Pitt looks to duplicate its road success when Panthers come home to meet Wake Forest
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Pitt reaches the halfway point of its ACC season Wednesday night looking to prove a point.
Those two road victories at Duke and Georgia Tech raised hopes that another run toward the NCAA Tournament was possible, if extremely difficult considering the circumstances.
Then, they fell behind Miami by 19 points and eventually lost. The litter left behind includes a 12-8 overall record, a disappointing 3-6 in the ACC and a streak of four home losses in a row. Pitt hasn’t won at Petersen Events Center since Dec. 20.
Was the 2-1 road trip a mirage?
A second look, however, shows Pitt is only one game behind its 20-game pace of last season when it reached the NCAA Tournament and won two games. Then, Pitt took its 13-7 record and won six in a row. From there, a 3-4 finish through the ACC Tournament was enough to secure a bid.
Does this version have what it takes to make up the one-game difference and win seven in a row to put itself back in Bracketology heaven?
Putting together a run of victories won’t be easy. There are only four opponents among the remaining 11 with losing conference records, and one of them (Clemson on the road) already defeated Pitt at the Pete.
First on the list is a home game Wednesday against Wake Forest, a team that averages 80.2 points and shoots at a rate of 47.1% (fourth in the ACC), including 38.2% from 3-point range (third in the conference).
“I think they’re as good an offensive team as we have in our league and probably one of the better offenses in the country,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said.
He’s not just throwing out false praise. There are 351 schools playing basketball in the FCS; Wake Forest is one of only 55 averaging at least 80 points. Four players are among the top 17 scorers in the ACC, led by 6-foot-5 guard Hunter Sallis (No. 6 at 17.7 points per game).
“It will be a challenge for our defense to really step up and try to slow them down,” Capel said. “It really hasn’t happened much in our league. But, hopefully, we’re up for that challenge.”
Yet it should be noted that Wake Forest (13-6, 5-3) has bookended a 9-0 stretch from late November to early January with a 2-3 start to the season and a current record of 2-3 in the past five games. That includes an 85-64 loss at North Carolina on Jan. 22. Wake Forest hasn’t played since that game.
“It is the longest time I’ve ever had off in league play,” coach Steve Forbes said. “We have to deal with it, but I think we took good advantage of it.”
With sickness running through the locker room, Forbes scheduled some off days in the past week.
“The first thing we wanted to do was get a little rest,” he said. “They still go in and work out, but not just me grinding them.”
The good news for the Demon Deacons is the return of guard Damari Monsanto, who had surgery 11 months ago to repair a torn left patella tendon. He had been averaging a career high 13.3 points and shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc.
Monsanto has played in only the two most recent games for a total of 26 minutes. But he’s 6 of 13 from long range, including four of Wake Forest’s 18 3s in the 90-65 victory against Louisville. Forbes said he hopes to eventually get Monsanto on the floor for 18-20 minutes per game.
Wake Forest’s recent problems stem from an inability to win on the road, with recent defeats at Florida State, N.C. State and North Carolina. The Demon Deacons had a second-half lead in all three.
“We have to finish games,” Forbes said. “We didn’t have tough enough offensive possessions in the second half against Carolina to get good shot quality and not lead them into transition.”
Forbes also said his team commits too many fouls on the road. The 26 fouls in the N.C. State game led to the Wolfpack getting 25 free points.