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Pitt has a basketball game tonight in case you're still stuck in holiday/Pat Narduzzi mode. We haven't done a ton on basketball lately just because of the coaching search shenanigans, but that will change after the bowl game.
The Panthers get going again tonight after a week off. Pitt beat up on Holy Cross last week and are on a five-game winning streak. Tonight they close out the non-conference portion of the season, but grabbing a win might not be terribly easy.
Florida Gulf Coast is one of the more challenging mid-majors on Pitt's schedule and comes to The Pete with a 9-4 record and own a win over UMass. They've cooled down a bit since an 8-1 start, losing three of their past four to FIU, Iona, and Xavier, but still a dangerous team.
One thing that should concern fans is their rebounding, which is 42nd in the nation, as they pull down about 40 per game. Rebounding is something that's been an issue for Pitt most of the season and ranking 139th right now is pretty lackluster. The Panthers just don't have the size right now and on the surface, you might expect Jamie Dixon to try to go bigger on the floor tonight giving a few more minutes to guys like Joseph Uchebo and/or Derrick Randall. But Florida Gulf Coast's two leading rebounders are Marc-Eddy Norelia and Jamail Jones - a 6'8" forward and 6'6" guard. Pitt's smaller lineup should do fine as long as they hit the glass.
Florida Gulf Coast is winless on the road (0-2) while Pitt is undefeated at home (6-0).
Game time is at 7:00 p.m. on (ugh) ESPN3. Join us then to comment live during the game. Aron will be back down at the Pete covering the game for us as well.
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