Pitt tips off its season with an in-state matchup against visiting St. Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday night.
This marks the third season at the helm for Pitt head coach Jeff Capel, who moved to the Panthers after stints with Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma. Capel's team went 16-17 last season after going 14-19 in 2018-19.
"All of us understand the challenges that we face," Capel said. "It's unlike anything anyone's been through. We all have our fingers crossed and are hopeful that we can play as many games as we possibly can."
Pitt cannot afford to look past St. Francis, which went 22-10 last season, including a 13-5 mark within the Northeast Conference. The Red Flash's campus is in Loretto, Pa., 90 minutes east of Pittsburgh.
Pitt has not made the NCAA tournament since 2016, while St. Francis' only tournament appearance came in 1991.
The Panthers expect to feature a young group that includes a handful of freshmen, which includes guard Femi Okudale, who has been cleared to play after sustaining a broken arm in August.
"He's a guy who can play multiple positions on the perimeter, can defend multiple positions," Capel said. "For a freshman, it's a challenge -- the speed of the game, the intensity, the concentration level, the discipline. And when you get behind, it can be a little bit more of a challenge. But he showed some signs of the player we know he can be."
Sophomore Justin Champagnie is back for the Panthers after leading them in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounds (7.0) last season. Guard Xavier Johnson, second on the team in scoring (11.7) last season as a sophomore, also returns.
St. Francis is led coach Rob Krimmel, who has guided the program since 2012. He is the second-winningest coach in Red Flash history with 119 victories.
Forward Myles Thompson is St. Francis' top returning scorer. He averaged 10.2 points per game last season, which ranked third on the team. The fourth and fifth leading scorers, forwards Ty Stewart (8.2) and Mark Flagg (6.7), are also back.
--Field Level Media