Florida State Seminoles vs Pittsburgh Panthers Prediction & Match Preview - January 9, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The 25th-ranked Florida State Seminoles saw their most recent scheduled game against the Duke Blue Devils postponed due to COVID-19 precautions and will now be on the road to face the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday. This will be a battle between two of the ACC's best teams and should prove to be a very entertaining college basketball match-up.
Match Details
Fixture: Florida State Seminoles vs. Pittsburgh Panthers - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Saturday, January 9th, 2021, 2 PM ET
Venue: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Florida State Seminoles Preview
The Florida State Seminoles took a tough loss in their last game against ACC rival Clemson Tigers and have fallen to 9th place in the conference standings with a 1-1 record.
Since the Seminoles' game against the Duke Blue Devils was postponed, they must now travel to Pittsburgh for their third ACC matchup of the season.
The Seminoles are fighting to maintain their ranking as a top-25 team but will need to prove themselves on Saturday.
Key Player - MJ Walker
MJ Walker has been offensively phenomenal for the Florida State Seminoles this season. The senior guard is averaging 15.3 points per game on 40% shooting and has found his stroke from three-point land as of late.
Walker should have a big game against this Pittsburgh Panthers' defense on the way to a Florida State victory.
Florida State Seminoles Predicted Lineup
F RaiQuan Gray, G M.J. Walker, C Balsa Koprivica, G Anthony Polite, G Scottie Barnes
Pittsburgh Panthers Preview
The Pittsburgh Panthers have been one of the biggest surprises of the ACC conference this season, carrying a 6-2 overall record and 2-1 ACC record into Saturday's match-up.
The Panthers won their last game against the Syracuse Orange by three points, overcoming an 18-point deficit and claiming 6th place in the conference standings.
The Panthers will have their toughest test of the year in the Florida State Seminoles and have a chance to make a splash in the top 25 rankings with a win.
Key Player - Au'Diese Toney
Au'Diese Toney has been doing an excellent job in the wake of Pittsburgh Panthers' star Justin Champagnie's absence.
Toney is averaging 16.1 points per game and has taken control of the Panthers' offense in recent games.
In his last game, Toney gave his team a 61-60 lead in the final seconds to secure their second ACC victory of the season.
He will need to counter the production of Florida State guard MJ Walker to give his team a chance at victory on Saturday.
Pittsburgh Panthers Predicted Lineup
F Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, F Noah Collier, G Ithiel Horton, G Au'Diese Toney, G Nike Sibande
Florida State vs Pittsburgh Preview
While the Pittsburgh Panthers have been impressive through their first eight games of the season, the Florida State Seminoles have established themselves as a legitimate contender for an ACC title.
The Seminoles need to win games like this in order to stay among the top teams in the conference, and I expect them to take care of the Panthers on Saturday.
Where to watch Florida State vs Pittsburgh
The game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network.