Pitt-Youngstown State: Open Gamethread

Note: I’m going to try a new format with game previews this year. We’ll see how it goes.

Opponent: Youngstown State Penguins

Conference: Horizon League

Current Record: 0-0 (0-0)

2017 Season: 8-24 (6-12) 9th place

Key Losses: Cameron Morse (15.4 ppg, graduation), Braun Hartfield (13.6 ppg, transfer)

Key Returnees: F Naz Bohannon, G Garrett Covington

The Penguins lose a 1,900+ point scorer in Morse and their second leading scorer from last season in Hartfield, who transferred to San Diego. They’ll be near the bottom of the Horizon League again this season. The player to watch is Bohannon, who had several D1 football offers (including from Pitt) as a defensive end, but chose basketball instead. His major is mechanical engineering so that probably played a part in ditching football. At 6’6” 230 he’’ll provide a good early test for Pitt’s frontcourt. Covington might be related to YSU’s all time leading scorer, Jeff Covington, who played for the Penguins in the 1970s. They didn’t answer my request to confirm that suspicion.

Last meeting: Dec 14, 2013. Pitt 91 YSU 73

What I said in the recap: “If Pitt could make a shot, they’d be up by 80 by this point.”

Prediction: Pitt should win this game, hopefully by double digits. The Penguins only have one win over a P5 team in their history, and they were by no means “picked to win their conference.” A win shouldn’t tell us too much about this season, but a loss would signify that the team still has a long way to go. I’ll say Pitt 80, YSU 60.

What does everyone think?

Hail to Pitt.

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