Is it called the Backyard Brawl in basketball too? The Panthers enters having lost two straight and it's their first road game of the season. West Virginia always has one of the better home-court advantages in the sport and reportedly Akok Akok, a transfer transfer, has finally been cleared by the NCAA. The 6-foot-10 senior adds needed size and depth. He averaged 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks last season at Georgetown. I presume he has been practicing as guys in those situations are allowed to.

Pittsburgh has lost its last two games. This is also the Panthers first true road game and it’s the backyard brawl. Pittsburgh has blown out inferior teams and struggled with teams that play defense. The Mountaineers play above average defense but have struggled on offense. West Virginia has Jesse Edwards downlow, who should continue the paint, on both sides, and if the Panthers aren’t hitting their three’s their offense struggles. Pittsburgh continues to have difficulty from the free-throw in crunch time as well.