win. Jeff Capel’s team enters this game having lost four games in a row and eight times out of 10.
On Tuesday, Pitt dropped an 83-63 decision to SMU in a game a where the Panthers were not all that competitive. SMU grabbed a commanding lead early and led by double-digits throughout the entire second half. In that game, Pitt point guard Jaland Lowe sustained a serious blow to the head on a collision along the sideline, thus making his status for for today questionable.
Miami comes into this game having won two of three, but it’s been a forgettable season in Coral Gables otherwise. The Hurricanes are just 6-18 overall and 2-11 in the ACC. This was a team picked to finish sixth in the league in the preseason, but after stating 3-0, Miami lost the next seven. Eventually, longtime head coach Jim Larrañaga decided he had enough and resigned midseason.
Currently, the team is under the direction of interim coach Bill Courtney. After taking over, Miami lost nine games, but did defeat Notre Dame on February 1st, and took down Syracuse 91-84 on Tuesday of this week.
The player that causes the most concern for Miami is Matthew Cleveland, an experienced ACC wing. Cleveland spent two seasons at Florida State and is now in his second season with the Hurricanes. He has averaged double-figures in all four of his seasons, and tops his team with 16.8 points per game this season.
Over the past two seasons, this has been a competitive game. Miami won last year’s game by four, and the two teams split the series the year before in a pair of close contests. How will Pitt fare against Miami today? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks below.
Stephen Gertz (16-8, 8-16 ATS) - I did not even love picking the Pittsburgh Panthers (14-10, 5-9) before Jaland Lowe’s availability was put in question. Obviously, I like it even less now. The Miami Hurricanes (6-18, 2-11) are not good, but neither is Pitt. Yes, there are different levels to not being a good team, but Miami has at least won a game this month. In fact, they have won two. Despite that, they certainly have quite a few weaknesses as one would expect from a team that has just six wins all season. For starters, they are one of the worst 3-point defenses in the country and are lousy at defending inside the arc as well. They do not turn teams over either. On the offensive end, they hurt you from inside the arc but do not do anything particularly well outside of that. A very middling team shooting from the outside, which means they will get hot inside the Pete though. That is just the way it goes. On paper, the Panthers should be able to win this game even if they do not have Lowe. But I just see the offense being as disorganized and stagnant as ever with a litany of avoidable turnovers and missed shots. That will translate to the defensive end where Pitt has looked disinterested of late, and against an athletic team that spells trouble.
Prediction: Miami 75-70
Jim Hammett (18-6, 13-11 ATS) - It is a tricky situation when a team on a four-game losing streak is about a 12-point favorite. While Pitt is a better team than Miami and should be able to win this game today, the Panthers are in peril right now. Pitt looked abysmal on Tuesday, and some of that was SMU being a solid team playing at home, but a lot of it was a struggling team doing itself no favors. The key today is probably understanding Cleveland is going to get his points, but the Panthers can’t let other guys get comfortable. That has been an ugly trait in some recent losses. Ty-Laur Johnson from Wake and Dai Dai Ames of Virginia both had career performances against Pitt unexpectedly, but each performance sunk the Panthers. If Pitt can play good enough defense today, they should win, but I’m not sold they will cover all those points.
Prediction: Pitt 73-67
Matt Steinbrink (17-7, 8-16 ATS) - There is good and bad news for Pitt today. They are likely without their starting point guard, but they get to host Miami. Jaland Lowe could miss the game with concussion symptoms. If you take a closer look at his recent play, you have to wonder if him sitting for a game may be best. It would allow him to take a deep breath and watch things from a different perspective for a game. Lowe has really been struggling and does not look right. Freshman Brandin Cummings could give this team the offensive jolt they need. If Pitt can keep Matthew Cleveland in check, they should win this game easily. The Hurricanes did just beat Miami at home so maybe they gained some confidence. Still, we are talking about a team that is 2-11 in the ACC. We can dance around that fact and make this thing intriguing, but it’s simply a game that Pitt needs to win. It’s hard to imagine things feeling worse than they are right now, but a loss today would officially be rock bottom. I expect Brandin Cummings to provide an offensive spark and Pitt finds just enough to beat a flawed team.
Prediction: Pitt 77-68
Houston Wilson (17-7, 11-13 ATS) - Pitt has no excuse to drop this game against Miami. Despite their recent struggles, this is a prime opportunity to snap out of their slump against the last-place team in the ACC. Their path back into the NCAA Tournament conversation is already steep, and a loss here would all but seal their fate. Even without Jaland Lowe, Pitt has the talent and home-court advantage to get the job done. This is a must-win game—not just for their record, but for their confidence as they head into the final stretch of the season.
Prediction: Pitt 78-67
Chris Peak (17-7, 11-13 ATS) - There’s no universe in which Jaland Lowe missing today’s game is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to find a silver lining, and I think one does exist. I’m in the camp that wants to see more of Brandin Cummings and some of the other bench players, and Lowe’s potential absence - as well as the likely continued absence of Damian Dunn - has to mean more minutes for those guys. I, for one, am intrigued by that. Miami is an efficient two-point shooting team, but the Hurricanes aren’t great from three and haven’t defended particularly well. I think that sets up well for Pitt, even with some reserves getting time. The Panthers have a chance to get a different flow on offense today, and I’m expecting that to turn into a streak-breaking win.
Prediction: Pitt 77-70
