Miami Hurricanes open ACC at Pittsburgh: Live Streaming and Game Info
After going 11-1 in their non-conference schedule the Miami Hurricanes begin ACC play at Pittsburgh on Saturday. After beginning the season 1-4, the Panthers have won seven of their last eight to improve to 8-5 on the year.
The Miami Hurricanes and Pittsburgh have played 34 times with both teams winning 17 times. Miami has won the last three after the Panthers had won five of the previous six matchups. This is the second year in a row and third time in the last four seasons that Miami and Pittsburgh have played in the Steel City.
After seven straight and nine of the last ten meetings decided in single digits the Miami Hurricanes crushed the Panthers 72-46 last season. Miami travels to Pittsburgh after suffering their first loss of the season last Saturday to New Mexico State in Hawaii. Miami came back two days later to defeat Middle Tennessee State for third place in the Diamond Head Classic.
Pittsburgh lost all three of its games of consequence this season. They were swept by Penn State and Oklahoma State at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and lost at home to West Virginia. They lost those games by an average of 15.3 points.
The Panthers lost their three leading scorers from a team that finished 16-17 a year ago. Head Coach Kevin Stallings’ first two seasons have not lived up to expectations. In 23 seasons at Illinois State and Vanderbilt before he came to Pittsburgh Stallings was 455-283. He’s only two games over .500 in two seasons with the Panthers.
Date/Time: Sat., Dec. 30, 2017/4 p.m. ET
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa./Petersen Events Center (12,508)
Television:
ACC Network; Online: WatchESPN
Tom Werme (PxP) and Mike Gminksi (analyst)
Radio: WMEN 640-AM (Kevin Rogers – PxP)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 137/XM 193 (Internet 955)
Series vs. Pitt: Miami leads, 19-18
Pittsburgh’s offense thrives on balance. Seven players average at least five points per game. Pittsburgh forward Ryan Luther will challenge Dewan Huell, Anthony Lawrence and Ebuka Izundu inside. Luther is the Panthers second-leading scorer and leading rebounder. Luther is one of only four players in the ACC averaging a double-double this season.
Bruce Brown is off to a good start in overall stats for the Hurricanes, but his scoring average is just 11.1 points per game through the first 12 this season. He leads Miami in the rare combination of rebounding and assists. He is averaging 7.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Huell leads the team in scoring and blocks. He is averaging 13.9 points per game and 1.3 blocks per game. He is also second in rebounding at 6.3 points per game.
Miami has to continue to attack the basketball. They had success in their wins over Hawaii and Middle Tennessee State getting the ball inside and penetrating. In the loss to New Mexico State, the Hurricanes settled for outside shots too often. They finished two for 18 on three-point attempts.
The double-header of the Miami Basketball team beginning the day opening up ACC play and the Football team concluding their’s in the Orange Bowl about two hours after the basketball game is finished could be the biggest day in Miami athletics history combined.
Next: Miami Basketball gets ready for ACC play
It’s an exciting day in school history. Both schools started the season 10-0 with high expectations. The basketball team will begin the second phase of the season with the expectation that they will challenge Duke and North Carolina for the ACC Championship.