Staff Picks: Pitt has tough test with Florida in Brooklyn
The Pitt Panthers are off to a 4-0 start and have been dominating the competition. Tonight should be a great test for this Pitt team and it will mark a string of five straight games against power-five competition. Pitt is set to take on Florida tonight in the Preseason NIT from the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn. The other two teams in the field are Baylor and Oregon State with the championship and consolation slated fro Friday.
Florida enters this game with a 3-1 record. The Gators are under the direction of second-year head coach Todd Golden. Florida was picked to finish eighth in the 14-team SEC in the preseason. The Gators did have an impressive win last time out, as they dismantled Florida State 89-68. Florida has five regulars averaging double figures and transfer guard Zyon Pullin got on the floor last game after serving a three-game suspension and he provided 15 points, giving the Panthers plenty to account for tonight.
Pitt has looked good thus far led by senior forward Blake Hinson and freshman sensation Bub Carrington. The Panthers’ star freshmen has been named ACC Rookie of the Week twice thus far and is averaging 18 points and 6.2 assists per game and will get his first chance of performing under the bright lights of national TV against a power-five opponent.
The Panther-Lair.com staff have all predicted Pitt to win every game. Let’s take a look to see their predictions for tonight.
Stephen Gertz (4-0): This will be the first big test for the Pittsburgh Panthers. The Florida Gators could roll out a lineup consisting of upperclassmen who started their collegiate careers somewhere besides Gainesville, FL. The return of Zyon Pullin gives this Florida team roughly seven players that could enter double-figures tonight. They are big and experienced having recently routed the Florida State Seminoles, 89-68. However, the Virginia Cavaliers managed to defeat them on a neutral site, 73-70, earlier this season. That should give you a little bit of a barometer for where Pitt might stack up heading into tonight. But the Panthers appear to be playing well above their preseason ranking, and besides the charity stripe and some minor foul issues, they seem to be firing on nearly all cylinders. Neither team shoots well from the free throw line, so that may wash itself out if it is a one or two possession game late. That said, the team that might be a little more consistent would certainly have an edge. If Bub Carrington ends up as the best player on the floor then Pitt should come away with a hard fought victory. I imagine the staff will be split on this one; I will stick with the Panthers here. It is mostly a coin flip, so I am taking the team with the most NBA players on it - Pitt.
Prediction: Pitt 80-77
Jim Hammett (4-0): It is hard for me to judge this team completely because they pass the eye test with flying colors. On the other hand, have they really played anyone? I think we can learn a lot about this team, win or lose, tonight and what they ultimately can be down the line. A game like tonight won’t necessarily define the season, after all Pitt got crushed by Michigan last year in a very similar spot and still recovered for a successful season. As for this game itself, I think it could be a lot of fun and it will feature two teams that like to score. It could be a bit of a track meet and I think everyone is anxious to see if Pitt’s new backcourt of Bub Carrington, Jaland Lowe, and Ishmael Leggett can continue to play effectively at a high speed against better competition. I still want more proof and this game should provide some, but I am going to trust my eyes for now. Pitt looks awfully look good and I think they can really score and it's hard to pick against them until I see them lose. I like the Panthers to improve to 5-0.
Prediction: Pitt 83-76
Matt Steinbrink (4-0): This game has been extremely tough for me to pick. This is the best team Pitt has seen this year by far, while Florida has played two ACC teams. It is also away from the Pete for the first time for several key Panthers. Sometimes the lights can intimidate, or sometimes they can ignite. I think this Pitt team has some players that thrive in this environment. Florida is a legit roster with size and several guards that can make plays. Would expect Pitt’s rotation to be shrunk a bit tonight as well, so that is something else to watch. This game can easily go either way but I’m going to say Blake Hinson and Bub Carrington just make a couple more plays that keeps them undefeated by a slight margin.
Prediction: Pitt 79-75
Houston Wilson (4-0): The competition for Pitt goes up to a whole new level tonight against Florida. The Gators will be the first power five team Pitt will play this season as Florida has already played two power five teams with both of them coming from the ACC in Virginia and Florida State. Florida took a close loss to Virginia and beat Florida State by 21. I expect this game to be close from start to finish. I think Pitt will get off to a slow start just because of the lack of competition this group has gone against so far this year. At the end of the day, I think the Pitt guards are too talented for Florida and Bub Carrington goes for 30 on the big stage in New York.
Prediction: Pitt 81-75
Chris Peak (4-0): We're all buying in on Pitt, I suppose. Florida is definitely a tough matchup. The Gators' front court duo of Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten are averaging a combined 17 rebounds per game; that's significant, and while Pitt has been one of the best rebounding teams in the country, Florida has been just as good - if not better. Throw In the level of competition each team has faced, and It's not tough to see why the Gators are favored In this game. Still, I'm going to remain a believer in this Pitt team until proven otherwise. Pretty much every player on this roster has exceeded expectations so far, and even if they come down to earth a bit tonight, I still think Bub Carrington and Blake Hinson will get theirs, I think Ishmael Leggett will continue to be a spark and I think Pitt's centers will counter Florida's possible rebounding advantage by running Handlogten all over the court. I could see this one being pretty high-scoring, but I'm going to pick the Panthers for a good win In Brooklyn.
Prediction: Pitt 82-73