Pitt basketball will play Northwestern in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Pitt continues to work on its 2020-2021 men’s basketball schedule, but the Panthers will visit Northwestern on Dec. 9 in Evanston, Ill., as part of the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Game time and television platform have not been announced.
Pitt defeated Northwestern, 72-59, last season in the championship of the Fort Myers Tip-Off. It was the first meeting between the teams since 1996. The Wildcats finished 8-23 last season, including 1-17 in January and February and 3-17 in Big Ten games.
The Panthers are 3-3 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, including a 71-60 victory against Rutgers last season.
“The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is always an exciting couple of days of basketball and a great early season nonconference series,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said in a statement. “Northwestern is a terrific program led by one of my closest friends, Chris Collins. We played a great game against them last year in the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off, so there will be some familiarity heading into the game this season. We will be ready to face a team that is well-prepared, disciplined and eager to compete in December.”
Pitt returns three of its top four scorers from a season ago, including Justin Champagnie (12.7 points per game), Xavier Johnson (11.7) and Au’Diese Toney (9.5).
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Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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