2023–24 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team

The 2023–24 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team represented the University of Pittsburgh during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers were led by sixth-year head coach Jeff Capel and played their home games at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

2023–24 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record22–11 (12–8 ACC)
Head coach
Associate head coachTim O'Toole (6th season)
Assistant coaches
Home arenaPetersen Events Center
(Capacity: 12,508)
Seasons
2023–24 ACC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 7 North Carolina 17 3   .850 29 8   .784
No. 9 Duke 15 5   .750 27 9   .750
Virginia 13 7   .650 23 11   .676
Pittsburgh 12 8   .600 22 11   .667
Wake Forest 11 9   .550 21 14   .600
No. 14 Clemson 11 9   .550 24 12   .667
Syracuse 11 9   .550 20 12   .625
Virginia Tech 10 10   .500 19 15   .559
Florida State 10 10   .500 17 16   .515
No. 10 NC State 9 11   .450 26 15   .634
Boston College 8 12   .400 20 16   .556
Notre Dame 7 13   .350 13 20   .394
Georgia Tech 7 13   .350 14 18   .438
Miami (FL) 6 14   .300 15 17   .469
Louisville 3 17   .150 8 24   .250
2024 ACC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

The Panthers won their first four games of the season before losing the opening game of their preseason tournament, the NIT Season Tip-Off, to Florida. They won the third place game against Oregon State. They would then go on to lose their next two games, the first to Missouri in the ACC–SEC Challenge and their ACC season opener against Clemson. They then rebounded to win their next four games, including a rivalry game against West Virginia. The Panthers had a record of 9–2 against non-conference opponents. The Panthers lost four of their next five ACC games including to eighth-ranked North Carolina and eleventh-ranked Duke. Pittsburgh began a streak of winning seven of their next eight with a win over seventh-ranked Duke. The only loss during the stretch came at Miami (FL) while they won against NC State and twenty first-ranked Virginia. They finished the season by winning four of their last six games, with losses coming again to Clemson and to Wake Forest. They defeated NC State on the final day of the season.

The Panthers finished the 2023–24 season 22–11 and 12–8 in ACC play to finish in a fourth place. As the fourth seed in the ACC tournament they received a bye into the Quarterfinals where they defeated Wake Forest. They faced North Carolina in the Semfinals where they were defeated 65–72. They were not invited to the NCAA tournament and they were eligible to participate in the NIT Tournament, but they opted not to participate.[1]

Previous season

edit

The Panthers finished the 2022–23 season 24–12, 14–6 in ACC play to finish in a three-way tie for third place. This season marked a surprise turnaround from previous seasons; at one point, the Panthers were ranked No. 25 in the nation, their first appearance in the top-25 rankings in seven years. As the No. 5 seed in the ACC tournament, they defeated Georgia Tech before losing to Duke in the quarterfinals. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the Panthers' first invitation since 2016. As a No. 11 seed in the Midwest region, they defeated Mississippi State in the First Four. They upset Iowa State in the first round before losing to Xavier in the second round. This marked Pitt's best season since 2014.

Offseason

edit

Departures

edit
Departures
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for Departure
Nelly Cummings 0 G 6'0" 190 GS Senior Midland, PA Graduated/signed to play professionally in Cyprus
with AEL Limassol B.C.[2]
Dior Johnson 1 G 6'3" 185 Freshman Kingston, NY Left the team for personal reasons
Greg Elliott 3 G 6'3" 180 GS Senior Detroit, MI Graduated
John Hugley 4 F 6'9" 265 Junior Cleveland, OH Transferred to Oklahoma[3]
Nate Santos 5 F 6'7" 215 Sophomore Geneva, IL Transferred to Dayton[4]
Jamarius Burton 11 G 6'4" 200   Senior Charlotte, NC Graduated/signed to play professionally in Belgium
with Kortrijk Spurs[5]
Aidan Fisch 13 F 6'5" 185 Senior Murrysville, PA Walk-on; graduated
Nike Sibande 22 G 6'4" 185   Senior Indianapolis, IN Graduated

Incoming transfers

edit
Incoming Transfers
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Ishmael Leggett 5 G 6'2" 180   Junior Washington, D.C. Rhode Island[6]
KJ Marshall 12 G 5'10" 180 Senior Reading, PA Walk-on; Mars Hill
Zack Austin 55 F 6'7" 201   Junior Winston-Salem, NC High Point[7]

Recruiting classes

edit

2023 recruiting class

edit
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Jaland Lowe
#15 PG
Houston, TX Marshall High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Oct 2, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Papa Kante
#24 C
South Kent, CT South Kent School 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) May 22, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Bub Carrington
#33 SG
Baltimore, MD St. Frances Academy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jun 15, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Marlon Barnes Jr.
#33 SG
Lyndhurst, OH Brush High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jan 19, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 79
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 27   Rivals: 22
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Pittsburgh Panthers". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  • "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved 2023-08-31.

2024 recruiting class

edit
US college sports recruiting information for 2024 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Brandin Cummings
#30 SG
Midland, PA Lincoln Park High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jan 4, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 27   Rivals: 22
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

edit
2023–24 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G/F 2 Blake Hinson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS Sr Sunrise Christian Academy
Iowa State
Deltona, FL
F 4 Papa Amadou Kante 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Fr South Kent Prep Dakar, Senegal
G 5 Ishmael Leggett 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) RS Jr St. John's College
Rhode Island
Washington, D.C.
G 7 Bub Carrington 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr St. Frances Academy Baltimore, MD
F 11 Marlon Barnes Jr. 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Brush Cleveland, OH
G 12 KJ Marshall (W) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Trinity Christian Academy
Mars Hill
Reading, PA
G 13 Benjamin Mayhew (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Propel Braddock Hills Wilkinsburg, PA
G 15 Jaland Lowe 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Fort Bend Marshall Missouri City, TX
G 21 Vason Stevenson (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Montour McKees Rocks, PA
F 24 William Jeffress 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Jr McDowell HS Erie, PA
F 25 Guillermo Díaz Graham 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So IMG Academy Canary Islands, Spain
F 31 Jorge Díaz Graham 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So IMG Academy Canary Islands, Spain
C 33 Federiko Federiko 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jr First Love Christian Academy (PA)
Northern Oklahoma
Helsinki, Finland
F 44 Jajuan Nelson (W) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Fr String Theory Charter (PA) Philadelphia, PA
F 55 Zack Austin 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Jr Moravian Prep
High Point
Winston-Salem, NC
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

edit
Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 1, 2023*
7:00 p.m.
Pitt-Johnstown W 96–60 
 13  Tied   8  Tied   6  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (–)
Pittsburgh, PA
Regular season
November 6, 2023*
7:00 p.m., ACCNX/ESPN+
North Carolina A&T W 100–52  1–0
 18  Carrington   12  Carrington   10  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (6,797)
Pittsburgh, PA
November 10, 2023*
7:00 p.m., ACCNX/ESPN+
Binghamton W 89–60  2–0
 26  Hinson   11  Leggett   5  Leggett  Petersen Events Center (7,747)
Pittsburgh, PA
November 13, 2023*
7:00 p.m., ACCN
Florida Gulf Coast W 86–74  3–0
 19  Carrington   7  Tied   7  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (6,567)
Pittsburgh, PA
November 17, 2023*
7:00 p.m., ACCNX/ESPN+
Jacksonville W 107–56  4–0
 25  Hinson   10  G. Diaz Graham   6  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (7,842)
Pittsburgh, PA
November 22, 2023*
9:30 p.m., ESPN2
vs. Florida
NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals
L 71–86  4–1
 19  Leggett   9  Tied   7  Carrington  Barclays Center (1,873)
Brooklyn, NY
November 24, 2023*
3:00 p.m., ESPN2
vs. Oregon State
NIT Season Tip-Off 3rd place game
W 76–51  5–1
 19  Austin   8  Austin   5  Carrington  Barclays Center (1,620)
Brooklyn, NY
November 28, 2023*
7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Missouri
ACC–SEC Challenge
L 64–71  5–2
 22  Hinson   7  Tied   4  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (7,390)
Pittsburgh, PA
December 3, 2023
2:00 p.m., ACCN
Clemson L 70–79  5–3
(0–1)
 27  Hinson   7  Austin   6  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (7,713)
Pittsburgh, PA
December 6, 2023*
9:00 p.m., ESPN2
at West Virginia
Backyard Brawl
W 80–63  6–3
 29  Hinson   9  Jeffress   9  Carrington  WVU Coliseum (12,301)
Morgantown, WV
December 9, 2023*
6:00 p.m., ACCN
Canisius W 82–71  7–3
 26  Hinson   5  Tied   5  Tied  Petersen Events Center (7,808)
Pittsburgh, PA
December 16, 2023*
2:00 p.m., ACCN
South Carolina State W 86–50  8–3
 19  Hinson   8  G. Diaz Graham   6  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (8,370)
Pittsburgh, PA
December 20, 2023*
7:00 p.m., ACCNX/ESPN+
Purdue Fort Wayne W 62–48  9–3
 13  G. Diaz Graham   10  Hinson   3  Tied  Petersen Events Center (7,641)
Pittsburgh, PA
December 30, 2023
12:00 p.m., The CW
at Syracuse L 73–81  9–4
(0–2)
 17  Carrington   10  Jeffress   5  Carrington  JMA Wireless Dome (20,642)
Syracuse, NY
January 2, 2024
7:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 8 North Carolina L 57–70  9–5
(0–3)
 20  Carrington   8  Leggett   2  Tied  Petersen Events Center (9,770)
Pittsburgh, PA
January 6, 2024
12:00 p.m., The CW
at Louisville W 83–70  10–5
(1–3)
 21  Hinson   6  Tied   5  Carrington  KFC Yum! Center (10,883)
Louisville, KY
January 9, 2024
9:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 11т Duke L 53–75  10–6
(1–4)
 11  Austin   8  G. Diaz Graham   3  Federiko  Petersen Events Center (11,476)
Pittsburgh, PA
January 16, 2024
7:00 p.m., ESPN
Syracuse L 58–69  10–7
(1–5)
 20  Lowe   8  Hinson   3  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (7,708)
Pittsburgh, PA
January 20, 2024
8:00 p.m., ACCN
at No. 7 Duke W 80–76  11–7
(2–5)
 24  Hinson   8  Hinson   6  Lowe  Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Durham, NC
January 23, 2024
7:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Georgia Tech W 72–64  12–7
(3–5)
 19  Carrington   7  Federiko   4  Austin  McCamish Pavilion (3,612)
Atlanta, GA
January 27, 2024
2:15 p.m., The CW
at Miami (FL) L 68–72  12–8
(3–6)
 21  Hinson   9  Hinson   4  Tied  Watsco Center (7,779)
Coral Gables, FL
January 31, 2024
7:00 p.m., ACCN
Wake Forest W 77–72  13–8
(4–6)
 24  Carrington   7  Federiko   4  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (7,769)
Pittsburgh, PA
February 3, 2024
6:00 p.m., ACCN
Notre Dame W 70–60  14–8
(5–6)
 17  Hinson   9  Federiko   5  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (10,864)
Pittsburgh, PA
February 7, 2024
7:00 p.m., ESPNU
at NC State W 67–64  15–8
(6–6)
 20  Lowe   10  Federiko   3  Carrington  PNC Arena (11,366)
Raleigh, NC
February 13, 2024
7:00 p.m., ACCN
at No. 21 Virginia W 74–63  16–8
(7–6)
 27  Hinson   9  Leggett   6  Carrington  John Paul Jones Arena (13,858)
Charlottesville, VA
February 17, 2024
6:30 p.m., ACCN
Louisville W 86–59  17–8
(8–6)
 41  Hinson   8  Federiko   8  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (11,419)
Pittsburgh, PA
February 20, 2024
9:00 p.m., ACCN
at Wake Forest L 58–91  17–9
(8–7)
 15  Leggett   8  G. Diaz Graham   4  Lowe  LJVM Coliseum (7,448)
Winston-Salem, NC
February 24, 2024
5:30 p.m., The CW
Virginia Tech W 79–64  18–9
(9–7)
 22  Hinson   14  Austin   6  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (12,094)
Pittsburgh, PA
February 27, 2024
7:00 p.m., ACCN
at Clemson L 62–69  18–10
(9–8)
 18  Carrington   7  Carrington   3  Carrington  Littlejohn Coliseum (7,346)
Clemson, SC
March 2, 2024
6:00 p.m., ACCN
at Boston College W 90–65  19–10
(10–8)
 27  Carrington   7  Leggett   9  Lowe  Conte Forum (7,536)
Chestnut Hill, MA
March 5, 2024
9:00 p.m., ESPN2
Florida State W 88–73  20–10
(11–8)
 27  Hinson   6  Carrington   10  Lowe  Petersen Events Center (7,860)
Pittsburgh, PA
March 9, 2024
7:45 p.m., The CW
NC State W 81–73  21–10
(12–8)
 23  Carrington   9  Federiko   6  Carrington  Petersen Events Center (10,700)
Pittsburgh, PA
ACC Tournament
March 14, 2024
2:30 p.m., ESPN2
(4) vs. (5) Wake Forest
Quarterfinals
W 81–69  22–10
 30  Leggett   8  Leggett   5  Lowe  Capital One Arena (14,920)
Washington, D.C.
March 15, 2024
7:00 p.m., ESPN
(4) vs. (1) No. 4 North Carolina
Semifinals
L 65–72  22–11
 24  Carrington   8  G. Diaz Graham   4  Lowe  Capital One Arena (18,722)
Washington, D.C.
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

Source[8]

Rankings

edit
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
APRV
CoachesRV

*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings
^Coaches did not release a Week 2 poll.

References

edit
  1. ^ Behanna, Garett (March 17, 2024). "Pitt declines NIT invite after missing out on NCAA tournament bid". cbsnews.com. KDKA-TV. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  2. ^ Thompson, Stephen (July 20, 2023). "Pitt G Nelly Cummings Signs First Professional Contract". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  3. ^ Thompson, Stephen (April 20, 2023). "Pitt Transfer John Hugley Commits to Oklahoma". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Jablonski, David (June 13, 2023). "Dayton adds Pitt transfer to 2023-24 roster". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Thompson, Stephen (July 23, 2023). "Pitt G Jamarius Burton Signs with Belgian Team". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Thompson, Stephen (April 20, 2023). "Rhode Island Transfer Ishmael Leggett Signs with Pitt". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  7. ^ Thompson, Stephen (April 21, 2023). "High Point Transfer Zack Austin Signs with Pitt". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  8. ^ "2023–24 Men's Basketball Schedule". pittsburghpanthers.com. University of Pittsburgh Athletics. Retrieved August 31, 2023.