Perhaps the true indication of how far the Pitt basketball team’s notoriety has carried this season is that its name is in the news even on an off day.
The first story Saturday was how Pitt was on the cusp of moving into a tie for first place in the ACC. Losses by No. 6 Virginia and No. 20 Clemson cleared a path. If the Panthers (16-7, 9-3) defeat Louisville (3-20, 1-11) on Tuesday at Petersen Events Center, they will be tied for first with Clemson (18-6, 10-3). Virginia (17-4, 9-3) could join that logjam by defeating N.C. State later Tuesday night.
But let’s not get carried away. Ascending to first place in early February — no matter how uplifting it is for Pitt fans — needs to be seen in the context of eight games and the ACC Tournament remaining.
Jeff Capel, most assuredly, didn’t raise a glass to toast his team’s status. He probably was too busy watching Louisville video.
The other bit of news Saturday was Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim accusing Pitt, Wake Forest and Miami of buying players.
Update: Jim Boeheim followed up with ESPN to say that he “absolutely misspoke” about Wake Forest and Pitt buying teams, as the only public usage of NIL he knew about was Miami’s, which was highly publicized. He said he “shouldn’t have” included Wake and Pitt in his statement. https://t.co/yQXKRYEAG3
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 5, 2023
Never mind that he offered no specifics and failed to mention that payments for players’ name, image and likeness are, per the NCAA, legal means of building a team. Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes said Boeheim is “one thousand percent wrong,” according to CBS Sports.
Only hours later, Boeheim spoke to Pete Thamel of ESPN and said he “absolutely misspoke” about Wake Forest and Pitt, schools Syracuse still must play later this season.
Nonetheless, it is a truly embarrassing situation for a coach of his stature. Speak your mind, sure, but be certain of what you’re saying before you say it.
There is no denying coach Jeff Capel built his team through the NCAA transfer portal. All six players who play the most minutes started their collegiate careers somewhere else. Nothing wrong with that.
College athletics have settled into a state of legal free agency that, Boeheim claimed, helped drive legendary coaches Jay Wright and Mike Krzyzewski from the game.
Longtime coaches and lovers of college basketball were stunned by Nigel Pack’s $800,000 NIL deal to transfer from Kansas State to Miami.
People are unaccustomed to hearing such stories, no matter that they are as legal as crossing the street under a green light.
But the bigger story in Pittsburgh remains on the hardwood. Capel has built a team that is pointed toward the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2016.
If you’re counting his work in the offseason (which you should), he deserves to be prominent in the conversation for ACC Coach of the Year.
Before its victory at North Carolina, Pitt received only nine voting points in the current Associated Press Top 25 poll. When the NCAA Net rankings were released after Saturday’s games, Pitt was No. 56, ranked behind No. 15 Virginia, No. 20 West Virginia, No. 25 Duke, No. 40 Miami, No. 42 N.C. State and No. 44 North Carolina.
Pitt’s losses probably drive down its Net ranking. The Panthers have lost to Vanderbilt, whose 11-12 record includes an 101-44 loss to No. 4 Alabama, Michigan (12-10) and Florida State (8-16). To be fair, it should be noted that two of Pitt’s seven losses were to VCU by four points and Clemson by one. Those teams are in first place in Atlantic 10 and ACC, respectively.
The Panthers are 5-2 against teams ahead of them in the NCAA Net. That makes Pitt deserving of an NCAA Tournament berth and a Top 25 spot in the AP poll, with much to prove and plenty of time to prove it.
