Pitt Back in Action Wednesday at Home Against NC State

Pitt (9-7, 5-6 ACC) vs. NC State (9-9, 4-8 ACC)
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021 • 4:30 PM
ACC Network • 93.7 The Fan
Pittsburgh, Pa. • Petersen Events Center

The Opening Tip
• Pitt hosts NC State at the Petersen Events Center Wednesday, Feb. 17. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. on the ACC Network.
• The Panthers are one win shy of matching their ACC win total from last season. Pitt has not won more than six ACC games since the 2015-16 season.
• Pitt has dropped 10 consecutive meetings between the two schools, including a pair of ACC Tournament contests, since posting a 74-62 win at NC State in its first conference game as a member of the ACC Jan. 4, 2014.
• Justin Champagnie leads the ACC with nine double-doubles, including six games with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds. He is tied for fourth in the NCAA in rebounds (11.6 rpg.).
• Justin Champagnie, Xavier Johnson and Au'Diese Toney combine to average 47.0 points, 21.2 rebounds and 10.0 assists per game. The trio has registered 36 double-figure scoring games, including 13 games with 20 or more points scored, and 11 double-doubles.
• Xavier Johnson has recorded seven or more assists in seven of the past nine games and 10 times overall. He leads the ACC and ranks 14th nationally in assists (6.1 apg.).
• Ithiel Horton is averaging 13.8 points per game, while going 16-of-36 (.444) from three-point range over the past five games. He has made three or more three-point field goals in each of the past four contests.

By The Numbers
• Pitt was averaging 9.2 turnovers per game over the previous seven games prior to committing 18 turnovers in Sunday's loss at Georgia Tech. The Panthers are 7-4 on the season when committing 13 of fewer turnovers in a game.
• The Panthers are averaging 31.6 points in the paint per game and is 6-5 on the season when winning the inside scoring battle. Pitt has dropped its past four games when posting an advantage in points in the paint.
• Pitt ranks second in the ACC (24th nationally) in offensive rebounds (12.8 orpg.) and third in offensive rebound percentage (.342). The Panthers have a +82 scoring margin in second chance points for the season.
• The Panthers are averaging 15.8 made free throws per game in home contests this season with Xavier Johnson (48-of-58, .828), Justin Champagnie (31-of-40, .775) and Au'Diese Toney (43-of-61, .705) combining to go 122-of-159 (.767) from the line at the Petersen Events Center.
• Xavier Johnson is averaging 17.5 points per game, while going 23-of-47 (.489) from the field and 21-of-25 (.840) from the foul line in four career contests against NC State.
• The Panthers are 8-3 on the season when Justin Champagnie, Xavier Johnson and Au'Diese Toney combine for 40 or more points in a game. The trio combines to average 47.0 points per game and has accounted for 60.7 percent (701-of-1154) of the team's scoring on the season.
• Au'Diese Toney has scored in double figures 11 times with eight games with 15 or more points scored. The Panthers are 22-12 over the past three seasons, including an 8-3 mark in 2020-21, when Toney scores 10 or more points in a game.
• Abdoul Karim Coulibaly is averaging 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while going 18-of-38 (.474) from the field and 13-of-18 (.722) from the foul line over the past seven games.
• Justin Champagnie is one of three major conference players (along with Derek Culver, West Virginia and Kofi Cockburn, Illinois) averaging a double-double for the season. He is one of six players in the NCAA averaging better than 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.
• Xavier Johnson is one of seven players in the country averaging better than 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He is attempting to become the first Panther to average more than 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game since Brandin Knight (2001-02).
• Justin Champagnie is attempting to become the first Panther to average a double-double for the season since DeJuan Blair (2008-09). Pitt has not had a player average better than 18 points and 10 rebounds per game since Billy Knight (1973-74).
• Au'Diese Toney is averaging a career-best 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He ranks 14th in the ACC in scoring, ninth in offensive rebounds (2.40 orpg.) and tied for fourth in free throw attempts (82).
• Justin Champagnie has recorded a double-double in six of the past eight games. He is averaging 19.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 55.7 percent (59-of-106) from the field and 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from three in that span.
• Ithiel Horton is averaging 12.1 points per game, while shooting 40.8 percent (29-of-71) from three-point range in conference play. He has made three or more three-point field goals seven times and scored in double figures on seven occasions in ACC play.
• Xavier Johnson is 20 points shy of moving into the top 30 on the all-time scoring list at Pitt. He has scored 1,123 points in 82 career games (13.7 ppg.) as a Panther.

NABC Tribute to John Thompson
• Coaches across men's college basketball are paying tribute to John Thompson Jr. this week by wearing commemorative towels over their shoulders during games - mirroring the late coach's signature sideline look.
• The initiative originated from the NABC Committee on Racial Reconciliation. In addition to sending the towels, the NABC also provided programs with an educational resource detailing Thompson's social justice advocacy.

Pitt Back in Action Wednesday at Home Against NC State

Players Mentioned

Justin Champagnie

Abdoul Karim Coulibaly

Ithiel Horton

Xavier Johnson

Au'Diese Toney

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