CBB Rank 2025: No. 76, Pitt Basketball

Jeff Capel is now heading into his 8th year as the head coach of Pitt, trying to help the Panthers bounce back from an interesting 17-win season.

The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Pitt basketball.

Last season, Pitt had an odd up-and-down year. The Panthers went 17-15, but were once ranked 18th in the AP Poll and were also 12-2 overall in early January. Then, the Panthers collapsed, going just 5-13 the rest of the way. There were some close losses – but also some blowout ones – despite early-season wins over West Virginia and Ohio State.

For Capel, the 17-win year ended a two-year streak of 20+ wins. While it doesn’t seem like a make-or-break kind of year, it is getting closer to losing-record territory, something the Panthers had for four straight years before the 24-12 season in 2022-23.

That brings us to this season, as the Panthers prepare for life without Jaland Lowe, Ishmael Leggett, and Zack Austin, plus a few other role players. However, they do return Cameron Corhen and Brandin Cummings, among a few guys further down the rotation.

But this season’s potential will all be up to the incoming talent. Oregon State transfer Damarco Minor figures to be the starting point guard, and South Alabama transfer Barry Dunning Jr., who will be on his fourth team in four seasons, could start on the wing. Former Iowa State big man Dishon Jackson looks to pair well with Corhen for an interesting tandem down low.

And then there’s the Australian prospects – freshmen Henry Lau and Roman Siulepa – who both played well for the Aussie U19 and U20 teams. They could be interesting players to watch as the season unfolds, as their international experience could help them mature quicker to the college game.

Overall, Capel has the roster of a winning team, but finding a star and a consistent bench seems to be the biggest question marks right now.

Head coach: Jeff Capel (8th season at Pitt, 17th season overall)

2024-25 record: 17-15 (8-12)

2025 postseason finish: No postseason

Notable departures: 

• Jaland Lowe (16.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG)
• Ishmael Leggett (15.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 34.8 3P%)
• Zack Austin (9.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 38.1 3P%)
• Guillermo Diaz Graham (6.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG)
• Damian Dunn (9.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 41.2 3P%, 16 GP)

Notable non-conference games: 

• at West Virginia (Nov. 13)
• vs. UCF (Nov. 20)
• vs. Ohio State (Nov. 28)
• vs. Texas A&M (Dec. 2)
• at Villanova (Dec. 13)
• vs. Penn State (Dec. 21)

Projected Rotation

PG: Damarco Minor (6-0, 190, Gr.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 9.8 PPG, 5.1 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG (Oregon State)

SG: Brandin Cummings (6-3, 175, So.)

2024-25 stats: 6.3 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 37.7 3P%

SF: Barry Dunning Jr. (6-6, 195, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 15.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.2 APG (South Alabama)

PF: Cameron Corhen (6-10, 235, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 11.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 63.5 FG%

C: Dishon Jackson (6-11, 270, Gr.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 8.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 1.1 BPG, 58.0 FG% (Iowa State)

6: Papa Amadou Kante (6-10, 235, Rs.-So.)

2024-25 stats: 2.1 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.2 APG, 55.2 FG%, 7.0 MPG

7: Omari Witherspoon (6-4, 190, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #107 overall ranked recruit

8: Nojus Indrusaitis (6-5, 200, So.)

2024-25 stats: 2.1 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.3 APG, 5.7 MPG, 15 GP (Iowa State)

9: Henry Lau (6-7, 195, Fr.)

International prospect from Australia

10: Roman Siulepa (6-6, 220, Fr.)

International prospect from Australia

11: Micari Moore (6-3, 200, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #288 overall ranked recruit

12: Kieran Mullen (7-0, 220, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #429 overall ranked recruit

Pitt Basketball team MVP: Cameron Corhen

For starters, I think this Pitt team will have multiple go-to options and won’t be driven by just one star. But when you look at Corhen, you see a guy who decided to come back for a second year in the program, and a fourth year in the ACC, after starting at Florida State.

It hasn’t been dramatic, but Corhen has improved each year he’s been in college basketball.

• Freshman stats: 8.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 54.6 FG%
• Sophomore stats: 9.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.6 APG, 62.9 FG%
• Junior stats: 11.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 63.5 FG%

This leads us to his senior year, where instead of Guillermo Diaz Graham, it’ll be Dishon Jackson down low – someone who is slightly more offensively talented. How will that affect Corhen will be an interesting topic of conversation.

While I’m not expecting Corhen to star, I wouldn’t be surprised if he posts averages of around 13 PPG, 5 RPG, and 1 APG, with efficient shooting around the rim thanks to his many cuts and dunks.

Is he a star? Not quite. Is he the flashiest? At times. But game in and game out he seems to be the guy Pitt basketball will be able to rely on the most to do his job.

Pitt Basketball make-or-break player: Brandin Cummings Jr.

When you look at the starting five, you’ve got three certainties. Corhen and Jackson have proved they can hoop at the power conference level. Minor played well at Oregon State, which should translate fine here. For Barry Dunning Jr., it’s about translating what he did at South Alabama. His numbers will likely dip, but I don’t think the expectation is another 15 PPG season.

For Cummings, it’s a different story. He saw the court quite a bit as a freshman and looks to start alongside Minor in the backcourt. While his scoring showed potential, he’s got to be more than just a sharpshooter. Cummings could be the guy to elevate Pitt – potentially as their leading scorer, but also as a backup point guard and reliable defender. He is a good candidate for someone in the ACC to take a big jump as a sophomore, and will be fun to watch.

Key analytic: RPG

Pitt was one of the worst rebounding teams in ACC play last year, grabbing just 28.8 per game, 16th in the conference. You can blame their struggles on defense, which leads to fewer defensive board opportunities, but offensive rebounding was middle of the pack too.

I think that’s where Jackson fits in – we know Corhen isn’t going to grab 7-8 boards per game, but Jackson can be the guy to fix that part of the game for Pitt this season. Plus, with Papa Kante and 7-foot freshman Kieran Mullen, there are other guys who can also help point the trend in the right direction.

It’s an area of the game that if fixed, can get Pitt basketball back to a 20-win year.

Pitt Basketball 2025-26 projections

Projected conference finish: 12th in the ACC

Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament First Round Exit