The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia Mountaineers returns on the basketball court on Thursday night. Both programs enter undefeated at 3-0, but only one of these rivals will keep their unbeaten record when the final buzzer sounds in Morgantown. Before tip-off in the basketball version of the Backyard Brawl, continue reading to get my Pitt vs West Virginia prediction.
Our Pitt vs West Virginia Pick
- Pick: Under 132.5
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Pittsburgh Panthers @ West Virginia Mountaineers
- Date & Time: Thursday, November 13, 2025, 6:00 PM ET
- Venue: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, West Virginia
- Broadcast: FS1
Key Storylines
- West Virginia begins the season with a 3-0 record, driven by a physical defense that has held opponents to sub-40% shooting and forced 16 turnovers per game. Of course, they haven’t played a power conference opponent yet either. This game will give them a chance to prove that their defense is legit against an ACC opponent.
- Pittsburgh also sits at 3-0. They’re led by veteran guard Damarco Minor and big man Cameron Corhen. Pitt has won each of its three games by double-digits against lower-level opponents. They will try to create separation in a similar fashion against their rivals, who represent much tougher competition.
- The pace of this game is expected to be incredibly slow. Both teams are outside of the top 300 in adjusted tempo according to the latest KenPom rankings. West Virginia plays especially slowly, ranking 362nd out of 365 Division I teams in that department.
- The intensity of the home crowd for this rivalry game could be a factor in this matchup. Many early-season non-conference games lack a spark for the home crowd to sink its teeth into. But this game should be an exception to that rule, thanks to the fact that fans of the Mountaineers have built a healthy disdain for Pitt over the years.
- This is the first road game of the season for the Panthers. That could result in a dip in their level of performance after playing at home against far more favorable opponents lately.
Betting Trends
- Pitt is 2-1 against the spread so far this season.
- West Virginia is 1-2 against the spread going into this matchup.
- The Mountaineers have gone under the total twice in three games, with one push.
- Pitt is 1-2 on over/unders this season through three games.
Pitt vs West Virginia Model Projection
Score Projection: Pittsburgh 62 – West Virginia 66
Win Probability: Pittsburgh 42%, West Virginia 58%
Final Thoughts
I think that we are going to get a true backyard brawl in this contest between Pitt and West Virginia, in terms of the style of play we see from both teams. We are going to see a game where both teams play deliberate, half-court offense and the defenses on both sides should have the upper hand throughout. Look for this game to fall under the total, in what could be an ugly game from an offensive standpoint between these two power-conference rivals that were split up by conference realignment.
