Staff picks: Pitt takes on Fairleigh Dickinson
The Pitt men's basketball team returns to action tonight as they get set to host Fairleigh Dickinson in a non-conference matchup. The Panthers and the Knights will square off at 8:30 from the Petersen Events Center, as they game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
Pitt is coming off of a 73-54 win over Alabama State on Sunday. The Panthers played the game without starting guard Jamarius Burton and overcame a slow start and eventually overwhelmed the Hornets with a 42-20 margin in the second half. Blake Hinson led the way yet again with a team-high 21 points. Coming off the bench, John Hugley poured in 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Nike Sibande had his best showing of the year with 17 points.
The Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory, and will look to build off of that tonight against Fairleigh Dickinson out of the NEC. The Knights are under the guidance of first year head coach Tobin Anderson, who came to Fairleigh Dickinson after a successful run as a Division-2 coach.
The Knights are 3-3 on the season and are coming off of a 93-89 win over VMI. Fairleigh Dickinson is one of the highest scoring teams in the country as they average 86.5 points per game. They have four players averaging double figures led by 5'8" senior guard Demetre Roberts, who averages 18.8 points per game and leads the team with 16 made three-pointers on the season.
Can Pitt win back-to-back games? The Panther-Lair.com staff makes their picks for tonight's Pitt-Fairleigh Dickinson showdown.
Stephen Gertz (4-1): In what I think will be the only realistic chance for a three-game or more winning streak for the Pittsburgh Panthers all season, Pitt really needs to take care of business tonight so they can potentially accomplish that feat on Friday. The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights are the exact team the Panthers should want to play so long as they play to their actual strengths. They are the second worst defensive team in the country, triggered by allowing 61% of opposing two-point attempts to go in, partially enabled by the fact they allow opponents to rebound 37.4% of their misses. So if Pitt just takes more attempts at the rim and cleans up the misses, they should be fine. But if they continue to jack up three-pointers at an alarming rate despite shooting just 27.4% as a team (301/363 in the country) then this game could be far more "interesting" than it needs to be.
Prediction: Pitt 76, Fairleigh Dickinson 61
Jim Hammett (4-1): Pitt should absolutely win this game tonight. Fairleigh Dickinson was picked to finish 6th in the NEC, generally one of the worst conference in Division 1 year after year. The Panthers do need to be mindful of the Knights' ability to score, however. This team will try to run and gun, and that's not exactly a style Pitt thrives in generally. The Panthers need to set the tone and let their best best players be their best players. I think Hugley showed a little more last game, but they need another strong performance from Blake Hinson. Pitt should win comfortably, but they have been known to slip up against these mid-majors from time to time, so they can't take anything for granted.
Prediction: Pitt 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 64
Matt Steinbrink (3-2): After a rough start, Pitt was able to turn things around mid game against Alabama State. It was a bit of a surprise to see Jamarcus Burton unable to go, so it remains to be seen if this team can actually get healthy. Regardless, the Knights enter the game at 3-3 but are very beatable. Their wins are over Mercer by 40, Manhattan by 3, and VMI by 4. They play fast and have mostly been involved in high scoring games. If they can force that tempo in the game, it will be challenging given Pitt’s defensive struggles. This is a game that Pitt cannot afford to let get away, so they have to come in focused and limit the careless turnovers.
Prediction: Pitt 81, Fairleigh Dickinson 70
Houston Wilson (3-2): Pitt comes into tonight’s game after picking up a win against Alabama State over the weekend and has a good chance to pick up another win tonight. Pitt simply has a more talented roster than FDU and should be able to dominate this game on both sides of the ball. I expect a true team win from Pitt tonight with a lot of balance scoring. I have Pitt winning.
Prediction: Pitt 85, Fairleigh Dickinson 70
Chris Peak (3-2): Fairleigh Dickinson Is 3-3 this season, with one of its losses coming against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville In the JK54 Classic. I can't say I have heard of either of those things - the school or the tournament - before, and while I mean no disrespect to the Cougars or the JK54 Classic, which is played in Farmville (Va.), those circumstances don't exactly speak highly of FDU's season so far. Fairleigh Dickinson's opponents have shot nearly 50% from the floor and better than 60% from Inside the arc this season, and with Pitt's offense presumably riding high off a stellar second half against Alabama State, I think the Panthers can capitalize on FDU's defensive vulnerabilities. Nelly Cummings seems to be settling in, John Hugley is getting back on track and Blake Hinson Is positioning himself as Pitt's best player so far. Adding Jamarius Burton back Into lineup would help, but I think the Panthers can win this one without him.
Prediction: Pitt 82, Fairleigh Dickinson 64