"Crazy that they’re not ranked": Jon Scheyer champions Pitt’s case for AP Poll recognition post 76-47 victory

Jon Scheyer's Duke Blue Devils scored a comfortable 76-47 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers on Tuesday to continue their perfect start in conference play this season.

Following their impressive victory at Durham, Scheyer began his postgame press conference by showing respect to Pitt before championing its case to feature in the AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball poll.

"I thought it was a great win, a great night," Scheyer said."A ton of respect for Pitt. I think it’s crazy that they’re not ranked with what they’ve done this season."

Scheyer went on to compliment Pitt's coach, Jeff Capel, and the work he has put in to make the Panthers a top team on offense.

"Obviously, Jeff (Capel) and I know each other really well and he’s an amazing coach," Scheyer added. "And, his team, offensively, they made us do some different things we haven't done because they're so explosive. They've been averaging, what, 84 points a game. So, for us, we end up switching a lot, trying to force one-on-one although they have really good one-on-one players."

Pitt has been within striking distance of featuring in the AP Top 25 since Week 4. In fact, they were ranked 18th in the Dec. 2 update of the weekly poll before a devastating 90-57 loss to the unranked Mississippi State saw them tumble out of the poll in the very next update.

In Monday's update of the AP Top 25, the Panthers received the highest votes among "others receiving votes," with 91. Capel's side have looked strong throughout the season, with their overall record currently at 12-3 and their conference record at 3-1.

Jon Scheyer and Duke assert their dominance over Pitt

Jon Scheyer's side were in complete control at the Cameron Indoor Stadium, facing little difficulty in dispatching Pitt on Tuesday. Each player in No. 6 Duke's starting five scored in double-digits, and the Blue Devils shot 50% from the field to the Panthers' 31.03%. They also grabbed 41 rebounds to the Panthers' 26, highlighting the impressive efforts they put in on both ends of the court.

The Duke Blue Devils extended their winning streak to nine straight matches. (Image Source: Imagn)

Cooper Flagg showed once again why he is the top recruit in the class of 2024, finishing with an impressive double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Kon Kneuppel backed him up with a 17-point effort, while No. 3 prospect Khaman Maluach scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his 25-minute performance.