Pitt will clash with Mississippi State in this year’s SEC/ACC Challenge

Pitt coach Jeff Capel’s desire to enhance the competitive level of the Panthers’ non-conference schedule may have received a significant boost with the announcement of the matchups for this season’s SEC/ACC Challenge.

The Panthers will travel to Starkville, Mississippi to face Mississippi State on December 4th, marking their second consecutive appearance in the event.

Mississippi State has consistently demonstrated its NCAA Tournament prowess, earning berths in each of the last two seasons and finishing the 2023-2024 campaign ranked 31st in the final NCAA NET rankings. A victory for Pitt in Starkville would be a valuable Quad 1 win, given the Bulldogs’ recent success.

The Panthers have a history of competition against Mississippi State, having defeated them 60-59 in an NCAA First Four game to conclude the 2022-2023 season, but losing 66-61 to them in a 2001 NIT matchup at Fitzgerald Field House.

In addition to the SEC/ACC Challenge, Pitt will also participate in the Greenbrier Tip-Off event, which takes place November 22nd and 24th in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

The specific matchups have yet to be determined, but the event features a field that includes Wisconsin, Central Florida, and LSU. Wisconsin secured an NCAA Tournament berth last season, finishing 22-14 and 21st in the NET rankings, while UCF and LSU each posted 17-16 records.

The Panthers will also face West Virginia, which finished the 2023-2024 campaign with a 9-23 record.