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After winning its opener against Albany on Friday, Pitt has a short turnaround and will face Rider Sunday evening at the Pete.
The backcourt was the big story for Pitt in the first game. Ashton Gibbs and Tray Woodall combined for 46 points and Woodall's 25 were a career high. The team as a whole also shot an amazing 59% from three-point range and it goes without saying that if Pitt shoots well from the perimeter, they'll be a tough team to beat this season.
Pitt faced Rider last year and won by 19 at home. Still, the Broncs were a dangerous team last year and won 23 games before playing in the CIT, so Pitt shouldn't ignore them. Rider blew out USC on the road last season, so they're not completely harmless.
But this is a different squad than last year. Two of the team's top three scorers have graduated and the Broncs could be in a bit of a rebuilding year. Rider was also crushed by Robert Morris, 83 - 57 in their first game this season, so this should be a less threatening bunch.
Pitt will, however, need to keep an eye on sophomore guard Anthony Myles, who went for 20 in the team's debut against the Colonials. There's also Virginia transfer, Jeff Jones, who is now eligible after sitting out last season. Jones had 14 in that game against Robert Morris and while he was a good player for Rider, he could be a big-time contributor for the Broncs.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 (though, blackout rules may apply). For more on Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation's blog Cardiac Hill.
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Rider Vs. Pitt: Panthers Survive Tough Test From Broncs
After struggling most of the game, Pitt finally found a way to defeat Rider in the end, pulling out an 86-78 win at home.
Rider shot incredibly well from the field hitting more than 53% of their shots. They also added ten three-pointers, shooting better than 43% there. Sophomore Anthony Myles, who had 20 points against Robert Morris, had another 20 in this game. Rider also got 18 from Daniel Stewart, 17 from Novar Gadson and 15 from Jeff Jones.
The thing that kept them in the game more than anything, though, was the fact that the Broncs had only four turnovers in the entire game. Taking care of the ball and shooting well is a recipe that will keep a team in a game against almost anyone, and Rider proved that today.
Pitt was able to keep them in check, though, winning the rebounding battle 39-17.
The backcourt tandem of Gibbs and Tray Woodall had 41 points and Woodall had another ten assists, as he did in the opener against Albany on Friday. Nasir Robinson was the player who stepped up his offensive game today, dropping 22 on Rider. Nas is undersized for a power forward, but he often is able to use that to his advantage and create mismatches on offense. And as we’ve seen at times last year, he is capable of scoring a bit more in games like today when Pitt needs it.
The Panthers’ next game is against Long Beach State on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. For more on Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation blog Cardiac Hill.
Nov 13 8:29p by Anson Whaley