Who is Pittsburgh playing in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament?

Now that the dust has settled between Pittsburgh (22-11) and Mississippi State (21-12), it’s time to look ahead at which opponent awaits them in the opening round of the Midwest Region.

2023 March Madness bracket

Who is Pittsburgh playing in first round?

Next on deck for Pittsburgh is a First Round matchup with No. 6 Iowa State (19-13), with tip-off scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 17. The Cyclones’ March Madness appearance marks their 22nd in school history. Iowa State has reached nine NCAA Tournaments since 2012, one of just 10 teams in this year’s field to accomplish the feat.

The Cyclones are ranked 20th in the NET and 23rd by KenPom, and boast one of the nation’s best defenses heading into the tournament. Iowa State allows just 62.8 PPG to their opponents, which ranks 22nd in the country, while their offense is led by leading scorers Jaren Holmes (13.4 PPG) and Gabe Kalscheur (12.9 PPG).

Since dropping four straight games and eight of 10 overall, the Cyclones have rebounded heading into the big dance by beating No. 10 Baylor twice, both in Waco and in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.