East No. 10 – Pittsburgh Panthers (Overall: 21-11, Conf: 9-9)
Team Strengths:
As a unit, Pitt has great control with its possessions. The team is 14th in the nation in assists per game (16.8), 14th assists per field goals made (62.9 percent) and 22nd in assists-to-turnover ratio.
The Panthers even actually fared rather well considering that they had the 41st-hardest schedule around. They posted an even .500 record against 16 teams from the top 50.Create a betting account now and cash in on all the NCAAB action.
Team Weaknesses:
Barely passable will just not cut it at the Big Dance. Beyond solid ball-handling, the Panthers are mediocre at best in all other aspects of the game.
Despite ending with a 21-win season, nine of their 11 losses came from their daunting ACC rivals. Many critics would argue that Pittsburgh earned its March Madness bid simply because of the tough opposition the team had to overcome this season, and we also agree to that notion.
The Panthers have taken care of teams that they were expected to beat, yet have also failed to consistently put up good fights against college top-tier programs.
Team Stats:
Category | Stat | NCAA Rank |
---|---|---|
Points Per Game | 75.8 | 98 |
Rebounds Per Game | 37.6 | 82 |
Blocks Per Game | 3.5 | 159 |
3-Point Percentage | 35.1% | 153 |
Free Throw Percentage | 75.8% | 15 |
Starting Lineup:
Position | Name | PPG |
---|---|---|
F | Jamel Artis | 14.4 |
F | Michael Young | 16.0 |
F | Rafael Maia | 2.0 |
G | Cameron Johnson | 4.9 |
G | James Robinson | 10.3 |
Writer’s Prediction:
No underdog story here; Wisconsin easily eliminates Pitt in the first round.