'Nobody can stop him': Roman putting work in at Pitt

• ‍Roman Siulepa sets NCAA career-high 20 on 9-from-12 FG‍
• How Roman's empire expanded to Pittsburgh‍
• Queensland's Roman Siulepa commits to Pitt

Queensland Roman Siulepa's Pittsburgh Panthers are in the toughest conference in America's NCAA division 1 men's basketball division conference – the ACC.

It includes blue-chip Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Clemson Tigers, Virginia Cavaliers and Miami Hurricanes.

It's the perfect environment for Siulepa, who played for the Australian Emus at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 Men's World Cup, to develop his game. It was just 12 months ago he was preparing to play for Queensland at the Under-20 Australian Championships.

Pitt senior guard Barry Dunning Jr said Siulepa was putting in the work to improve his game and it had started to pay off

"I’m so proud of Roman," Dunning Jr said.

"Despite how this conference schedule has gone for us, he brings great energy. He’s that bruiser for us — strong and physical.

"I feel like nobody can stop him on the drive. He’s getting better with his shot, so now you’ve got to close out on him. He’s sticking his follow-through on his threes and knocking down free throws. I see the day-in, day-out work. He’s in with Gil before practice, after practice, even before games.

"I’m proud of my guy. He brings energy, rebounds for us, and he’s just a great teammate."

Roman Siulepa (Fr, 2025–26):

• ‍G: 20 │ MIN: 487 │ PTS: 192 (9.6) │ REB: 100 (5.0) │ AST: 15 (0.8) │ FG: 75–156 (48.1%) │ 3PT: 15–50 (30.0%) │ FT: 27–58 (46.6%) │ STL: 19 │ BLK: 10 │ TO: 17

"It’s just putting more work in," Siulepa said.

"If you keep putting the work in, hopefully it translates. For me right now, it is. I’m not trying to let my teammates down. I went through a stretch where I knew I wasn’t playing to my best ability.

"I could’ve felt sorry for myself, but instead I went to the gym and put more work in. My free throws still aren’t falling, so I’m going to keep grinding it out — not just for myself, but for my teammates and coaches.

"They do a good job piecing everything together, and as a team we’re going to help make it work."

Pitt are 8-12 but just 1-6 in conference play, its latest loss at home to NC State 81-72 despite hammer the Wolf Pack on the offensive boards 26-8.

‍‍"I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating," Siulepa added.

"I think we just have to keep building and go game by game. Obviously, you can take positives out of that, but it comes down to missed shots.

"We’ve got to keep getting back in the gym and getting the work in. Hopefully they fall, and if they don’t, we’ve just got to keep getting better.‍

‍"We were getting good looks. We were just missing shots. Like I said, we’re in the gym and we put the work in.

The ball is going to fall eventually. We’ve got to stay ready, keep shooting the shots we’re getting, and hopefully they fall."

Roman Siulepa — Freshman Season Breakdown

• Position: Forward
• Size: 198 cm, 99 kg
• Hometown: Brisbane, Australia
• Games: 20 (started all)
• Team Record: 8–12 (ACC)

Season Snapshot

• 9.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists
• 48.1 FG% | 30.0 3PT% | 46.6 FT%
• PER: 18.0 (strong for a freshman rotation starter)
• Usage fluctuated early, stabilised once conference play began
• Offensive role evolved from low-usage finisher to interior presence plus secondary scorer

Offensive Trends

1. Interior Scoring Is the Foundation

• 2PT: 60 makes on 56.6%
• Best games came when touches were inside the arc:
  • Quinnipiac: 20 points on 9–12 FG (all interior)
  • Penn State: 28 points, mixed interior + perimeter
  • NC State: 15 points on 5–9 FG, active on the glass

2. Perimeter Shooting: Volatile but Functional

• 15–50 from three (30.0%)
• High-variance nights:
  • 5–6 vs Penn State
  • 0–4 vs Syracuse
  • 2–6 vs Louisville

3. Free Throws: The Clear Efficiency Leak

• 27–58 (46.6%)
• Left points on the floor in multiple close games:
  • Clemson (3–6)
  • Syracuse (3–3 but low volume for paint usage)
  • NC State (3–7)

Rebounding & Physical Impact

Rebounding Growth Curve

• 5.0 RPG overall
• Spike in ACC play:
  • 11 vs Boston College
  • 13 vs NC State
  • 8 vs Syracuse
  • 8 vs Georgia Tech

Game-to-Game Consistency

Early Season (Games 1–6)

• Low minutes volatility
• Modest production
• Learning pace, physicality, and spacing

Mid Non-Conference (Games 7–13)

• Clear jump:
  • Quinnipiac breakout
  • Penn State ceiling game
• Confidence with ball in hand increased

ACC Stretch (Games 14–20)

• Usage stabilised
• Production steadier:
  • 10–15 point range most nights
  • Rebounding impact increased
• Efficiency held despite defensive attention

What the Numbers Say (Without Interpretation)

• PER 18.0 → positive on-court impact
• eFG 52.9% → efficient shot profile overall
• Turnovers low relative to usage
• FT rate + FT% mismatch is the single biggest statistical drag

Role Definition (As a Freshman)

• Not a creator
• Not a volume shooter
• Productive finisher + physical forward
• Secondary scoring option who benefits from structure
• Rebounding value increases when minutes climb