On Tuesday night, Pitt will host Missouri in the ACC-SEC Challenge at 7:30 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center. Let’s take a look at the game preview, as the Panthers will try to improve their record to 6-1 on the season.
PITT’S OUTLOOK
The Panthers are now 5-1 after dominating Oregon State in a consolation game in Brooklyn. Pitt’s Zack Austin broke out in a big way in the win, scoring a season-high 19 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Austin, along with Blake Hinson (17 points) and Ish Leggett (15 points) also turned in strong offensive performances.
Pitt Rises Up Kenpom Rankings with Dominant Win Over Oregon State
Although Pitt played a strong game, Oregon State looked like one of the worst high-major teams that the Panthers will play this year. The Beavers are now 3-3 on the year and rank No. 188 on Kenpom.com’s rankings.
Now, Pitt moves on to play Dennis Gates’ Missouri squad which is looking to improve to 6-2 on the year. The Tigers rank in the top-100 in KenPom. Com’s rankings, so a win on Tuesday would be big for a Pitt team that is looking to build its NCAA Tournament resume.
MISSOURI TIGERS (5-2)
Missouri went 25-10 last year in season one of the Gates era. The Tigers earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and went on to beat Utah State in the Round of 64 and fall to Princeton in the Round of 32. This year, the Tigers had to replace their top three scorers, and went to the Junior College ranks and the transfer portal to do so.
The Tigers have had a decent start to the season, winning against Minnesota, South Carolina State, Loyola Maryland, SIU Edwardsville, and Arkansas Pine-Bluff. However, they lost to 0-5 Jackson State at home on Nov. 19 in shocking fashion. Missouri’s other loss came to Memphis.
HEAD COACH
Dennis Gates (2nd Season)
Gates got the job prior to last season after leading Cleveland State to two Horizon League championships in three years there. He won 2 Horizon League Coach of the Year awards before departing for Missouri.
THREE-POINT NUMBERS
The Tigers have hit 10+ threes in four games this year.
Missouri ranks 33rd among all Division One programs in three pointers per game, with 9.7. Pitt ranks 17th in that category, hitting 10.5 per game.
The Tigers three best three-point shooter by volume are Nick Honor, Noah Carter, and Caleb Grill.
BEST PLAYERS
#55 Sean East II – 6’3 Guard
East, formerly one of the top players in junior college basketball, is leading the Tigers in scoring this year. He is averaging 15.4 points per game on 61% shooting. East has hit 7 of his 13 three-point attempts so far this season, and only averages.
#35 Noah Carter – 6’6 235 Forward
Carter, an undersized big man, is averaging 13 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season for the Tigers. He can score inside and out, showcasing his shooting ability with an early 12 for 34 line from three-point range this year (35%).
#10 Nick Honor – 5’10 Guard
Honor played for Clemson for two seasons, starting in the 2020-21 season. Last year was his first year in the Missouri program, and this year, he is averaging 13 points per game for the Tigers, his most since his freshman year at Fordham. Honor has hit a team-high 21 three pointers and is shooting it at an elite rate of 50% from beyond the arch this year.
#31 Caleb Grill – 6’3 Guard
Grill is playing for his third school and has had a complicated college career. He began at Iowa State for one year, transferred to UNLV and improved his stats, then transferred back to Iowa State. This offseason, Grill joined the Tigers as a graduate transfer and is averaging 7.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
METRICS
Pitt is ranked No. 43 in Kenpom.com’s ratings, while Missouri is ranked No. 90.
GAME TIME
Pitt Vs. Missouri will start at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPNU.
SPREAD
Pitt is favored by 6.5 points against Missouri, per DraftKings Sportsbook. The Over/Under is hovering around 147 points.
TV
You can find Tuesday’s game on ESPNU.
