University of Pittsburgh Athletics
The Road Back to March Madness
5/1/2023 3:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Pitt Basketball produced a resurgent season in 2022-23 with several key newcomers combining to lead the Panthers to a 24-12 record overall, including a pair of NCAA Tournament wins. The rebuilt Panthers posted school records for three-point field goals, free throw percentage, and ACC wins, while finishing tied for 10th in the NCAA with an 11-game improvement from a season ago.
Pitt proved doubters wrong with a tie for third finish in the ACC after being picked 14th in the preseason poll and engineered several marquee moments throughout the year. A full recap of the 2022-23 season is available in the Final Notes package with some of the highlights featured below.
2022-23 TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Pitt finished the season with a 24-12 record overall, including a 14-6 mark in the ACC. The Panthers made the NCAA Tournament and posted their first 20+ win season since the 2015-16 campaign.
• The Panthers made their 27th NCAA Tournament appearance and their first under head coach Jeff Capel. Pitt is now 26-28 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 5-5 mark when placed in the Midwest Region. Capel-led teams are 6-4 in NCAA Tournament action.
• Pitt won two games in NCAA Tournament play for the first time since the 2008-09 season and just the seventh time in program history.
• Pitt posted seven wins over 2023 NCAA Tournament teams (4Virginia, 5Miami, 6Iowa State, at 7Northwestern, at 11NC State, 11Mississippi State, 16FDU).
• The Panthers finished tied for third in the ACC standings for its highest finish since joining the conference for the 2013-14 season.
• Pitt posted the most regular season ACC wins since joining the league with the 14 conference wins also ranking as the third most in program history overall (Eastern 8, Big East, ACC).
• The Panthers set a school record with an 8-win turnaround in conference play, while their 13-win turnaround overall matched the school record.
• Pitt set school single-season records for three-pointers (325), three-point attempts (903), and free throw percentage (.759).
• The Panthers also set a single-game record with 18 three-point field goals in a win over Wake Forest and posted five of the top six games in program history for three-point field goals during the 2022-23 season.
• Pitt finished the regular season tied for fourth among power conference teams with seven road victories, including six wins away from home in league play.
• The Panthers went 23-9 following a 1-3 start to the season, despite losing two starters to injury and its top-rated recruit in the opening month of the season. Pitt's 23 wins from Nov. 20 on tied for 12th most among power conference teams.
• Pitt finished the regular season 8-3 against the top nine teams in the ACC standings with wins over Virginia, Miami, NC State, Wake Forest, Syracuse (2x), and North Carolina (2x)
• Pitt recorded a season sweep over preseason No. 1 North Carolina and became just the third program to post three or more consecutive wins over the Tar Heels at the Dean E. Smith Center.
• The Panthers collected three wins over ranked opponents – No. 25 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia, and No. 20 Miami.
Postgame vs. NC State | Jeff Capel, Nojus Indrusaitis, Omari Witherspoon
Wednesday, March 11
Highlights | Pitt vs. Stanford | ACC Tournament
Wednesday, March 11
ACC Tournament | ACC Network | Damarco Minor
Tuesday, March 10
Postgame vs. Stanford | ACC Tournament | Jeff Capel, Omari Witherspoon, Cam Corhen, Barry Dunning Jr.
Tuesday, March 10