Pittsburgh @ Virginia Tech preview

Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech

Last Meeting ( Feb 14, 2017 ) Virginia Tech 66, Pittsburgh 63

Teams desperate for a win in ACC play meet Saturday when Pittsburgh visits Virginia Tech. The Panthers were never in Tuesday’s 77-51 loss at Louisville, being held to a season low in points for the second straight game, while the Hokies were throttled 78-52 by in-state rival No. 8 Virginia on Wednesday.

“It was a perfect storm,” Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams told the Roanoke Times. “It was the worst we’d played on both ends Sunday (a 68-56 loss at Syracuse), and tonight would for sure be worse. ... I have a lot of negative emotion now, but I don’t think it should be about me. I think it should be, how can I help? And I hope I can be the example, not just today but going forward, of how to handle the volatility of what’s going to come.” The Hokies came into the game sixth nationally in 3-point shooting (42.7 percent) and first in field-goal percentage (53.2). Virginia Tech shot 36.2 percent against Virginia, one game after shooting 34.6 percent against Syracuse in their ACC opener. Pittsburgh went 8:11 of the first half without a field goal, shot 34.7 percent overall and committed 15 turnovers against the Cardinals. "We’re getting decent looks, our biggest issue is our inability to really be able to score consistently around the basket," Pitt coach Kevin Stallings said. "That puts more pressure on our shooting, and when we don’t shoot well, then it’s more of a problem.”

TV: Noon ET, ACC Network Extra

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (8-7, 0-2 ACC): Stallings used his 11th different starting lineup against the Cardinals, all freshman for the first time in program history. “As simple as it sounds, we’re trying to get better every time we play, every time we practice,” Stallings said. “You start five freshmen and you play a talented team like Louisville, everything has to go pretty well for you to have success with that. We knew going into it, it was going to be a process.” Freshman Parker Stewart (7.1 points), who led the Panthers with 12 points, added six rebounds and three 3-pointers - his fifth consecutive game with multiple 3-pointers.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (11-4, 0-2): The Hokies' three leading scorers entering the Virginia game suffered subpar games, as Ahmed Hill (14.8 points), Justin Bibbs (13.8) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (12.1) combined to score just 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Despite recent struggles, the Hokies are deadly from 3-point territory, as Hill (50 percent), Alexander-Walker (45.6) and Bibbs (39.1) combine to make 6.5 triples per game. Hill scored 17 points and point guard Justin Robinson (10.5 points, 5.3 assists in 2017-18) added 15 points and eight assists in a 66-63 victory over Pitt in the only meeting last season.

TIP-INS

1. Virginia Tech has won two straight and three of four against Pitt.

2. Virginia’s 49.2 percent shooting percentage was the best by a Hokies' opponent this season.

3. Panthers F Ryan Luther (12.7 points, 10.1 rebounds) missed his fifth straight game with an injured right foot against Louisville.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 74, Pittsburgh 54