Panthers Back Home to Play Eastern Kentucky Wednesday

[rv/rv] Pitt (8-2, 1-0 ACC) vs. Eastern Kentucky (5-4, 0-0 ASUN)

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 • 7:00 PM

Pittsburgh, Pa. • Petersen Events Center

ACC Network Extra • 93.7 The Fan

THE OPENING TIP

Pitt (8-2) returns to the Petersen Events Center to host Eastern Kentucky (5-4) Wednesday, Dec. 11 in its first home game since Nov. 18. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. with Jason Earle and Nelly Cummings calling the action on ACC Network Extra.
The Panthers have not played a home game since Nov. 18 for a span of 22 days (Nov. 18-Dec. 11) between home games. The gap was the longest between games in a season at the Petersen Events Center since a 26-day span during the 2014-15 campaign.
Pitt is No. 16 in the NCAA NET with three Quad 1-2 wins (West Virginia, vs. LSU, at Ohio State). The Panthers are also receiving votes in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Pitt's 8-2 start through 10 games matches its best start to a season under Jeff Capel. The Panthers were also 8-2 in the opening 10 games of the 2020-21 season.
The Panthers have won 11 consecutive games at the Petersen Events Center for its longest home win streak since a 14-game stretch from Feb. 27, 2013 through Jan. 21, 2014.
Pitt's starting backcourt of Ishmael Leggett and Jaland Lowe combines to average 34.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 3.8 steals per game. The duo has combined for 17 double-figure scoring games, including seven games with 20 or more points scored. Lowe (17.1 ppg.) and Leggett (17.0 ppg.) rank sixth and tied for seventh, respectively, in the ACC in scoring.

BY THE NUMBERS

Pitt is one of four programs (joined by NC A&T, Rutgers, and Saint Louis) in the NCAA with two guards averaging 17.0 points per game or better. Jaland Lowe (17.1 ppg.) and Ishmael Leggett (17.0 ppg.) have anchored the Panther attack through the first 10 games of the season.
Jaland Lowe is filling the stat sheet this season averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He is one of two players in the NCAA averaging at least 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on the season.
Ishmael Leggett ranks among the ACC leaders in scoring (T-6th - 17.0 ppg.), rebounds (T-18th - 6.2 rpg.), defensive rebounds (11th - 5.0 drpg.), field goal percentage (5th - .485), steals (T-9th - 1.8 spg.), and minutes (7th - 34.35 mpg.). He has scored 15 or more points eight times, including three 20+ point efforts.
Cameron Corhen scored in double figures in the first seven games of the season and is averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 67.6 percent (46-of-68) from the field. His production dipped to just 4.0 points per game on 5-of-10 shooting from the field over the past three games.
Zack Austin is averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game. He made his first start of the season in Saturday's win at Virginia Tech.
Ishmael Leggett is one of only four guards in the NCAA averaging at least 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game for the season. He has scored in double figures nine times, while registering a pair of double-doubles.
Guillermo Diaz Graham is averaging 7.3 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures in four games, while also grabbing seven or more rebounds five times.
Zack Austin is averaging 10.3 points per game, while going 10-of-20 (.500) from three-point range, over the past four games. He shares the team lead with 15 three-point field goals on the season.
Damian Dunn is sidelined until January after suffering a thumb injury in the opening minutes of the Wisconsin game. He scored in double figures in the first five games of the season and is averaging 11.1 points per game, while shooting a team-best 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from three-point range.
The Panthers rank 29th nationally (fourth in the ACC) in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency at 116.3 points per 100 possessions. Pitt is also 31st (fourth in the ACC) in adjusted defensive efficiency at 97.0 points per 100 possessions.
Pitt is 8-0 on the season when winning or tying the rebounding battle. The Panthers have been outrebounded in both losses this season.
The Panthers are averaging 8.1 three-pointers per game despite shooting just 32.1 percent (81-of-252) from beyond the arc for the season. Pitt made over 300 three-pointers, while shooting over 35 percent from beyond the arc in each of the past two seasons.
Pitt has put together back-to-back seasons with 20+ wins, including 10+ victories in ACC play. The Panthers rank fourth in conference wins and tied for fourth in the ACC in overall wins since the start of the 2022-23 season.
The Panthers are 5-0 at the Petersen Events Center this season with a +28.6 points per game scoring margin. Three of Pitt's five home wins have been by 20 or more points, including a pair of 40+ point victories.
Pitt is averaging 88.2 points per game, while shooting 51.3 percent (157-of-306) from the field and 37.0 percent (47-of-127) from three-point range, in five games at the Petersen Events Center this season.

PANTHER SPOTLIGHTS

Jaland Lowe is averaging 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over the past five games. He has led the Panthers in scoring in four of the past five games and six times overall on the season.
Ishmael Leggett is averaging 17.6 points per game, while going 35-of-54 (.648) from the field, including 8-of-17 (.471) from three-point range, in five contests at the Petersen Events Center.

Panthers Back Home to Play Eastern Kentucky Wednesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Zack Austin

Cameron Corhen

Guillermo Diaz Graham

Damian Dunn

Ishmael Leggett

Jaland Lowe

Panthers Back Home to Play Eastern Kentucky Wednesday

Related News

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Zack Austin

Cameron Corhen

Guillermo Diaz Graham

Damian Dunn

Ishmael Leggett

Jaland Lowe

Related Videos