Looking ahead to tipoff ...
• What: Pitt (8-15, 3-9 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (13-10, 5-7 ACC)
• When: 7:01 p.m.
• Where: Cassel Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.
• TV:ACC Network
• Radio: 93.7 The Fan
• Satellite: Sirius N/A XM 381, SXM App 971
• Boxscore: Sidearm Sports
• Media notes: Pitt | Virginia Tech
THE SETUP
Pitt plays the second of its home-and-home pair of games against Virginia Tech, this time in Blacksburg Va. The Panthers' comeback from a 27-point halftime deficit fell short at the Petersen Events Center Saturday night in a 76-71 loss. Now, because of a game that was originally scheduled to be earlier in the season but postponed due to COVID, both teams have to prepare to play each other just 48 hours after their previous game.
Femi Odukale led the Panthers with 25 points in the contest and quickly returned from the locker room after taping up a rolled ankle in the second half of that game. He said he would be ready to not only play again in short order for this game, but also be ready to lead.
"I'm going to talk to everybody as a group before the game starts," Odukale said after the Saturday night loss. "We're going to be together and I'm going to tell them what it is. It's going to have to play out like that. I feel like we have to come back out and get the win. We've been struggling. I feel like we can beat this team. We just have to do the little things to win."
We'll see if Odukale's message was received, and if Jeff Capel can get his team to finally wake up before the second half begins in a game.
Follow along with me here.