Pitt basketball wraps up the Greenbrier Tip-Off in the championship against #19 Wisconsin.
Pitt relied on its dynamic duo of Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett to lead the charge past LSU in the opening round of the Greenbrier Tip-Off.
General Information:
Teams: Pitt (6-0) and #19 Wisconsin (6-0)
Tip-Off Time: 5:30 p.m. EST
Watch: CBS Sports Network
Listen: 93.7 The Fan
What to know about #19 Wisconsin:
Wisconsin has had a strong start to the season winning its first six games. The Badgers have two big wins on their resume already by beating Arizona (Ranked #9 at the time) and UCF on Friday in the opening round of the Greenbrier Tip-Off.
The Badgers relied on a balanced offense to defeat UCF by 16 points. Four members for Wisconsin scored double digits, and John Blackwell led the way 17. Nolan Winter recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
This Wisconsin team is a combination of size and speed, something that Pitt hasn’t seen much this season. John Tonje leads the Badgers with 21 points per game while the team averages 36 rebounds per game.
However, the Badgers needed a second-half comeback to beat UT Rio Grande on Monday, November 18. UT Rio Grande shot the cover off the ball in the first half before cooling down in the second frame. There’s a window of opportunity for the Panthers that relies on everyone contributing points offensively.
Unlike most of the teams Pitt has played, Wisconsin is deep. The Badgers consistently roll out a rotation of 7-10 players which will allow the playmakers to stay fresh.
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Pitt rallied in the second half to defeat LSU after a back-and-forth first half with the Tigers. In addition to the excellence from Lowe and Leggett, Cam Corhen added 14 points while Zack Austin scored 10 off the bench for the Panthers.
Three-point shooting wasn’t a strong suit for Pitt on Friday, and the players know that needs to be better. You won’t beat a nationally ranked team by shooting 29% from behind the arc.
However, Pitt thrives in working the ball around and feeding it down low to Corhen and Guillermo Diaz Graham. With Blake Hinson being pushed outside because of his lethal shooting ability, it left guys like Diaz Graham by themselves in the post. Corhen’s presence has changed everything, and Pitt’s offense runs much smoother as a result.
The Panthers know they have a tough task at hand. There’s a reason the Badgers are in the top 25 and knocked off a top 10 team at the time. It’s going to take everyone to help Pitt claim the Greenbrier Tip-Off Championship.
Jeff Capel knows this is a time to keep things simple. Trust what has worked to get the team to this point. A game like this isn’t the time to get fancy or try something new.
Another area that Pitt has an advantage is Capel’s teams are built on defense. When the offensive production has had lapses in the early stages of this year, the defensive work to get stops and force turnovers has led the way. The Panthers are going to need a big defensive performance on Sunday against the Badgers.