University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Host Gannon In Exhibition Game Monday
10/31/2021 12:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team will host Gannon in an exhibition contest Monday at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers final tune-up before next Tuesday's season opener will tip at 7 p.m.
Pitt returns three of its top six scorers from a season ago in the backcourt trio of Ithiel Horton, Femi Odukale and Nike Sibande. The Panthers will look to replace the production of 2021 Honorable Mention AP All-America selection Justin Champagnie with a post group led by John Hugley and Mouhamadou Gueye.
Pitt has won 37 consecutive exhibition games, including all 29 previous games played at the Petersen Events Center.
Tickets for Monday's contest as well as great season and mini plan offers are available through the Panthers Ticket Office.
THE OPENING TIP
• Pitt is hosting Gannon in an exhibition contest Monday evening at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
• The Panthers are 2-0 all-time against Gannon in exhibition play. The two teams have not faced one another in a regular season contest.
• Pitt posted an 80-50 win over the Golden Knights Nov. 6, 2015 and a 69-44 decision Nov. 14, 2004 in the previous two meetings between the schools.
• Pitt is 61-5 all-time in exhibition play, including an active 37-game win streak. The Panthers have not lost an exhibition contest since a 92-90 decision to Marathon Oil Nov. 10, 1998.
• The Panthers have won 29 consecutive exhibition contests at the Petersen Events Center, including a 2-0 mark under head coach Jeff Capel.
• Pitt returns three of its top six scorers from last season in the backcourt trio of Ithiel Horton (8.9 ppg., 43 3FG), Nike Sibande (6.9 ppg., .436 3FG pct.) and Femi Odukale (6.6 ppg.).
• Pitt's three Division I transfer additions - Jamarius Burton (Wichita State/Texas Tech), Mouhamadou Gueye (Stony Brook), and Dan Oladapo (Oakland) have combined for 1,736 points, 1,100 rebounds, 437 assists, 162 blocks and 147 steals over 207 career games.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Ithiel Horton, one of top returning three-point shooters in the ACC, is 122-of-309 (.395) from beyond the arc in his career. Last season, he ranked 10th in the league in three-point percentage (minimum 2.0 3pg.) at 37.1 percent (43-of-116). He has made three or more three-point field goals in a game 23 times in his career.
• Nike Sibande enters his final season of eligibility with 1,570 points, 532 rebounds and 155 assists in 111 career games (105 starts). Last season, he averaged 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 14 contests while missing time due to NCAA eligibility ruling and COVID contact tracing.
• Femi Odukale averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.6 minutes per game over the final five contests of the season. He scored a season-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the ACC Tournament against Miami.
• Nike Sibande scored in double figures in three of the final five games last season and averaged 15.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He has scored in double figures 79 times in his career with 28 games with 20+ points scored.
• Pitt will look to replace 2021 First Team All-ACC and Honorable Mention AP All-America selection Justin Champagnie (18.0 ppg., 11.1 rpg.) with a quartet of post players - Mouhamadou Gueye, Noah Collier, Dan Oladapo and Chris Payton. Gueye, Collier and Oladapo combined to average 23.1 points and 17.2 rebounds at the Division I level, while Payton produced 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at Indian Hills CC last season.
• Mouhamadou Gueye was named America East Defensive Player of the Year last season at Stony Brook after ranking fifth in the NCAA with 3.1 blocks per game. He also averaged 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game a year ago. He joins the Panthers after averaging 8.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 54 games at Stony Brook.
• Jamarius Burton has been sidelined since undergoing a procedure on his left knee Oct. 8. The Charlotte, N.C., native is averaging 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game over 90 career games at Wichita State and Texas Tech. The combo guard averaged a career-best 10.3 points per game as a sophomore at Wichita State during the 2019-20 season.
• Dan Oladapo ranked ninth in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (3.80 orpg.) at Oakland last season. He finished the year with nine double-doubles, while averaging 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
• John Hugley returns for the 2021-22 season after missing the final 15 games last season due to suspension. He averaged 5.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in under 15 minutes per game as a true freshman. Hugley posted a season-high nine points at Miami and seven points and seven rebounds against Louisville just prior to his suspension.
• Freshman Nate Santos will celebrate his 20th birthday on the date of the season opener Nov. 9. The Geneva, Ill., native is older than three members of Pitt's sophomore class - Noah Collier, John Hugley and William Jeffress.
• The Panthers, one of the top rebounding teams in the ACC last season, will need to replace 72.6 percent (27.8 of 38.3) of its rebounding from a year ago.
• William Jeffress was high school teammates with Gannon's Zach Cavanagh and Max Paris at McDowell High School in Eria, Pa. Jeffress led the Trojans to a 23-3 record and a PIAA Quarterfinals appearance during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. An early enrollee at Pitt, Jeffress finished with 1,673 points and 578 rebounds in three seasons at McDowell.
Pitt returns three of its top six scorers from a season ago in the backcourt trio of Ithiel Horton, Femi Odukale and Nike Sibande. The Panthers will look to replace the production of 2021 Honorable Mention AP All-America selection Justin Champagnie with a post group led by John Hugley and Mouhamadou Gueye.
Pitt has won 37 consecutive exhibition games, including all 29 previous games played at the Petersen Events Center.
Tickets for Monday's contest as well as great season and mini plan offers are available through the Panthers Ticket Office.
THE OPENING TIP
• Pitt is hosting Gannon in an exhibition contest Monday evening at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
• The Panthers are 2-0 all-time against Gannon in exhibition play. The two teams have not faced one another in a regular season contest.
• Pitt posted an 80-50 win over the Golden Knights Nov. 6, 2015 and a 69-44 decision Nov. 14, 2004 in the previous two meetings between the schools.
• Pitt is 61-5 all-time in exhibition play, including an active 37-game win streak. The Panthers have not lost an exhibition contest since a 92-90 decision to Marathon Oil Nov. 10, 1998.
• The Panthers have won 29 consecutive exhibition contests at the Petersen Events Center, including a 2-0 mark under head coach Jeff Capel.
• Pitt returns three of its top six scorers from last season in the backcourt trio of Ithiel Horton (8.9 ppg., 43 3FG), Nike Sibande (6.9 ppg., .436 3FG pct.) and Femi Odukale (6.6 ppg.).
• Pitt's three Division I transfer additions - Jamarius Burton (Wichita State/Texas Tech), Mouhamadou Gueye (Stony Brook), and Dan Oladapo (Oakland) have combined for 1,736 points, 1,100 rebounds, 437 assists, 162 blocks and 147 steals over 207 career games.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Ithiel Horton, one of top returning three-point shooters in the ACC, is 122-of-309 (.395) from beyond the arc in his career. Last season, he ranked 10th in the league in three-point percentage (minimum 2.0 3pg.) at 37.1 percent (43-of-116). He has made three or more three-point field goals in a game 23 times in his career.
• Nike Sibande enters his final season of eligibility with 1,570 points, 532 rebounds and 155 assists in 111 career games (105 starts). Last season, he averaged 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 14 contests while missing time due to NCAA eligibility ruling and COVID contact tracing.
• Femi Odukale averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.6 minutes per game over the final five contests of the season. He scored a season-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the ACC Tournament against Miami.
• Nike Sibande scored in double figures in three of the final five games last season and averaged 15.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He has scored in double figures 79 times in his career with 28 games with 20+ points scored.
• Pitt will look to replace 2021 First Team All-ACC and Honorable Mention AP All-America selection Justin Champagnie (18.0 ppg., 11.1 rpg.) with a quartet of post players - Mouhamadou Gueye, Noah Collier, Dan Oladapo and Chris Payton. Gueye, Collier and Oladapo combined to average 23.1 points and 17.2 rebounds at the Division I level, while Payton produced 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at Indian Hills CC last season.
• Mouhamadou Gueye was named America East Defensive Player of the Year last season at Stony Brook after ranking fifth in the NCAA with 3.1 blocks per game. He also averaged 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game a year ago. He joins the Panthers after averaging 8.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 54 games at Stony Brook.
• Jamarius Burton has been sidelined since undergoing a procedure on his left knee Oct. 8. The Charlotte, N.C., native is averaging 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game over 90 career games at Wichita State and Texas Tech. The combo guard averaged a career-best 10.3 points per game as a sophomore at Wichita State during the 2019-20 season.
• Dan Oladapo ranked ninth in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (3.80 orpg.) at Oakland last season. He finished the year with nine double-doubles, while averaging 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
• John Hugley returns for the 2021-22 season after missing the final 15 games last season due to suspension. He averaged 5.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in under 15 minutes per game as a true freshman. Hugley posted a season-high nine points at Miami and seven points and seven rebounds against Louisville just prior to his suspension.
• Freshman Nate Santos will celebrate his 20th birthday on the date of the season opener Nov. 9. The Geneva, Ill., native is older than three members of Pitt's sophomore class - Noah Collier, John Hugley and William Jeffress.
• The Panthers, one of the top rebounding teams in the ACC last season, will need to replace 72.6 percent (27.8 of 38.3) of its rebounding from a year ago.
• William Jeffress was high school teammates with Gannon's Zach Cavanagh and Max Paris at McDowell High School in Eria, Pa. Jeffress led the Trojans to a 23-3 record and a PIAA Quarterfinals appearance during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. An early enrollee at Pitt, Jeffress finished with 1,673 points and 578 rebounds in three seasons at McDowell.
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