Preview: SMU at Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Teams trending in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the SMU Mustangs visit the Pittsburgh Panthers in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball matchup at Petersen Events Center.

SMU (15-7) arrives having won five of its last eight, including tight victories over ranked opponents North Carolina and Florida State last month. The Mustangs are coming off a heartbreaking 84-83 home loss to North Carolina State on Tuesday, a game where they led by 18 points in the second half.

The Panthers (9-14), meanwhile, have lost seven of their last nine and are struggling offensively. They are looking to rebound from a dismal 67-47 defeat at Virginia on Tuesday, where they shot just 30.4% from the field. Pitt’s lone bright spot in that stretch was an 80-76 overtime win over Wake Forest on Jan. 27.

The matchup features a contrast in offensive firepower. SMU is led by guard Jaron Pierre, who is averaging 17.1 points per game over his last seven contests. Pierre is coming off a 23-point performance against NC State and scored 28 in the win over Florida State. He will be supported by backcourt mate Boopie Miller, who dished out eight assists in the last outing.

Pittsburgh will counter with forward Omari Witherspoon, a key defensive presence who leads the team in blocks. His offensive production has been inconsistent, but he logged 38 minutes and contributed seven points, four assists and two blocks against Virginia’s stout defense. The Panthers will need more scoring from Cameron Corhen and Nojus Indrusaitis, who each had 11 points in the Virginia loss.

Historically, Petersen Events Center has been a tough venue for visitors, but Pitt is just 6-5 at home this season. SMU holds a 3-4 record in true road games.

This is the first meeting between the programs as ACC conference foes. Following this game, SMU will host Notre Dame on Tuesday. Pittsburgh faces a quick turnaround, hosting Duke on Tuesday night.