University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Basketball Notebook – Monday, Sept. 23
9/23/2024 6:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt men's basketball team held its first official practice Monday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center. Head coach Jeff Capel has led the Panthers to back-to-back seasons with 20+ wins overall and 10+ wins in ACC play.
Pitt Big Papa Amadou Kante Cleared; Returns to Practice
Redshirt freshman Papa Amadou Kante was cleared for full practice participation as he continues his recovery from a knee injury that sidelined him for the 2023-24 season. The Dakar, Senegal, native suffered the injury in the first week of September 2023.
Amadou Kante, ranked No. 91 (247 Sports), No. 95 (Rivals), No. 108 (ESPN) among the 2023 recruiting class, is a high-motor forward with strong rebounding and defensive instincts as well as shooting range out to the three-point line. A four-star prospect and Top 100 recruit, Amadou Kante led South Kent to a 29-7 record, the NEPSAC Class AAA regular season title (15-1), and Class AAA championship as a senior. He was named NEPSAC Class AAA first team in 2023 after earning honorable mention honors in 2022.
His recruitment exploded in the summer of 2022 after he posted a strong showing on the Nike EYBL Circuit with NY Rens. Amadou Kante was named Nike EYBL Louisville Second Team after averaging 12.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game at the session.
Cleared and ready to go, welcome back @papaamadoukante. #H2P pic.twitter.com/sX6Ecb4zjp
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) September 23, 2024
Game Time & TV Designations Announced for SEC/ACC Challenge
ESPN announced the network schedule for the second annual SEC/ACC Challenge Monday afternoon. Pitt will travel to Mississippi State for a 9:15 p.m. tip on SEC Network Wednesday, Dec. 4.
The SEC/ACC Men's Challenge will take place Tuesday, Dec. 3 and Wednesday, Dec. 4 with games broadcast across ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network).
Last year's inaugural Challenge finished with 7-7 ties between the conferences on both the men's and women's sides.
This season, the Challenge welcomes five new teams to the fold as Cal, Stanford and SMU joined the ACC, while Oklahoma and Texas now call the SEC home.
ACC Opening Weekend Games Announced Monday on ACC PM
ACC PM teased the upcoming conference schedule announcement with a release of the opening weekend of ACC action Monday evening. Pitt will open conference play Saturday, Dec. 7 at Virginia Tech (2 p.m. – ESPNU).
The Panthers' ACC opener caps a string of five consecutive games against power conference teams away from the Petersen Events Center. Pitt plays LSU (Nov. 22) and either UCF or Wisconsin (Nov. 24) as part of the Greenbrier Tip-Off before three consecutive road games at Ohio State (Nov. 29), Mississippi State (Dec. 4), and Virginia Tech (Dec. 7).
Full ACC Schedule to Be Announced Tuesday
The 2024-25 ACC Men's Basketball schedule will be released in full on Tuesday, September 24 from 8-9 p.m. on ACC Network. Pitt's conference slate includes home games against North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia, Louisville, Clemson, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Boston College. The Panthers will also welcome ACC newcomers Stanford and Cal to the Petersen Events Center.
Season Tickets Now on Sale
Pitt Basketball season-ticket pricing begins at $265. Fans can also purchase season tickets HERE or by calling the Panthers Ticket Office at 1-800-643-7488 or emailing tickets@athletics.pitt.edu.
Season ticket holder benefits include:
- Keeping your current seats or upgrading for 2024-25
- Early access and discounts on single game tickets (when available)
- Lowest price per ticket
- Six-month payment plan
- Access to best seats at the Petersen Events Center
- Becoming a Panther Club member and getting an array of additional benefits and amenities
