After a third losing streak of four games, Pittsburgh (16-14, 7-12 ACC) is at the bottom half of the ACC, guaranteed to play in the first round of next week’s conference tournament. At least they’ll be playing after this weekend, compared to their opponents, Boston College (12-18, 4-15).
The Eagles have lost three straight games to be eliminated from the ACC Tournament officially. But with one game left in the season, expect them to put up a fight on the road. Here are the keys to the Panthers getting a home win on Senior Day.
1. Slowing down Donald Hand Jr.
The one bright spot for the Eagles this season has been the breakout campaign of Hand, scoring 11 more points compared to his freshman campaign to lead them with 15.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg. He’s shooting 38% from deep while scoring a season-high 31 points in a win over Florida State. Hand is the lone healthy double-digit scorer for BC so Pitt’s attention should be all-in on stopping him.
2. Dominating inside
The other double-digit scorer for BC is Chad Venning (12.5 ppg), the only true center on the roster. He’s missed the last couple of games with a foot injury, and there’s already little frontcourt depth to begin with. Whether he plays or not, this should be a big game for Cam Corhen for Pittsburgh inside. It also should be the rare scenario where the Panthers don’t get out-rebounded, either.
3. Not relying on threes but slashing to the basket
The Eagles are one of the worst defenses in the ACC, ranking second-to-last in points allowed at 78.9 ppg. They’re at the bottom of most defensive categories, with the exception of three-pointers allowed. That’s a rare area of strength, giving up fewer than seven a game. However, they’re very weak inside the arc and will be vulnerable to slashers such as Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett. With this being Senior Night, look for Leggett to have a big final game at home.