Pitt vs. Clemson Odds
| Pitt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -114 | 132.5 -102o / -120u | +315 |
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -106 | 132.5 -102o / -120u | -410 |
In a bottom of the barrel ACC matchup, the Clemson Tigers will play host to the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Pittsburgh lost a close one to Virginia Wednesday night, while Clemson has dropped three straight ACC games.
The Tigers do have a top-50 offense, and most of this is attributed to 3-pointers. If Pittsburgh can prevent 3-point attempts for its opposition — as it usually does — the under should hit.
Pitt Panthers
Pittsburgh has been all over the place this season. The Panthers have wins over Towson, St. John’s and Louisville, but have dropped games to The Citadel and UMBC.
Their offensive is abysmal. In fact, according to KenPom’s Effective Field Goal Percentage, they rank 292nd in college basketball.
They also have issues maintaining control over the ball, with a 20.8% turnover clip. They only shoot 30.1% from downtown and 47.0% from 2-point range. To cap it off, they only hit 68.6% of their free throws.
All of these stats are a concoction for the worst offense in the ACC.
The Panthers can stay in this game vs. Clemson if they make trips to the free-throw line, as they rank first in free-throw-attempts-to-field-goal-attempts. They will earn their way to the strike, and Clemson struggles with fouling on occasion.
Keep an eye on this, but Pitt is not much of a threat otherwise, so this should not be much of a concern for under backers.
Mouhamadou Gueye is the only efficient threat for the Panthers from downtown at 34.6%.
Femi Odukale and Jamarius Burton also shoot plenty of 3s, but they are not very strong from downtown. There is a reason only 22.4% of Pitt’s collective points have come from beyond the arc.
Clemson Tigers
On the flip side, Clemson is strong from outside. This is the Tigers' default, as 33.3% of their point distribution has come from 3-point territory.
Al-Amir Dawes, Nick Honor and Hunter Tyson are the Tigers' sharp-shooters. They all shoot above 35% from outside, so Pitt will need to lock them down on the perimeter to find success defensively.
The Panthers do limit opponents to 33.3% from outside, so this matchup plays into their favor.
Clemson may not have an elite defense, but it will turn opponents over.
Pitt’s turnover rate is a concern here. John Hugley and Odukale turn the ball over two times or more per game. PJ Hall can hold Hugley in check down low with his blocking capabilities, while Odukale will have trouble with David Collins in the backcourt.
Clemson might have a disadvantage in the rebounding department, though. Pitt ranks 54th in offensive rebounding percentage and 103rd on the defensive end. The Tigers rank 212th and 42nd in those respective metrics.
The Tigers will be able to mitigate second scoring opportunities for the Panthers, but will have the same problems when they are on offense. Basically, both teams will be limited to one shot on each possession, so this bodes well for a slower-paced, low-scoring affair.
Pitt vs. Clemson Betting Pick
Neither team is in a good place in the conference standings at the moment. Pitt has had trouble with higher-caliber teams, and Clemson seems to be on a downward trajectory.
Even if the Tigers are poised for a bounce-back game here, the lack of offensive productive from either side should lead to an under. Pitt has no offensive production, other than getting to the free-throw line. The Panthers will not make many shots from the strike, so this should not matter much.
Clemson mainly produces from outside, but the Panthers have the defense to limit treys.
Take the under in this game at 133.5, and play it to 133.
