Game Preview: What UVA Basketball fans should know about the Pitt Panthers

Pitt, on its way to Grounds to face Virginia on ACC After Dark, 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, on ACCN, has been playing better of late.

Still lost three of their four since the 100-59 home loss to Louisville on Jan. 17, but the Panthers (9-13, 2-7 ACC) hung around in single-digit losses to Boston College and NC State, beat Wake Forest in OT.

The Clemson final – 63-52 – wasn’t as good as the score would make it seem; the Tigers led by 20 with five minutes left.

End is nigh

---

This has to be the end of the run, though, for Jeff Capel, doesn’t it?

Capel has just three winning seasons in his eight years at Pitt, and just one NCAA Tournament appearance, back in 2023.

Didn’t get a bid in 2024 with a 22-11 record, and 13 wins, including one in the ACC Tournament, in the conference.

Just 17-15 last year, and was out of the ACCT on Tuesday.

Seems destined for that to be the case again this year.

The rotation

---

Capel only has 10 guys who have gotten minutes for him this season, and one of those, 6’10” sophomore Papa Amadou Kante, is out for the season with a knee injury that he suffered back in November.

By and large, he will go with seven guys who average 20+ minutes most nights.

Key contributors

• 6’3” sophomore Brandin Cummings: 12.5 ppg, 42.4% FG, 32.6% 3FG, 26.2 minutes/g
• 6’10” senior Cameron Cohren: 12.2 ppg, 7.7 rebounds/g, 52.3% FG, 34.8% 3FG, 33.6 minutes/g
• 6’6” senior Barry Dunning Jr.: 11.9 ppg, 5.4 rebounds/g, 47.2% FG, 32.7% 3FG, 29.7 minutes/g
• 6’6” freshman Roman Siupela: 10.0 ppg, 5.6 rebounds/g, 47.8% FG, 30.5% 3FG, 24.9 minutes/g
• 6’0” senior Damarco Minor: 9.5 ppg, 3.5 assists/g, 41.8% FG, 37.6% 3FG, 30.9 minutes/g
• 6’5” sophomore Nojus Indrusaitis: 7.7 ppg, 34.7% FG, 35.6% 3FG, 22.0 minutes/g
• 6’4” freshman Omari Witherspoon: 7.5 ppg, 39.6% FG, 30.5% 3FG, 25.1 minutes/g

Analytics

---

Data: KenPom; rankings: among 365 D1 teams

Offense

Pitt: 1.144 PPP (96)
Virginia: 1.246 PPP (17)

Defense

Pitt: 1.070 PPP (119)
Virginia: 0.994 PPP (30)

Tempo

Pitt: 63.8 (335)
Virginia: 65.5 (274)

Effective field goal percentage (offense)

Pitt: 51.0% (185)
Virginia: 55.3% (46)

Effective field goal percentage (defense)

Pitt: 52.1% (225)
Virginia: 45.1% (8)

Bench minutes

Pitt: 25.7% (319)
Virginia: 35.3% (115)

Keys to Odom Ball

---

Data: KenPom; rankings: among 365 D1 teams

Twos (offense)

Pitt: 51.2% (199)
Virginia: 56.6% (48)

Twos (defense)

Pitt: 51.9% (190)
Virginia: 45.0% (7)

Threes (offense)

Pitt: 33.9% (184)
Virginia: 35.9% (71)

Threes (defense)

Pitt: 34.9% (233)
Virginia: 30.2% (37)

Rebounds (offense)

Pitt: 35.2% (54)
Virginia: 40.2% (3)

Rebounds (defense)

Pitt: 72.2% (55)
Virginia: 70.4% (125)

Turnover rate (offense)

Pitt: 16.8% (166)
Virginia: 15.5% (86)

Turnover rate (defense)

Pitt: 16.8% (197)
Virginia: 15.7% (267)

Game Details

---

Pitt (9-13, 2-7 ACC, NET: 111) at Virginia (18-3, 7-2 ACC, NET: 14)
Day/Time: Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET
TV: ACCN (Evan Leplar, Dan Bonner & Jim Boeheim)

Forecast

---

KenPom: Virginia 79-64
BartTorvik: Virginia 78-62
ESPN BPI: Virginia +13.1

UVA Basketball archives

---

• UVA Basketball: Still counts, but Boston College made that one ugly
• ‘Hoos 100, Notre Dame 97: Odom, Virginia learn how to win by going small
• UVA Basketball: Carolina attacked the paint, ‘Hoos had no response
• UVA Basketball: Virginia slugs out 72-68 win at SMU to improve to 16-2
• UVA Basketball: McKneely goes for 23, but ‘Hoos get the Top 25 road win
• UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos clamp down on D on Stanford in 70-55 win
• UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos stifle Cal with gritty second half D, win 84-60
• UVA Basketball: Virginia blows out NC State, 76-61, in Saturday ACC matinee
• UVA Basketball: Hokies ride advantage at stripe to upset of #21 ‘Hoos