Pitt Starts Freshman vs. Miami

The Pitt Panthers added a freshman to the starting lineup vs. Miami

Feb 3, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Brandin Cummings (3) calls out a play against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers added a freshman to the starting lineup ahead of their matchup vs. Miami at the Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers have freshman guard Brandin "Beebah" Cummings in the starting lineup vs. the Hurricanes. He will join fellow guard, senior Ishmael Leggett, plus forwards in redshirt senior Zack Austin and juniors Guillermo Diaz Graham and Cameron Corhen in the starting lineup for the Panthers.

🟡 Beebah
🟡 Ish
🟡 ZA
🟡 Guillermo
🟡 Cam pic.twitter.com/cQ8Skjze5q

— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) February 15, 2025

Cummings comes into the starting lineup, as Pitt has dealt with injuries in recent games.

Graduate student guard Damian Dunn fractured his elbow in the 67-66 road loss to North Carolina on Feb. 8 and had his arm in a sling pregame. Pitt head coach Jeff Capel didn't give a timetable for Dunn's return, but said that he is likely out for the season.

Sophomore Jaland Lowe played defense in their most recent game against SMU redshirt junior guard Boopie Miller, who threw his head back right into the face of Lowe, knocking him down at the 14:39 mark of the second half.

Lowe would come in for a possession, but then headed back to the bench for the rest of the game. Capel confirmed on his radio show that Lowe suffered a concussion and likely wouldn't play vs. Miami, and he was in street clothes during warmup.

Cummings excelled at nearby Lincoln Park in Midland, Pa., winning three WPIAL Titles, back-to-back PIAA Titles as a junior and senior and scored 2,222 points in his high school career.

He is the brother former Pitt player Nelly Cummings, who also played for Lincoln Park and his final season of college basketball in 2022-23 for Pitt, where he got the program back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years.

Cummings has played in all but one contest this season and is averaging 6.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game this season. He is also shooting 46.8% from the field, 41.2% from 3-point range and 80.6% from the foul line as well.

He finished with a career-high 30 points in the 96-56 win over Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 11. He shot 10-for-13, 76.9%, from the field and 6-for-8, 75%, from 3-point range, having an incredibly efficient night to help Pitt blowout their mid-major foe.

Cummings earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors, the first of his career, the first Pitt player this season and just the fourth player in program history

He was just the fourth player to score 30 points as a freshman in Pitt history, joining Xavier Johnson, McGowens and Champagnie, tying him for the third most points in a game for a freshman at Pitt.

Cummings also scored 30 points in 30 minutes, giving him a point per minute, tying him for the sixth most efficient game for a Pitt player who scored 30 points or more in a game.

He made his first career start in the 86-74 home over Cal on Jan. 1, where he played 38 minutes and scored 15 points, while shooting 5-for-9 from the field, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 2-for-3 from the foul line.

Cummings will have a big role going forward, as he and Leggett are the only two healthy scholarship guards on the Pitt roster at the moment.

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