Pitt Hosts No. 25 North Carolina in ACC Home Opener Friday

Pitt (9-4, 2-0 ACC) vs. [25/rv] North Carolina (9-4, 1-1 ACC)
Friday, December 30, 2022  •  12:00 PM 
Pittsburgh, Pa.  •  Petersen Events Center
ACC Network  •  93.7 The Fan
 
THE OPENING TIP
•  Pitt closes out the 2022 calendar year Friday, Dec. 30 at the Petersen Events Center against [25/rv] North Carolina. Tipoff is set for noon with Doug Sherman and Chris Spatola calling the game on ACC Network.
• Pitt is 6-5 all-time against teams ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll, including a 2-1 mark in such games at the Petersen Events Center.
•  The Panthers are 2-0 in the ACC with road wins over NC State and Syracuse. Pitt is looking to open league play with three consecutive wins for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
•  Pitt is 8-1 with a +16.2 scoring margin over the past nine games. The Panthers have four wins by 20 or more points in that stretch. Pitt’s 8-1 record since Nov. 20 is tied for the ninth best in the NCAA.
•  Pitt has made 10 or more threes in six of the past nine games and is averaging 10.1 threes per game in that span. The backcourt trio of Jamarius Burton, Greg Elliott, and Nelly Cummings is a combined 53-of-120 (.442) from beyond the arc in that stretch.
•  Blake Hinson has posted 12 double figure scoring games, including eight 15+ point efforts and four games with 20 or more points. He leads the Panthers and is tied for sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (17.2 ppg.) and ranks eighth in rebounds (7.4 rpg.).
•  Nelly Cummings is averaging 15.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, while going 29-of-58 (.500) from the field, including 20-of-42 (.476) from three-point range, over the past six games.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
• The Panthers return from a nine-day holiday break to play back-to-back games against nationally ranked opponents. Three of the next four games for Pitt are against teams (North Carolina, Virginia, Duke) currently ranked in the AP Poll.
• Pitt has won three of the past four matchups against North Carolina, including a 76-67 win in the year’s meeting between the two teams. Jamarius Burton had 14 points, seven rebounds,  and two assists, while John Hugley IV added 18 points and five rebounds in the contest.
• The Panthers lead the ACC in rebounds (40.5 rpg.), while ranking second in offensive rebounds (12.0 orpg.), defensive…