Jan 3, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Brandin Cummings (3) warms up before the game against the Clemson Tigers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt Guard Out Injured vs. SMU

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Feb 7, 2026 1:07 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers will once again not have one of their most important players as they head into their next ACC matchup.

Pitt announced that sophomore guard Brandin Cummings will not play vs. SMU on Feb. 7, with tip-off set for 2 p.m. The ACC injury report previously had Cummings as questionable, but this now confirms he is out for Pitt's upcoming game.

Cummings missed the previous game for the Panthers, a 67-47 blowout road loss to the Virginia Cavaliers on Feb. 3, due to ankle pain.

Pitt will now look to get back to winning ways without one of their best players against a solid SMU squad.

Brandin Cummings' 2025-26 Season with Pitt

Cummings has dealt with an ankle injury earlier in the season, which saw him miss three games back in November.

Those games he missed included a 78-66 win over Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10, an 83-75 loss to Quinnipiac on Nov. 23 and then a 67-66 win over Ohio State on Nov. 28, all three contests at the Petersen Events Center.

Cummings played in the next 14 games before missing out vs. the Cavaliers, including all nine ACC contests for the Panthers. He started in four of those contests, including three of the past four ACC games.

He leads the team with 12.5 points and has shot 42.4% from the field, 32.6% from 3-point range and 71.8% from the foul line.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cummings scored a career-high 34 points in the 80-73 home loss to Hofstra on Dec. 7, shooting 10-for-15 from the field, 5-for-8 from 3-point range and a perfect 9-for-9 on free throws, while dishing out five assists.

He also had back-to-back 20-point games in ACC play, scoring 29 points in the 83-72 home loss to Syracuse on Jan. 10 and 23 points in the 89-66 road win over Georgia Tech on Jan. 14.

Cummings has had inconsistent play this season, which is why he's not been a main starter throughout, going from big scoring performances to games where he's largely missing from the offensive production Pitt needs out of him.

Where Pitt Turns To Without Cummings

The Panthers have just four available guards vs. the Cavaliers in fifth-year Damarco Minor, sophomore Nojus Indrusaitis and freshmen in Omari Witherspoon and Macari Moore.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Minor and Witherspoon should start in this matchup, but Indrusaitis may come into the lineup as well with Cummings' absence.

None of the Pitt guards have averaged double-figures in scoring, with Minor at 9.5 points, Witherspoon at 7.5 points, Indrusaitis at 7.9 points and Moore at 1.5 points per game.

Indrusaitis did score 11 points in the loss vs. the Cavaliers to lead the Panthers.

Pitt will need big performances from Minor and Witherspoon, plus Indrusaitis and Moore, as they take on a tough defensive team in Virginia on the road.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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