Pitt vs West Virginia Odds, Pick for Wednesday

The most regrettable aspect of conference realignment has been the elimination of rivalry games, but thankfully, some coaches and programs have insisted on getting those games back on the schedule.

Wednesday's meeting between the Pitt Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers is a perfect example of this. The basketball edition of the Backyard Brawl took a long stretch off in the 2010s when both schools left the Big East. Thankfully, this rivalry matchup appears to have returned to its rightful place as an annual fixture.

Here's Pitt vs West Virginia odds and a pick for Wednesday.

It's been really hard to gauge this Pitt team so far. The Panthers are 4-0 against teams outside KenPom's top 150 and 0-3 against top-100 teams. There's no shame in losing to good teams, but Pitt hasn't put forth a good effort in one of those games yet, going 0-3 ATS in against Florida, Mizzou and Clemson, and failing to cover by at least 10 points in all three outings.

Following two disappointing home losses with a road rivalry game puts the Panthers in an interesting spot.

Pitt has the talent to return to the NCAA Tournament after bringing back several pieces from last year's roster and adding a few transfers and freshmen who should be ready to contribute. Blake Hinson has emerged as a full-blown star by dropping 20 points per game.

However, the offensive contributions around him have been unreliable. The Panthers shoot a ton of 3s but aren't necessarily good shooters. They've been especially cold when gifted free throws, hitting just 67 percent this year.

In the first year without Bob Huggins leading the Mountaineers, we can officially retire the "Press Virginia" nickname. Interim coach Josh Eilert worked under Huggins for over a decade, yet he seems to either have a vastly different defensive philosophy than his former boss or simply doesn't have the roster to execute that vision.

Huggins' teams played chaotic defense, with an emphasis on forcing turnovers. During a four-year stretch last decade, the Mountaineers finished first or second in the nation in Turnover Rate forced, leading to three Sweet Sixteens in that period.

This year's West Virginia team simply doesn't have that gear, ranking a horrific 350th nationally in Turnover Rate Forced. Converting turnovers into easy baskets made West Virginia an uptempo team in the past, but this season, Eilert's team is 304th in Adjusted Tempo, per Kenpom.

The most concerning aspect about the change in defensive intensity has been the impact on the offense, which could desperately use some easy buckets. The Mountaineers offense has been incredibly clunky, and their issues go well beyond cold shooting; West Virginia ranks outside the top 330 in the nation in 2-point shooting and Effective Field Goal percentage.

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While we prefer to see rivalry games between two programs at their best, there's something chaotic and little fun about a game with so much vitriol between two teams looking to find themselves. The best win between these two teams might be West Virginia's win over Missouri State, and Pitt's win over dismal Oregon State is the only power-conference victory for either side.

Pitt is the better team, though that doesn't always translate to a win in a rivalry game, especially on the road. If you're brave enough to envision this Pitt team gathering itself and coming out of Morgantown with a victory, you're a little braver than I am.

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My eyes turn toward the total, where I expect a low-scoring affair. The Mountaineers have played at a very deliberate pace this season, only topping 70 points once in seven tries.

Pitt's put up a couple gaudy scoring totals against lesser competition, like making 15 triples against Jacksonville, but those outbursts shouldn't cloud our view of this team.

Against power-conference teams, Pitt is averaging 70.3 points per game, and each of the Panthers' last two games featured just 65 possessions. The Mountaineers haven't played a 70-possession game yet this season. If West Virginia dictates the pace, this one stays under the total.

Pick: Under 140.5 or Better