Pitt reaches 13 victories at earliest point in 7 seasons
Share this post:
In six seasons between Jamie Dixon’s departure and Jeff Capel finally injecting renewed energy into the program, Pitt has won at least 13 games three times.
The Panthers (13-6, 6-2) reached that milestone — admittedly low-hanging fruit — Wednesday night at Louisville with a 75-54 victory, their most decisive against an ACC opponent since Jan. 16, 2016 (Boston College, 84-61).
In three other occasions, No. 13 didn’t happen until later in the season:
• 2020 — Pitt won its 13th game Jan. 22, followed by a 3-11 finish.
• 2019 — March 9.
• 2017 — Feb. 8 (under former coach Kevin Stallings).
Pitt had been averaging barely four conference victories per season, but there’s something else happening inside Petersen Events Center and other ACC venues that has not been a part of Pitt’s DNA. Capel mentioned it after Pitt recorded 21 assists on 28 baskets (14 3s) against Louisville to improve its conference road record to 4-1.
“They’re genuinely happy for each other,” Capel said. “And I think you see it. Anyone who’s seen us in the past and watches this team this year, it’s a big difference.”
What a switch from 23 months ago when locker room chemistry was nonexistent and Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney left the team — perhaps were shown the door — with four games left in the season.
No one knows how this season will be remembered. Pitt is one game off the lead in the ACC, and 12 remain before the conference tournament. Next up is Florida State on Saturday at the Pete.
But it was instructive to note Capel’s conversation with sixth man Nike Sibande inside the KFC Yum! Center after the Louisville game.
Capel said Greg Elliott’s Pitt career-high 23-point effort was no accident, and he gave some of the credit to Sibande. After halftime of the Georgia Tech game last Saturday, Capel wanted Sibande to start the second half. But Sibande deferred to Elliott, who was working through some shooting challenges.
“I pulled Nike aside and told him, ‘Greg played as well as he did (Wednesday) because of you. Because of the energy you gave him and how positive and what a great teammate you were.’
“All I’ve talked about with my team is just be a really good teammate and play hard. And this group has done that.”
Yet, Pitt is far from a finished product. With three scholarship players out for the season, including center John Hugley, Pitt is not a good rebounding team. For that reason, Capel said he was “nervous” about the Louisville game.
But 7-foot freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham came off the bench and pulled down eight rebounds, four on the defensive end. That served to trim Louisville’s offensive rebounding total from seven to four after halftime.
Diaz Graham joined two other non-starters, Sibande and Nate Santos, to give the Panthers a lift while the team was struggling in the first half.
“Sibande with his scoring (four 3s), Guillermo and Santos with their energy,” Capel said. “I thought those three guys turned the game around for us. Obviously, we have more quality depth (than in the past).
“They’ve played well, even before (Wednesday). It was really good to see Nate hit a 3. He doesn’t miss in practice, but for whatever reason in the games, he’s struggled.”
The results have been good. Pitt is 12-3 after a 1-3 start to the season, but the Panthers will continue to need their bench and increased rebounding to keep pace in the ACC.
“(Rebounding) is an area where we’re going to have to continue to fight. We’re going to have to do it as a committee,” Capel said. “I wish we had a guy I could pencil in for 10-plus rebounds (per game). I’ve coached a guy like that.”
Justin Champagnie led the ACC in rebounding during the 2020-21 season.
“That’s not who we are,” Capel said. “I’d love for someone to just appear and do that. We have to do it together.”