For the past 30 years, Jeff Capel has been true to the basics of good basketball.

Play solid defense, share the basketball, take appropriate shots inside and outside the 3-point line, step up and take a charge once in while and, for goodness sakes, rebound.

But at the age of 47, Capel is open to learning new tricks, and one of them — the study of analytics — helped Pitt record a thrilling 81-79 victory against Wake Forest on Wednesday night at Petersen Events Center.

Let’s be clear, however. The real reason Pitt (14-7, 7-3) moved within a half-game of second place in the ACC was its 3-point shooting.

The Panthers scored 54 of their points from beyond the 3-point arc and hit a school-record 18 in 37 attempts. Blake Hinson hit 8 of 14 for a game-high 24 points, tying a Pitt record for made 3-pointers. Greg Elliott went 6 of 9 for 18 points.

Neither player attempted a 2-point shot all night, and 8 of Pitt’s 12 made shots in the second half were 3s. Nelly Cummings and Nike Sibande added 11 points each for Pitt.

Add up the contributions of those four players, and it computes to 64 points (79% of the total).

But it almost wasn’t enough. That’s where analytics might have saved the day and forced Wake Forest standout Tyree Appleby into an uncomfortable shot at the buzzer.

“We knew as a staff looking at analytics Appleby is not as efficient going left,” Capel said. “We knew that 85% of his offense was him going right. That’s something we talked to our team about as we started our preparation.

“So we were able to get him going to his left and to force a tough shot. He’s an outstanding player (second-leading scorer in the ACC), and he makes big-time shots. We were fortunate that he didn’t make that one.”

The shot wasn’t close, but if it hit the mark, Pitt would have lost.

Appleby finished with 15 points, nearly three below his average.

“We didn’t do a great job all game, but on that last possession we did a really good job of it,” Capel said.

So, what about those analytics?

“It’s very new for me,” Pitt’s coach said. “This is probably the first year I’ve really gotten into it.

“I’ve always looked at it. I try to look at it now and try to figure things out. We have some guys on our staff who are really, really into it and kind of helped me understand it a little bit better.”

Pitt was efficient on offense, jumping to a 49-39 lead at halftime, the most points the Panthers have scored in the first half all season. Almost every time Wake Forest (14-7, 6-4) made a run in the second half, Pitt had an answer — usually another 3.

The Panthers won by dishing out 22 assists on 28 of 58 made baskets, leading to a 48.3% shooting rate. Jamarius Burton, who left the game briefly with an ankle injury, had more assists (nine) than points (six), and Cummings added six assists.

“I thought the ball had energy,” Capel said, meaning Pitt kept moving it around the Wake Forest defense. “I thought we learned from the last game (a loss to Florida State) as far as we moved the basketball. We didn’t settle.”

Funny thing, though: The most important basket of the night — a putback by Federiko Federiko to give Pitt its 80th and 81st points and a seven-point lead with 2 minutes, 20 seconds to play — was unassisted.

It was Federiko’s only shot attempt of the game, but he contributed nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.

“Fede is not a scorer yet,” Capel said of the 6-foot-11 sophomore who is in his first season of big-time basketball.

“But he’s a presence around the basket.”

Now, Pitt will prepare for Miami on Saturday at the Pete. Pitt is tied for third place in the ACC with the Hurricanes and North Carolina.

“(Thursday) will be more of a mental day,” Capel said. “We’ll get feedback from this game and then turn our attention to Miami.”

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