Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball power rankings: Florida State takes top spot as Duke tumbles

By Michael Walton

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles looks on against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at BB&T Center on December 21, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles looks on against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at BB&T Center on December 21, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 08: Xavier Johnson #1 of the Pittsburgh Panthers  (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

444. . 12-6 (3-4). . Panthers . 10. team

The Pittsburgh Panthers have lost two games in a row but have shown some impressive fight. Pitt picked up a win at Chapel Hill on January 8, getting 24 points on 47.1% shooting from the field and 50% from the 3-point line from sophomore guard Trey McMgowens. But the Panthers defense is what has carried them so far and in that win, they held North Carolina to 41% shooting from the field and 23.8% from the 3-point line. Pitt forced enough UNC turnovers (17) to outweigh the fact that they were outrebounded by a decent margin.

McGowen has been on a scoring tear as of late, averaging 18.4 points over his last five games, which nearly five points higher than his season average (13.8). The Panthers need McGowens to continue to lead the offense as they have a winnable game coming up on January 22 against Boston College, a home game for Pitt.

Following that stretch of games, the Panthers head into a brutal two-game road trip that includes matchups at Syracuse and Duke. While North Carolina is obviously in a down year, a season sweep of the Tar Heels and a win over Florida State are pretty good resume boosters at this point of the season. Head coach Jeff Capel had led Pitt to a sensational season so far and strong stretch of games to end the season, Pitt has a great shot at making the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers are currently tied for fifth in the ACC with a good portion of the season to go.