Panthers Return Home to Host Georgia Tech Tuesday

[rv/rv] Pitt (19-8, 12-4 ACC) vs. Georgia Tech (11-16, 3-13 ACC)
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 • 7:00 PM
Pittsburgh, Pa. • Petersen Events Center
ACC Network • 93.7 The Fan

THE OPENING TIP
• Pitt hosts Georgia Tech Tuesday, Feb. 21 in a 7 p.m. tipoff with Anish Shroff and Jordan Cornette calling the game on ACC Network.
• The Panthers are currently third in the ACC standings one game behind leader Virginia and a half game behind Miami. Pitt defeated both the Cavaliers and the Hurricanes at the Petersen Events Center this season.
• Pitt is 6-3 or better against teams ranked above it in each of the major computer calculations (NET, Torvik, KenPom, BPI, and Sagarin).
• The Panthers are undefeated against teams currently ranked in the top 25 of the AP Poll (3-0) and the USA Today Coaches Poll (4-0).
• Pitt is one win shy of its first 20+ win season under Jeff Capel and the 23rd 20-win season in program history.
• Jamarius Burton, an ACC Player of the Year candidate, is averaging 16.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in conference play. He is shooting 48.3 percent (101-of-209) from the field and 89.2 percent (58-of-65) from the foul line in ACC play. He has scored 15 or more points in 11 of 16 league games.
• Blake Hinson has posted 23 double-figure scoring games, including 15 games with 15 or more points and seven 20+ point games. He is the only player in the ACC averaging 15.5 or more points (15.5 ppg.) and 6.0 or more rebounds per game (6.2 rpg.) with 65 or more made threes (69 3FG).
• Greg Elliott has scored in double figures in each of the past four games and is averaging 13.0 points per game on 13-of-26 (.500) shooting from three-point range.

BY THE NUMBERS
• Pitt has won 18 of its past 23 games with its 18 wins since Nov. 20 tied for 16th most in the NCAA in that span.
• The Panthers are tied for 21st in the NCAA with four Quad 1 victories. Pitt's .667 winning percentage (4-2) in Quad 1 games is tied for fifth best in the NCAA.
• Pitt is 12-3 at the Petersen Events Center this season for its most home wins since the 2015-16 campaign.
• The Panthers' backcourt quartet of Jamarius Burton, Nelly Cummings, Greg Elliott, and Nike Sibande has combined for 5,504 points in 14,333 minutes over 560 career games. Pitt is one of four programs (along with UAB, Chattanooga, and Texas) in the NCAA with four or more players with 135+ games played.
• Pitt is second in the ACC in three-point field goals (9.22 3pg.) with Blake Hinson (2.56 3pg. - 6th) and Greg Elliott (2.37 3pg. - 9th) both ranking among the league leaders in threes per game. A year ago, the Panthers were 14th in the ACC at just 5.38 three-point field goals per game.
• The Panthers and NC State are the only teams in the ACC with two players with 60 or more threes on the season. Blake Hinson (69) and Greg Elliott (64) each have 60 or more made threes while Nelly Cummings has 46 three-point field goals. The transfer trio is looking to become just the second threesome at Pitt to each make 50 or more threes in a season.
• Greg Elliott is shooting a team-high 42.4 percent (64-of-151) from three-point range, third best in the ACC among players with 2.0 made threes per game. He is 38-of-92 (.413) from beyond the arc in league play with six games with three or more three-pointers.
• Nelly Cummings has scored 10 or more points and dished out five or more assists in three of the past four games. He is averaging 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists over the past two games.
• Jamarius Burton is one of five players in the NCAA averaging at least 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting over 49 percent from the field. He is looking to become just the fourth player in program history to average 15+ points, 4+ rebounds, and 4+ assists per game for a season.
• Blake Hinson leads the Panthers in rebounds (6.2 rpg.), double-doubles (4), double-figure scoring games (23), 20+ point games (7), and three-point field goals (69), while ranking second in scoring (15.5 ppg.). He is looking to become the first Panther since Sam Young (2008-09) to average better than 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while making 50 or more threes in a season.
• The Panthers' starting backcourt of Nelly Cummings and Jamarius Burton has combined for 2,792 points, 813 rebounds, 780 assists, and 232 steals in 281 career games. The tandem combines to average 26.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game. Both players enter Tuesday's game with 1,396 career points, apiece.
• Federiko Federiko is shooting a team-high 64.3 percent (74-of-115) from the field, while also leading the Panthers in offensive rebounds (70), blocks (51), and dunks (28). He is contributing 10.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per 40 minutes played.
• Pitt is 11-1 on the season when Nike Sibande scores in double figures. Sibande has been Pitt's first sub in every game (26) he hasn't started this season and is averaging 14.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per 40 minutes played.
• Jamarius Burton (15.7 ppg.), Blake Hinson (15.5 ppg.), Greg Elliott (11.0 ppg.), and Nelly Cummings (10.5 ppg.) are each averaging double figures in scoring. Pitt has not had four double-figure scorers in a season since the 2009-10 campaign. The Panthers have had four or more double-figure scorers in a season 18 times in program history.

PANTHER SPOTLIGHTS
• Jamarius Burton is four points, and three rebounds shy of eclipsing the 1,400-point and 500-rebound mark for his career. He also has 440 career assists entering Tuesday's contest.
• Guillermo Diaz Graham is averaging 6.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in just 14.2 minutes per game over the past four contests. He is 9-of-17 (.523) from the field and 7-of-8 (.875) from the foul line in that span.

BUILDING AN NCAA RESUME
• Pitt continues to build an NCAA Tournament resume, while remaining in position to compete for its first ACC Championship. The Panthers are 19-8 overall, including a 12-4 mark in conference play.
• The Panthers have won eight of their past 10 contests and 18 of 23 games since Nov. 20. Pitt's 18 wins since Nov. 20 is tied for 16th most in the NCAA (T-5th among power conference teams) in that span.
• Pitt is 7-3 in true road games, including a 6-2 mark away from home in league play. The Panthers' seven road wins is tied for second most in the NCAA among power conference teams.
• The Panthers are 7-2 against the top half teams in the ACC standings with wins over Virginia, Miami, NC State, Wake Forest, Syracuse, and North Carolina (2x).
• Pitt is 6-3 against teams ranked above it in ESPN's Men's College Basketball Power Index (BPI). The Panthers are 3-1 in true road games against the top 50 in the BPI.
• The Panthers have four Quad 1 victories (Virginia, at NC State, at North Carolina, at Northwestern) and three Quad 2 wins (North Carolina, at Syracuse, Miami).
• Pitt is second in the ACC and tied for 21st in the NCAA with five Quad 1 victories. The Panthers' .667 winning percentage in Quad 1 games is tied for fifth in the NCAA.

Panthers Return Home to Host Georgia Tech Tuesday

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Players Mentioned

Jamarius Burton

Nelly Cummings

Guillermo Diaz Graham

Greg Elliott

Federiko Federiko

Blake Hinson

Nike Sibande