When looking at a programs basketball non-conference schedule, a majority of the fan bases in and around Western Pennsylvania would like to see yearly matchups between Pitt, Duquesne, Robert Morris and Penn State.
This past season, we did have a matchup between Pitt vs. West Virginia and Pitt vs. Robert Morris but that’s all we got.
Looking ahead to next season, the West Virginia athletic department is doing their part so that fans will get to see at least a couple of these matchups.
This morning, West Virginia released their 2020-21 non-conference schedule and it included both Pitt and Robert Morris.
Per the release, West Virginia will host Pitt in the Backyard Brawl on Friday, Nov. 13, which will be the 188th matchup between the two programs. This past season, the Mountaineers defeated the Panthers, 68-53, their fourth straight win over Pitt.
The game will be the fourth in a four-year contract between the schools. There has been no word on extending the current deal, though West Virginia coach Bob Huggins put his support behind the idea in Pittsburgh last year.
“Why not?” Huggins said. “The way we travel in our league, it’s refreshing to jump on a bus and ride an hour, believe me. It’s been such a great game for so many years and has been such a great rivalry for so many years. I don’t know why we don’t play in every sport.
“The reality is we don’t need them and they don’t need us, really. It’s not like either one of us can’t find other games. It’s not that. You can’t find meaningful games like this game is.”
Later in the non-conference schedule, Andy Toole’s Robert Morris Colonials will travel to Morgantown on Dec. 9. This will be the first time in 10 seasons that these two programs will play each other.
In terms of other local matchups, there has been no word yet on whether Pitt or Duquesne will resume the City Game. Duquesne could be announcing their non-conference schedule in the next two weeks.
