Road games in conference play always pose a challenge.
Clemson hopes to be up to the task for the second time in a row.
The Tigers (11-3, 1-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference) will try to go 2-for-2 when they tip off against host Pitt (7-7, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon.
Clemson is coming off a 64-61 win at Syracuse to start its ACC schedule. It marked the fourth win in a row for the Tigers, who won 10 of 13 nonconference games.
RJ Godfrey led the way with 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Dillon Hunter added 10 points, with the point guard’s performance giving coach Brad Brownell reason for optimism as the conference slate continues.
“He’s got the complete package,” Brownell said of Hunter. “He can score around the basket, he can drive you, he can back you down. He can make shots over you. He can shoot fouls and then, obviously, when he’s starting to make threes, then it becomes really hard to guard him like that.”
Hunter ranks fourth on the team with 9.4 points per game and he leads the team with 2.6 assists per game. Those above him on the scoring list include Godfrey (11.5 points per game), Jestin Porter (10.4) and Carter Welling (10.2).
Pitt will play its conference home opener after losing 76-69 on the road at Miami on Tuesday. The Panthers won their previous two games against Binghamton and Penn State before falling short against the Hurricanes.
Cameron Corhen leads Pitt with 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Three others are scoring in double digits: Barry Dunning Jr. (12.5 points per game), Brandin Cummings (12.2) and Damarco Minor (10.7).
On Friday, Pitt announced that forward Papa Amadou Kante would undergo surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Kante, a redshirt sophomore who missed the 2023-24 season because of a knee injury, averaged 2.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in eight games this season.
“We’re disappointed for Papa to have this setback,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “… He’s shown tremendous resilience throughout his time in our program, and we know he will attack this process with the same determination.”
-Field Level Media
