West Virginia, Pitt ready to brawl

Field Level Media|published: Thu 14th November, 14:27 2024

Mar 14, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Ishmael Leggett (5) reacts against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Backyard Brawl continues on the basketball court Friday night in Pittsburgh, giving the Panthers the chance to win the rivalry game against West Virginia in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2012.

This year's edition of the historic series that dates back to the 1905-06 season features two teams with perfect records. For the visiting Mountaineers (2-0), they will make the short trip to Western Pennsylvania after a 75-69 win over UMass.

Transfer Tucker DeVries led the Mountaineers against UMass with 17 points and eight rebounds, leading the team in points per game (17.5) after following his dad and head coach Darian DeVries from Drake to West Virginia.

West Virginia is like Pitt (3-0) in that both teams have new pieces that have helped to put together a strong start to the season.

"They've done a really nice job of looking like they've played together as a group a long time even though they've added a few new pieces," the elder DeVries said. "Then, defensively, they're very, very stingy and very connected on the defensive end."

Pitt has held opponents to fewer than 70 points in each game to start the season. Leading the team in its offensive and defensive efforts is Ishmael Leggett, a second-season Rhode Island transfer whose 19.7 points per game represent a career high. He's leading a guard group that includes Jaland Lowe and Houston transfer Damian Dunn.

"I feel like we meshed really quick," Leggett said. "I feel like we know what everybody's going to do on the court. Just because I played with them for a good minute, I've seen them each and every day make their decisions and I just go off their lead."

West Virginia has the edge in the Backyard Brawl with 101 wins and 89 losses.

Last season, in Morgantown, W.Va., the Panthers bested the Mountaineers 80-63, with Leggett -- the only returning starter for Pitt from that win -- scoring 10 points. Only Josiah Harris, who scored one point in that game, returns as a West Virginia starter from last season.

--Field Level Media

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