PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – College basketball writers are starting to take notice. Pitt has gone from being picked in the basement of the ACC to receiving votes in the AP Top 25 poll.
The Panthers received nine points in the latest poll, the same amount as Arkansas, one behind Memphis and a few behind Duke, Rutgers and Texas A&M.
“It doesn’t matter for us,” said guard Jamarius Burton. “What you thought about us before, it doesn’t matter (now). All that matters is what we are doing internally. The rankings don’t matter, whatever the case may be, we are just focused on each game at a time. If we continue to do that everything will take care of itself.”
Although no teams are in the poll with seven losses, you’ll find more and more people believing they are deserving.
“It doesn’t irritate me,” said Pitt Head Coach Jeff Capel. “I have no idea who the voters are. It doesn’t bother me. I would love it for our guys.”
“Are we deserving? I think we are. Sometimes as a coach you have to play the game with those people (voters). I’m not playing the game. I’m not kissing their butt. I understand how some of this stuff works. I’m very comfortable just being in my lane with my guys. We will hopefully let our work take care of any of that stuff.”
Low expectations externally were proven early by a three-game losing streak against West Virginia, Michigan and VCU. Pitt came back home and was trailing at halftime against Alabama State. They would win that game and only lose a couple of times since to now be 15-7, 8-3 in the ACC.
“We got more experience under our belt,” Burton said. “Early on we were a new team, so many new guys, so many new faces. We were hit from some adversity and some fire we had never been in before. So now we have some of those experiences, some of those war wounds. We are able to be collective in some of those moments instead of being divided.”
Pitt’s opponent on Wednesday is ranked 31st in the AP poll, they travel to North Carolina looking for a season sweep with pregame at 6:30 and tip at 7:00 on 93.7 The Fan.