Game Time: 9 p.m.
Opponent: Florida State
Head Coach: Leonard Hamilton (20th year)
Conference: ACC
Current Record: 13-9
Last Game: 68-60 loss vs. Wake Forest
2020-21 Season: 18-7 (11-4, second in ACC)
Pitt is set to square off with Florida State at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee in a matchup of struggling teams. The Panthers and Seminoles are both riding four-game losing streaks into the matchup, but that does not quite place them on even footing. Pitt was routed 74-47 by Virginia Tech in its last game, while Florida State was competitive with a strong Wake Forest team in a relatively close 68-60 loss in its last game on Saturday.
The Panthers will also come into the game less rested than the Seminoles, as this will be their fifth game since Jan. 30 and the Seminoles’ third. They will also be playing on just one full day of rest, while the Seminoles will have the advantage of three full days of rest and no time spent on travel. Given all that, oddsmakers expect a solid showing from Florida State and favor the home team by 10 points.
In the game, Pitt will likely lean heavily on Femi Odukale, who has led the Panthers in scoring in each of their last four games. Mouhamadou Gueye has also performed well for Pitt over its last three games, averaging 12.3 points over that span. But Odukale and Gueye got little help from John Hugley, Pitt’s top scorer, and Jamarius Burton, Pitt’s most consistent scorer, the last time around, as they combined for a total of two points against Virginia Tech.
As for Florida State, the team is led by Caleb Mills, who averages 13.0 points per game, and he has been the team’s top scorer in its last two games. The only other players averaging 10 points or more for the Seminoles this season are Matthew Cleveland and Malik Osborne. However, Osborne is out for the rest of the season due to an injury, and Cleveland has struggled with consistency, although he did score 11 points in Florida State’s last game.