Gameday: Pitt vs Penn State Nittany Lions

Pitt 7-0 (0-0 ACC) vs Penn State 6-2 (0-0 Big 10)

7:30 pm

Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA

This game is part of the ACC-Big 10 Challenge.  Apparently, in alternating years they call it the Big 10-ACC challenge because the egos for both conferences are so huge that neither could stand to get 2nd billing every year.  I'm calling it the ACC-Big 10 challenge because of the alphabet.

Penn State went 10-21 last year and a whopping 2-16 in the Big 10.  They would have been better, but their senior All Big 10 guard Tim Frazier ruptured his achilles tendon in the 4th game and they never recovered.  He's back at full strength so Penn State will be better this season.  Last season's loss of  Frazier opened the door for the emergence of guard DJ Newbill who led the team in scoring.

Penn State is picked to finish 10th (out of 12) in the Big 10.  They have good guard play (both Frazier and Newbill average over 18 a game), but their front line is undersized and their bench is thin.  Pitt's guards should force Newbill and Frazier into awful shooting nights, and Pitt will win big.

Player to watch:  John Johnson transferred from Pitt last December.  He won't be eligible until January, but it is his return to the Zoo.  He'll be on the sidelines, thinking about what a terrible decision he made.

Prediction:  Pitt 85 Penn State 62

Hail to Pitt,
J.O.