DAYTON, Ohio — A difficult job just became moreso Tuesday night when Pitt center Federiko Federiko, who started 27 games this season, was not in the starting lineup for the Panthers’ NCAA Tournament First Four game against Mississippi State.

Federiko, a 6-foot-11 sophomore, injured his knee last week in an ACC Tournament game against Georgia Tech. He subsequently played only 12 minutes the next day against Duke. He was with his teammates for the shoot-around just before the game Tuesday, but he was wearing sweatpants.

Freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham, a 7-footer, will make his first career start in Federiko’s place.

Federiko, who was second on the team to Blake Hinson in rebounding (5.6 per game), was noncommittal about his playing status when he spoke with reporters in the Pitt locker room Monday night.

Pitt does not run much offense through the center position — unlike last season when the since-departed John Hugley led the team in scoring (14.8 per game) — but the Panthers will miss Federiko’s size and experience against Mississippi State’s 6-11 big man Tolu Smith.

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