Pitt vs Iowa State: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines
PITTSBURGH -- One week after falling to Duke in blowout fashion in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, the Pitt Panthers are back in the Greensboro Coliseum for the NCAA Tournament.
They suck past Mississippi State in the First Four to earn a date with Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with dreams of etching their names into Pitt record books dancing in their heads.
Game Info
Opponent: No. 6 Iowa State (19-13 overall, 9-9 Big 12)
Time: 3:10 PM EST
Location: Greensboro Coliseum; Greensboro, North Carolina
Broadcast: truTV and 93.7 The Fan
Odds
Pitt is a 4.5-point underdog to Iowa State. The Cyclones are favored on the moneyline, -190 to the Panthers' +160 figure. The point total line has been set at 133.5.
Three Storylines
All Eyes on Federiko's Knee
Mississippi State outrebounded the Panthers by an astonishingly wide margin - 49-28 - in their First Four game. While the Cyclones don't boast a big the same caliber of first-team All-SEC selection Tolu Smith on their roster, but they are no slouches on the offensive boards, grabbing 11.4 per game themselves, the 72nd-best mark in the country.
That makes the status of Federiko Federiko, who sat out of Pitt's First Four game with a knee injury, a vital story to follow once again. He was a game-time decision against the Bulldogs, but told reporters he has been progressing well. Head coach Jeff Capel said Federiko is still day-to-day, and that the team will prioritize his long-term health over any short-term desire to win this game.
Expect Another Rock Fight
Iowa State's profile is very similar to that of Mississippi State. When they win, it is typically not because of prolific scoring, and instead, a result of their fantastic defense that ranks 22nd nationally in points allowed per game, seventh in defensive efficiency, second in forced turnover rate and 68th in block percentage.
The Panthers have proven against defensive-minded teams like Virginia, Georgia Tech and the Bulldogs that they can win in multiple ways despite their own focus on efficient offense. While Pitt can score with the best of them, they will only go as far as their defense carries them.
Chasing School History
Yes, Pitt has had better teams than the 202-23 squad littered throughout its storied history, but few Panther squads have been able to achieve major NCAA Tournament success. Even the flagship teams of this program's golden era in the early 2000s and 2010s ended their runs prematurely.
Based on its preseason expectations, the Panthers have already overachieved but they can cement their place in school history with a win over the Cyclones. Iowa State is good, but not a juggernaut. The same goes for Xavier, the favorite to beat Kennesaw state on the other side of Pitt's section of the bracket. Just beating they Cyclones would make the 2022-23 Panthers the first team to win two NCAA Tournament games since the 2009 team that made it to the Elite Eight.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and so much more!
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