The Duke Blue Devils likely expected their strongest competition to come from the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2024-25, or perhaps the NC State Wolfpack after their Cinderella run in last year’s postseason. Maybe the Clemson Tigers, also fresh from an Elite Eight trip, or Hunter Sallis and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Not many ACC basketball fans tabbed the Pittsburgh Panthers as the biggest challengers, but former Blue Devil Jeff Capel III could make a large statement on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Capel played for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski from 1993-97 and spent close to a decade on the Blue Devils coaching staff from 2011-18, but now he’s led the Panthers to 12 wins in their first 14 games. They’ll arrive in Durham as one of three remaining ACC teams without a conference loss, but the Blue Devils haven’t dropped an ACC game either amid their eight-game win streak.
Here’s everything to know about Pittsburgh before Tuesday’s game.
How has the 2024-25 season gone so far for Pittsburgh?
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Record: 12-2 (3-0)
Points per Game: 84.1
Points Allowed per Game: 68.4
KenPom Efficiency Ranking: 22nd (out of 364 teams)
Offensive Efficiency Rank: 17th
Defensive Efficiency Rank: 43rd
What are the Panthers best at?
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Pittsburgh has scored at least 83 points in 10 different games, so the Panthers clearly know how to get the ball in the basket. Capel’s team does so in an old-fashioned way, however, with ball control and efficiency from inside the 3-point line. KenPom tracks Pittsburgh with a 59.0% percentage on two-point shots and a 14.7% turnover rate, both inside the top 30 in the nation.
What do the Panthers struggle with?
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The Panthers are average at a few defensive metrics, not creating turnovers or winning on the defensive glass at an exceptional rate, but the biggest circle against great opponents might come from the aforementioned offense. Pittsburgh only takes 41.2% of its shots from behind the arc, just barely north of the national median, and it only makes 35.9% of those looks. If Duke can work the Panthers into a track meet, there will be more pressure on the road team to not make mistakes.
Statistical Leaders
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Points: Ishmael Leggett, 17.8
Rebounds: Ishmael Leggett, 6.1
Assists: Jaland Lowe, 6.1
Blocks: Zack Austin, 1.5
Steals: Jaland Lowe, 1.9
FG%: Cameron Corhen, 68.1%
3PT%: Jorge Diaz Graham, 57.9%
Player to Watch
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Ishmael Leggett transferred to Pittsburgh from Rhode Island ahead of the 2023-24 season, and he averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in his first season with the Panthers. He’s been even better to start his fifth and final collegiate season, scoring at least 20 points in five different games. He put 21 on the board against Stanford in the most recent game, he’s an efficient 52.7% from the floor (despite a lackluster 30.2% 3-point rate), and he’s an exceptional rebounder despite his 6-foot-3 frame.
