Radford Highlanders vs. Pittsburgh Panthers Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 4th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Despite the departure of their top two scorers from last season, Pittsburgh is not on the verge of entering a rebuilding phase.

Projected to finish seventh in the ACC, Pittsburgh will kick off their 2024-25 season on Monday with a home game against Radford of the Big South Conference.

Blake Hinson (18.5 points per game) and Carlton Carrington (13.8 ppg) have both moved on to professional careers, but the Panthers have retained a pair of key backcourt playmakers and added two transfers who are expected to make an immediate impact.

The Panthers will heavily rely on fifth-year guard Ishmael Leggett and sophomore Jaland Lowe. Leggett, who is entering his second season with the Panthers after three years at Rhode Island, is looking to build on a successful year where he averaged 12.3 points per game in 32 games. He had a standout performance in Pittsburgh's ACC tournament quarterfinal win over Wake Forest, scoring a season-high 30 points.

Leggett and Lowe, who averaged 9.6 points per game as a freshman last season, have the potential to be one of the most consistent backcourts in the conference.

"We were very mindful of the players we were able to retain, and we don't take that for granted anymore," said Pittsburgh coach Jeff Capel. "We were able to keep Ish and Jaland, who understand our team's needs and goals. Good guards are crucial to winning, and we have two excellent guards in Ish and Jaland."

Capel, who has a record of 97-92 in six years at Pittsburgh, has also added two transfers to the team: Cameron Corhen (9.4 ppg at Florida State last season) and Damian Dunn (6.4 ppg at Houston). Both players are expected to play significant minutes for the Panthers.

Radford, who finished with a record of 16-17 (5-11 in the Big South) last season, is looking to bounce back from their worst conference record since 2011-12 when they finished 2-16. The Highlanders have a completely new roster compared to last year, as their top five scorers have all moved on, including Kenyon Giles who transferred to UNC Greensboro after averaging 14.3 points per game.

Head coach Darris Nichols has brought in two new players, David Early (14.3 ppg at Tennessee Tech last season) and Tony Felder (12 ppg at Stonehill), to join the team's nine new faces.

"We have a lot more size and physicality this year," said Nichols. "I believe we have a level of toughness that is better than last year. We have a variety of players who can make a significant impact in each game."

PREDICTION

Radford Highlanders

63

76

Pittsburgh Panthers

Radford Highlanders vs. Pittsburgh Panthers Recap NOV 4TH 2024