Pitt coach Jeff Capel has four scholarships available for the 2019-20 season, and he appears to be saving one of them for junior college guard Ryan Murphy.
Pitt is one of 11 schools to make Murphy an offer, according to verbalcommits.com. Murphy, 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, signed with Washington State last year, but requested his release when coach Ernie Kent was fired at the end of the season, the Spokesman-Review (Wash.) reported.
Murphy played last season at New Mexico Junior College after transferring from Charlotte where he averaged 6.7 points per game during the 2017-18 season. He also was a 3-point threat at Charlotte, hitting 30 of 75 attempts (40 percent) from beyond the arc.
At NMJC, Murphy was limited to 13 games (all starts) by a foot injury, but he averaged 18.5 points per game, although his 3-point shooting fell off to 28 percent (28 of 100).
Pitt has six returning scholarship players on its roster after the departures of graduating seniors Jared Wilson-Frame and Sidy N’Dir and transfers Malik Elllison and Khameron Davis.
Plus, Pitt has signed letters of intent from incoming 6-6 freshmen forwards Justin Champagnie of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Gerald Drumgoole of LaPorte, Ind. Karim Coulibaly, a 6-8, 230-pound center from Scotland (Pa.) Performance Institute, has verbally commited to the Panthers.
Walk-ons Curtis Aiken Jr., a North Allegheny graduate, and Anthony Starzynski of Baldwin also are expected to return.
