After picking up a lopsided road victory over rivals West Virginia during the week, Pitt looks to cap off the week with a 2-0 record with a potential win over Canisius.
Let’s dive into the preview for the game.
PITT’S OUTLOOK
Pitt took down the Mountaineers in a “must-win” game on Wednesday night behind a historic three-point shooting effort from Blake Hinson, a calm, complete effort by Bub Carrington, and a big performance on the boards by Will Jeffress.
Now, Pitt has three more buy games before the Panthers move into ACC play. First, Canisius comes to town.
CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS (6-4)
Canisius comes to Pittsburgh after taking down Robert Morris days ago by a score of 87-80.
HEAD COACH
Reggie Witherspoon (8th season)
LEADING SCORERS
Four different Golden Griffins average more than ten points per game, and two are right behind, creating an evenly-distributed scoring load.
Siem Uljtendaal – 6’6 G
Uljtendaal is a senior from the Netherlands who is scoring a team-high 15.4 points per game. He can hit from outside as well, as he is currently making 41% of his three-point attempts on the year. He recently dropped 24 in a win over Robert Morris.
Tre Dinkins – 6’2 G
Dinkins, a junior out of Chester, PA, is scoring 14 points per game this year. He has attempted a team-high 72 three pointers, and has made 30 already (42%). Dinkins is also a distributor, leading the team with 41 assists on the year.
Frank Mitchell – 6’8 F
Mitchell is a junior from Toronto, Ontario, who has turned in five double doubles this season already. He recently posted an 18-point, 12-rebound stat line against Robert Morris, hitting 6 of his 11 shots from the field. Mitchell struggles from the free-throw line, as he has hit just 21 of his 44 attempts this year (48%).
The team’s fourth double-digit scorer, Tahj Staveskie, has only played in two games this season due to a lower body injury. He was seen in a walking boot last week, and did not play against Robert Morris several days ago.
TEAM STATS
Canisius makes 9.2 threes per game (50th in nation), hitting 39.3% of its three-point tries (14th in nation).
Pitt ranks 252nd in the nation in free-throw percentage (68%), but Canisius is even worse — hitting 64% of its free throws this year (304th in nation).
The Golden Griffins struggle to take care of the ball. They’re averaging 13.7 turnovers per game, which is good for the No. 266 ranking in the nation in that category.
METRICS
Pitt is ranked No. 47 (up 12 spots after win over WVU) in Kenpom.com’s ratings, while Canisius is ranked No. 194. The NCAA’s NET rankings have the Panthers at No. 42 and the Golden Griffins at No. 148.
GAME TIME
Pitt Vs. Canisius will start at 6 p.m.
SPREAD
Pitt is favored by 17.5 points in Saturday night’s game, per DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 152 points.
TV
You can find Saturday’s game on ACC Network and on the radio on 93.7 The Fan. Jay Alter and Debbie Antonelli will be on the call for ACCN.
