NCAA Basketball: Preview for the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Pittsburgh at Iowa – Nov. 27

The Iowa Hawkeyes and Pittsburgh Panthers find themselves at two different places as college basketball programs. The Hawkeyes return their top four scorers from a season ago, who were all sophomores and freshmen in 2017-18. Forwards Tyler Cook and Luka Garza, along with guards Jordan Bohannon and Isaiah Moss, will be a lethal combination in the Big Ten Conference next season.

Garza averaged 12.1 points and 6.4 rebounds as a freshman for the Hawkeyes last year. Cook led the team in scoring and rebounds with 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. They should prove to be a handful for a rebuilding Panthers squad.

After going 8-24 overall and 0-18 in ACC play, the Pittsburgh Panthers parted ways with head coach Kevin Stallings. In his place, the powers that be have brought in former Duke Blue Devils assistant coach Jeff Capel.

Since his arrival, Capel has survived the departure of three players from last year’s roster with the additions of Xavier Johnson, Trey McGowens, Sidy N’Dir and Curtis Aiken Jr. With 11 players on scholarship, there’s room for Capel to add two more. They will be a young team in 2018-19 and should be a scrappy bunch given each opportunity.