Pitt Back in Action Saturday Against Kent State
11/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes (PDF)
Pitt (3-0) vs. Kent State (3-1)
Saturday, November 28, 2015 • 4:00 p.m. • ESPN3
Pittsburgh, Pa. • Petersen Events Center
THE OPENING TIP
• Pitt returns to action Saturday, Nov. 28 (4 p.m. - ESPN3) at the Petersen Events Center against Kent State.
• Jeff Hathhorn (play-by-play) and Curtis Aiken (analyst) will call Wednesday’s contest for ESPN3. Tim Neverett (play-by-play) and Dick Groat (analyst) will have the radio call on the Pitt IMG Sports Network.
• The Panthers have won 16 straight home games in the month of November and have lost just one November home game under Jamie Dixon.
LAST TIME OUT
• Pitt jumped out to an early 16-2 lead and never looked back en route to a 93-49 win over Cornell Wednesday at the Petersen Events Center.
• Jamel Artis led four double-figure scorers with a season-high 21 points, including 18 points in the opening half of play. He finished 6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-8 from the foul line while also adding five rebounds and four assists.
• Chris Jones knocked down his first five shots from the field, including three three-pointers, to register 15 points off the bench.
• Michael Young posted a solid 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Damon Wilson recorded his first carer double-figure scoring game with 10 points.
• Pitt was clicking on offense Wednesday finishing with season-bests in field goal percentage (.516), three-point percentage (.476), three-point field goals (10) and assists (25).
• The Panthers controlled the paint in the win over Cornell posting a 30-12 edge on points in the paint and a 19-3 margin in second chance points.
BY THE NUMBERS
• The Panthers are 120-4 against non-conference opponents at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt has won 35 regular season non-conference home contests.
• Pitt is 56-1 all-time in the month of November at the Petersen Events Center with the lone loss coming to Long Beach State, 86-76, Nov. 16, 2011.
• Jamie Dixon has guided the Panthers to a 69-6 mark in the month of November, including a 53-1 record at the Petersen Events Center.
• Pitt is 32-25 against teams currently in the Mid-American Conference, including a 9-0 mark under Jamie Dixon.
• The Panthers have won nine straight games against teams currently in the MAC, dating back to a 78-73 overtime loss to Kent State in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
• Pitt ranks among the nation’s top-six programs in winning percentage (.751, 367-122) over the past 14 years. During that span, Pitt has made one NCAA Elite Eight appearance, five Sweet Sixteen appearances, won six Big East titles and has advanced to 12 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments.
• The trio of Jamel Artis, James Robinson and Michael Young has started 37 consecutive games as a unit. Young has started every game (73) of his career, while Robinson has started 105 of 106 career contests.
• James Robinson owns a career 3.60:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, tops in ACC history (minimum two years and 300 assists). Robinson has recorded more assists than turnovers in 100 of 106 career games. He has nine assists with no turnovers through three games this season.
• Michael Young is the only player in the ACC to rank among the conference leaders in scoring, rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, field goal percentage, assists and blocked shots.
• Pitt has received outstanding production from its bench in the early part of the season. Panther reserves are combining for 46.3 points per game. Pitt has had two double-figure scorers off the bench in each game this season.
• With a start Saturday, Michael Young will move into a tie for 10th at Pitt with 73 consecutive starts. He has started every game of his collegiate career.
• Jamel Artis is coming off a season-high 21 points, including 18 in the first half, in the win over Cornell. He is averaging 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 60.0 percent (12-of-20) from the field over the past two contests.
• Pitt’s post rotation of Michael Young, Ryan Luther, Sheldon Jeter, Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and Rafael Maia combines to average 38.9 points and 29.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.2 percent (46-of-74) from the field.
• Pitt leads the ACC in total rebounds (49.0 rpg.), defensive rebounds (34.0 drpg.) and blocked shots (7.3 bpg.), while also ranking second in scoring margin (+33.7), field goal defense (.317) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.06:1).
• The Panthers are averaging 15.0 offensive rebounds and 22.2 second chance points per game. Pitt has a 68-11 advantage on second chance points through three games.
• Pitt has topped the 80-point mark in each of the first three games of the season, marking the 10th time in program history it has accomplished that feat. The Panthers last scored 80 or more points in the first four games of the season in 2008-09.
• Chris Jones is averaging 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game over the past two contests. He is 8-of-12 (.667) from the field, including 4-of-7 (.571) from three-point range in that span.
• Sheldon Jeter has been the first player off the bench in the each of the first three games. He has a pair of double-figure scoring efforts and is averaging career-highs in points (8.0 ppg.) and rebounds (6.3 rpg.).
• Pitt has held two of its first three opponents to under 30.0 percent shooting from the field. The Panthers rank fifth in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense (.317) and blocked shots (7.3 bpg.).
