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It figures to be a high-scoring affair as the Pittsburgh Panthers (17-5) head to Miami (FL) to take on the No. 12-ranked Hurricanes (18-4). The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and will air on ESU and ES3.
The Hurricanes defeated Georgia Tech 75-68 on Sunday. Sheldon McClellan was the game’s high scorer with 22 points on 7-for-9 shooting. The Panthers are coming off a 64-50 loss against Virginia on Saturday. Jamel Artis led the team in scoring with 17 points.
It might turn into a shootout as a pair of the nation’s top offenses match up. Miami (FL) ranks 13th in the country with 117.1 points per 100 possessions, while Pittsburgh is ninth in that metric (118.0).
The Hurricanes have gone 18-4 Straight Up (SU) and 13-7-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Hurricanes are an incredibly accurate shooting team with a .480 field-goal percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. Miami (FL)’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the nation, allowing just 5.0 three-pointers per game. Not making mistakes with the ball is a staple of the Miami (FL) offense, which averages just 10.6 turnovers per game.
In the other locker room, the Panthers have 17-4 SU and 10-10 ATS records. The Panthers will be looking to pick it up in this one after recent offensive struggles. In their most recent 10 games, their scoring has dropped to 70.6 PPG, compared to 78.6 for the duration of the season. The Panthers convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking 38th in the country at .475. When it comes to making good decisions with the ball, not many are better than the Panthers. They have one of the top assist-to-turnover ratios in the country at 1.62.
Miami (FL) and Pittsburgh meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Miami (FL) won the last game in the matchup, but the win was not enough to overtake Pittsburgh in the head-to-head series. Its record is now 2-3 SU. The Hurricanes hold the advantage ATS with a record of 4-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pitt, ATS Winner – Pitt
Notes
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes average 78.6 points per game, ranking 51st in the nation. The Pittsburgh Panthers rank 46th in points allowed with 66.3.
Miami (FL) scores just 79.1 points per home game (ranked 103rd). Pittsburgh ranks 68th in points allowed on the road, giving up 71.0 points.
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes rank 13th for their offensive rating of 117.1. The Pittsburgh Panthers have a defensive rating of 99.5 (ranked 99th).
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes average 67.1 possessions per game and 1.171 points per possession, while the Pittsburgh Panthers earn fewer possessions (67.0) but more points per possession (1.180).
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes average an effective field goal percentage of 54.1% this season. The Pittsburgh Panthers have a winning 4-1 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 54.1% or greater.
This season, Miami (FL) attempts 19.0 three pointers per game and Pittsburgh attempts 18.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes are 10-2 while the Pittsburgh Panthers are undefeated at 7-0.
The fifth-ranked team in the category, Pittsburgh has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.62 this season. Miami (FL) ranks 54th with an A/TO of 1.27.
Pittsburgh, the 73rd-ranked team in rebounding, registers an average of 38.6 rebounds per game. Miami (FL) does worse, ranked 160th with 36.7.
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes make an average of 6.1 steals per game. When the Pittsburgh Panthers allow 6 or more steals, they are a winning 5-3.
