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University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Know Your Opponent: Pitt
January 5, 2019 | Men's Basketball
By Bobby Hundley
Pittsburgh (PittsburghPanthers.com)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rankings: No. 87 KenPom, NR AP
Record: 10-3, 0-0 ACC
Carolina Series History (Last Meeting): UNC leads 13-3 (UNC 96, Pitt 65, Feb. 3, 2018, Smith Center)
After the darkness of last year's winless ACC campaign, the 2018-19 season has brought a new dawn for the Pittsburgh men's basketball program. Jeff Capel's introduction as head coach has injected new life into the once-proud Panthers, and a solid 10-3 showing in the non-league portion of the schedule has fans in Oakland hopeful for a brighter future.Â
As is often the case following a regime change, Pitt has seen some roster turnover. Sophomores Peace Ilegomah and Shamiel Stevenson transferred out of the program in a five-day span in December, leaving the Panthers with just 10 scholarship players. That number has dipped to nine with the injury to graduate transfer guard Sidy N'Dir, who is expected to miss another couple of weeks with a leg injury.
Senior Jared Wilson-Frame is the most experienced Panther - both in terms of age and time at Pitt - among those making major contributions. A former junior college standout at Northwest Florida State, Wilson-Frame is second on the team in both scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg) while making close to 41 percent of his 3s.
Xavier Johnson leads three freshman starters and is Capel's leading scorer at better than 16 points per contest. And while he's a lethal outside shooter (42.6 percent from deep), Johnson also ranks 27th nationally and fifth among freshmen in assist rate. Trey McGowens and Au'Diese Toney join Johnson as freshman starters, and Swedish juco transfer Kene Chukwuka gives Pitt four newcomers in the starting five.
Overall, the Panthers are winning with defense. They have held opponents under 1.00 points per possession in all but two games, including West Virginia (0.91) and Iowa (0.99). Those were both losses, however, and Pitt has been starved for offense at times -Â they rank 180th nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, though they are among the top 40 in the country in free throw rate. Â
Pittsburgh has lost 20 straight games to ACC foes, including all 19 in 2017-18. While the Panthers were picked to repeat as 15th-place finishers in the league, Capel has a young roster playing with confidence as conference play commences.Â
Pittsburgh (PittsburghPanthers.com)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rankings: No. 87 KenPom, NR AP
Record: 10-3, 0-0 ACC
Carolina Series History (Last Meeting): UNC leads 13-3 (UNC 96, Pitt 65, Feb. 3, 2018, Smith Center)
After the darkness of last year's winless ACC campaign, the 2018-19 season has brought a new dawn for the Pittsburgh men's basketball program. Jeff Capel's introduction as head coach has injected new life into the once-proud Panthers, and a solid 10-3 showing in the non-league portion of the schedule has fans in Oakland hopeful for a brighter future.Â
As is often the case following a regime change, Pitt has seen some roster turnover. Sophomores Peace Ilegomah and Shamiel Stevenson transferred out of the program in a five-day span in December, leaving the Panthers with just 10 scholarship players. That number has dipped to nine with the injury to graduate transfer guard Sidy N'Dir, who is expected to miss another couple of weeks with a leg injury.
Senior Jared Wilson-Frame is the most experienced Panther - both in terms of age and time at Pitt - among those making major contributions. A former junior college standout at Northwest Florida State, Wilson-Frame is second on the team in both scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg) while making close to 41 percent of his 3s.
Xavier Johnson leads three freshman starters and is Capel's leading scorer at better than 16 points per contest. And while he's a lethal outside shooter (42.6 percent from deep), Johnson also ranks 27th nationally and fifth among freshmen in assist rate. Trey McGowens and Au'Diese Toney join Johnson as freshman starters, and Swedish juco transfer Kene Chukwuka gives Pitt four newcomers in the starting five.
Overall, the Panthers are winning with defense. They have held opponents under 1.00 points per possession in all but two games, including West Virginia (0.91) and Iowa (0.99). Those were both losses, however, and Pitt has been starved for offense at times -Â they rank 180th nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, though they are among the top 40 in the country in free throw rate. Â
Pittsburgh has lost 20 straight games to ACC foes, including all 19 in 2017-18. While the Panthers were picked to repeat as 15th-place finishers in the league, Capel has a young roster playing with confidence as conference play commences.Â
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