Pitt Brings Poor Track Record Against Ranked Opponents to UNC Game
PITTSBURGH -- The North Carolina Tar Heels are teetering on the edge of ranked status. The latest AP Poll considers them a top-25 squad but America's coaches are less convinced and have left them on the outside looking in. Even as they've fallen from their perch as the nation's top-ranked team, that little 25 that will appear next to their name on the scoreboard carries baggage for their next opponent, the Pitt Panthers.
The Panthers are 2-14 against ranked opponents under current head coach Jeff Capel. The average margin of defeat has been 15.5 points and 693 days have passed since a ranked opponent has fallen at the hands of Pitt.
To put how long ago that was in perspective - the leading scorer from the game, Xavier Johnson, has been the starting point guard at Indiana for the past two years, the leading rebounder, Justin Champagnie, is in his second year in the NBA and just one Panther who played in that game - Nike Sibande - is on the current roster.
Pitt's teams from the past few years have typically been overmatched against ranked opponents and the results have played out just how you expect, but now the Panthers get to meet North Carolina on even footing - both as 9-4 teams looking to start ACC play off with a bang.
For all the bad history that haunts them when they face ranked opponents, Pitt has enjoyed some recent success against North Carolina, specifically. They were the last team to beat the Tar Heels before they unleashed the furious rally that vaulted them into the NCAA Tournament and pushed them to the National Championship game and have won three of their last four games against Carolina. They will hope to summon a similar performance this time out against a UNC team desperate for a win.
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