Pitt Hoops - with Humor by Mark Maradei

3/7/2025

In what was once a promising season went so south they may not be allowed to get back into the country based on current rules. The University of Pittsburgh Men’s basketball team k(16-14) lost their mojo months ago and have shown a glimmer only a few times since Atlantic Coast Conference play began. They fell victim to the North Carolina Wolfpack (12-18) on Wednesday March 5th. Pitt went into the Wolfpack’s Senior half behind 34-30 and never overcame their failures. NC State’s seven seniors combined to score all 71 points for the home team and made a statement as they celebrated their final home game for the season. Jaland Lowe led all scorers with 20 points and chipped in 7 assists but those who were Cameron Cornhen added 13 and Ishmael Leggett contributed 12 points. After falling to 12th in the ACC, the Panthers play their final regular home game of the season against Boston College Saturday March 8th with a 6pm tipoff. #H2P

2/28/2025

Like Sylvester by Tweety, the Pitt Men’s basketball team perpetually was tortured by the Louisville Cardinals all Saturday evening. The Panthers must have suffered from an overindulgence of “succotash” as their record dropped to 16-13 overall against the #19 Cardinals (23-6). Pitt continues to plummet in the ACC after starting the season at 10-3, they’ve gone 6-10 essentially in league play. The Panthers were led by a massive performance from Jaland Lowe with 16 pts, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough. Pitt did lead in most offensive categories except for one that really mattered today, as Louisville shot 11-21 from beyond the arc and the Panthers were a paltry 10-37.

Next up, Pittsburgh travels to North Carolina State for on Wednesday with a 7pm tip off. #H2P

2/28/2025

I’d rather watch paint dry than watch Pitt Men’s basketball team continue their poor efforts against ACC opponents at this point. I have seen better efforts out of Pittsburgh Pythons led by Dr. J than the Panthers are putting together the last month plus. In fact if Coach Capel would not have been resigned to a longer term contract he would be on the hot seat but like all the other poor coaching and performance efforts down the stretch of the season in Pittsburgh sports Capel just keeps on, keeping on.

The Panthers fell victim to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at home on Tuesday evening. After 8:04 of the game, the Pitt Men had scored an astronomical 8 points. If that's not lights out shooting and an eye opening performance wake me up when they have their next one. By the half the Yellow Jackets led 35-30 but this was indicative to how the game was playing out. Slow starts, too frequently, are bad, really really bad and that is why the Panthers find themselves more often than not lately losing in ACC play. Pitt fought back from being down to tying the game up at 67 before crumbling once again when the game was on the line and lost 73-67. Leading the Panthers was Jaland Lowe with a stat line of 25,2,8. Having said that ⅓ of the teams points were scored  by one person should tell you all you need to know about the hapless Pitt Men’s basketball team current state. The Panthers fall to 16-12 overall and 7-10 in the conference. They face No. 19 Louisville on the road on Saturday, March 1.

2/24/2025

I never knew a leprechaun could invoke so much pain in a Panther until I watched what the Notre Dame Men’s basketball team did to the Pitt Panthers on Saturday. It was a touche of the sorts, probably ending Pitt’s postseason thoughts or at least in a tournament that matters and all for the better the way this team has been on a rollercoaster since their 10-2 season start.

As you can imagine they diffused thoughts of going on any type of run to finish the season anything near respectable. In fact, it's almost like watching the football team go on their 5 game skid to end the season. Must be something in that former steel mill centered cities water that aides these squads into plummeting.

The game was a consistent five point swing the vast majority of the time until the Irish went on an 11 point run with seven minutes to go. Ironically, Pitt clawed their way back into it by holding Notre Dame to one shot in the final two minutes, committing two turnovers and making several trips to the free-throw line. The Panthers just could not finish the job and the Fighting Irish sealed the deal with two free throws to win 76-72. Leading the way for Pitt Ishmael Leggett had 21 points and Cameron Cohern had 20 points and 7 boards. Next up for Pitt are the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech in Pittsburgh 2/25 at 4 pm.

2/16/2025

The “U” thought they were going to storm the Petersen Event Center and make a splash on the pitiful Pitt Men’s Panther basketball team but the “Kittens” sharpened their claws and evaded the waters of defeat at home once again with a 74-65 ACC win over the 6-19 Hurricane’s. Maintaining a 32-30 lead going into the half the Pitt Men scratched away at a bigger gap to make somewhat of a profound victory after the woos in recent weeks. Sitting now at 10th place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 6-8 record and 15-10 overall it is starting to look more realistic that the Panthers will be missing the postseason again. Leading the way for Pitt in the Saturday afternoon tilt was Ishmael Leggett 21-10-5 Cameron Cohern 17-8-1.The Panthers host the Orange of Syracuse at home at 7 pm on February 18th. Hopefully can continue with the home court luck and sweep the season series against Syracuse as the beat them on January 25th 77-73. #H2P

2/12/2025

Fade to Black: The tale of the 2024-25 Pitt Men’s Basketball team

I’m a positive guy! Seriously! I try to see things from an optimistic view but sometimes it is a struggle. Right now the struggle is real as a fan of the University of Pittsburgh Men’s basketball. Stomped on the road once again by a bunch of Mustangs this time. They seem completely in”Capel”able of pushing through road games and catching a “W”. Southern Methodist University showed zero Texas hospitality as they handed the Panthers yet another ACC loss, by 20 points, 83-63. Never leading the entire game, the leading scorer was Guillermo Diaz Graham with 15-8-2 stat line. What was once a promising season has fallen upon hard times and serious doubt the Panthers will get a bid to the big dance. At 14-10 and 5-8 in the ACC, Pitt better hope they at least get the call to the bridesmaids tournament.

2/9/2025

The Panthers couldn’t get the tar off their heels long enough to hold off the University of North Carolina as this back and forth matchup ended up with 67-66 for UNC. The game played in Chapel Hill finishes the regular season match ups with a split and victory for each on their home court. The struggles have been real for the Panthers since a profound start to the season. They now are 5-7 in the ACC and 14-9 overall. Led by Cameron Corhen had 17 and Jaland Lowe chipped in 15 for Pitt. They have lost 5 of their last 7 games in the Atlantic Coast Conference which is putting them in jeopardy of not making the NCAA tournament without a strong finish to the regular season and a solid run in the ACC tournament. Hopefully for the Panthers they can play first half of the season basketball and forget about how they’ve been drudging along the last several games. Pitt travels to SMU Tuesday to once again try and scratch out a victory and prowl towards the finish line!

2/4/2025

If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail! The motto for Pitt Men’s basketball heading into their Monday night tussle. Hell who am I kidding, that wasn’t a tussle that was a blowout victory by a team who has no identity and is using braille to find their way through the 2024-25 college basketball season, the Virginia Cavaliers.

The Panthers must have overlooked the Cavs and it showed the entire game. At one point the Virginia men went on a 17-0 run. I don’t blame this one on Jeff Capel but if they don’t qualify for the “Big Dance” this year I am pretty certain he is going to feel the heat on his seat.

With a new athletic director, Allen Greene, in place he has no allegiance to the coaches who have been hired by the previous AD Heather Lyke. Add to that the Panthers have little to no margin for error as the schedule gives little to no breathing room. I would love to tell you who the Panthers top players were in this lopsided debacle or even who the leading scorer was but I wouldn’t waste my poor typing skills on the senseless beating that they took at the hands of the UVA Men’s basketball team. Pittsburgh will next face the North Carolina Tarheels on Saturday February 8th at 4 pm on the road. I hope they don’t hit the snooze button for this one. 

2/2/2025

Nothing worse than looking in the mirror knowing fully well what you might see back can be something that you really don’t want to see.

In this case the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball team traveled to Wake Forest University to take on the Demon Deacons. With almost identical records the Panthers, 14-6 and the Deacons 15-6, it proved to be a battle to the end. Pitt led at the half 36-34 after a tightly contested first half. Coming out of the break Wake took control and led by as much as 8 but the Panthers managed to hang around until the end but Wake Forest outlasted them 76-74 in this ACC contest. The Panthers were led by a season high from Damian Dunn’s 24 points. Ish Leggette chipped in with 16 points, 7 boards and 4 assists for the losing squad. Pitt Men(14-7, 5-5 in the ACC) will have a chance to rebound Monday evening at 7 pm at the Petersen Event Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus against the Virginia Cavaliers. 

1/30/2025

If you can’t hold on to your ball, there’s a really good chance someone will take it and be productive with it. The Panthers capitalized on UNC’s lack of discipline when it came to turnovers and pushed past them in the final 6:30 with a 14-2 run for the win on Tobacco Road in an ACC showdown.

I’d like to tell you that Pitt beat the “tar”heels out of North Carolina but nothing really comes easy for the Panthers. Too much fight in these “Cats” and Coach Capel to lose this home match up. Jaland Lowe led Pitt with 18 points followed by Ishmael Legette’s 15 and Zack Austin dropping 15 with a season high 5 blocks. UNC is finding themselves in jeopardy of missing out on the dance for the 2nd time in 3 years under alumnus turned Head Coach Hubert Davis. That ain’t gonna sit well with the powder blue crowd.

The Panthers on the other hand find themselves in a 2 game win streak running their overall record to 14-6 and 5-4 in the ACC. Next for the Men of Pitt basketball is a trip to Wake Forest on Saturday February 1 with a Noon tip off. #H2P

1/25/2025

The Pitt Panthers men’s basketball team squeezed the juice out of the Syracuse Orange Saturday January 25th to end their four game losing streak. After a very underwhelming first half by the Panthers they caught fire in the second half led by Jaland Lowe’s 22 points and Ishmael Leggett chipping in with 16. Down the stretch Zack Austin was instrumental defensively to hold off the Orangemen (9-11, ACC 3-6). Pitt (13-6, ACC 4-3) faces the Tarheels of North Carolina on Tuesday 1/28 at 9 pm at the Petersen Event Center. 

1/19/2025

Ding Dong, Who’s there? Four. Four who? Four God sake can you win another game!

The Pitt Panthers men’s basketball team dropped its fourth in a row to the Clemson Tigers in overtime 78-75. Down by double digits in the second half the Panthers battled back and even took a brief lead but brief it was. They couldn’t hold off the surging Tigers in the final moments of the game and inevitably tumbled to another ACC loss. Five Pitt players were in double digits led by Ishmael Leggett’s 18 points. Pitt gets a week to reflect on their recent play and prepare for a game next Sunday against the Orangemen of Syracuse.

1/15/2025

All good things must come to an end…or do they?

In the case of the University of Pittsburgh Men’s basketball team they were attempting to avoid the Devil, more crazy Cardinals and most recently the spear toting Florida State Seminoles.

Although the Panthers mounted a fierce comeback in the second half lead by Jorge Diaz Graham they still fell short in another ACC contest loss running their overall record to 12-5 and 3-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Next up is Clemson Tigers at noon on January 18th at Petersen Event Center.

1/11/2025

The difference between a Panther fighting a Cardinal and Cardinals is more is better. Louisville rolled into the Petersen Events Center and shocked the Panthers 82-78. Shooting with ease from beyond the arc, the Panthers couldn’t keep pace with Louisville who had 13 three’s. UL Head Coach Pat Kelsey has his Cards in second place in the ACC at 5-1. Probably the most disheartening thing for Pittsburgh was giving up 17 offensive boards. They made it easier for U of L than Only Fans star Lily Philips  did bedding 100 men in a day. Next up for Pitt, a visit to  Florida State Seminoles on 1/15 with a 9 pm tip off. #H2P

1/6/2025

Unlike Sylvester trying and failing to munch down Tweetie, the Pitt Panthers pounced on the Stanford Cardinal on January 4th at the Petersen Event Center for their third ACC win and running their overall record to 12-2.

Ishmael Leggett made his triumphant return (albeit 0-4 from outside arc) and led all scorers with 21 points. Maxime Raynaud was tops for Stanford (9-5, 1-2) with 21 points. Pitt travels to #4 Duke on 1/7.

Stay Tuned for a Devil of a Time!

1/2/2025

Ishmael is not exactly like Mike but Ishmael Leggett means a lot to the Panther basketball team as a leader on and off the court. That is why Pitt’s first half holiday hangover was stunning, but with tenacity and the will to not lose their first conference game or to a team that traveled across the country to play them, they managed to string together a second half performance that helped them win by double-digits. Jaland Lowe led the Panthers with 27 points and 8 assists and Cameron Cohen chipped in with 18 points and 11 boards. Next up for the 11-2 Panther men’s squad is Stanford on January 4th at home with a 6:30 tip off.

12/26/2024

Just like Sam Houston who was ousted as Governor of Texas in the 1800’s, Sam Houston Bearkats were dismissed after their fetal attempt at defeating the Panthers (10-2, 1-0 in ACC) on December 21st. Pitt finds itself .5 game back before they get crack-a-lackin on the full conference schedule. Ishmael Leggett led the way for the Panthers with 21 points. Next up for Pitt is the University of California on 1/1 at 2pm at the Petersen Event Center so they’ll need to “Bear” down as the calendar turns to 2025

12/13/2024

After what seemed to be a close game heading out of the half (39-36) in the Pitt and Eastern Kentucky matchup, Pitt finally figured they were playing a 5-5 team and needed to turn their game up a bit especially on their homecourt where the student section known as "The Zoo" sounded more like a rainforest for the better part of the game. Freshman Brandin Cummings, out to impress his brother (Nelly Cummings) who sat in to hype his younger sibling at the broadcast booth, led all scorers with 30 points. Pitt returns to the court on December 21st against powerhouse Sam Houston.