PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt (0-2) could get some much-needed help Tuesday night looking for a first win against UNC-Wilmington (1-1).
Head coach Jeff Capel said senior transfer guard Jamarius Burton practiced full on Monday. They will check him before the game for any soreness or swelling after a minor knee procedure last month. If cleared, Burton will not likely start, but play his first game as a Panther.
"He would give us another ball handler," Capel said. "He's a shot-maker, he's older. Experience, toughness, he can defend, leadership. All of those things."
"He's going to help a lot," said guard Femi Odukale. "He's going to take a lot of pressure off me because when he's in the game, I can slide to the two. When I'm in the game, he can slide to the two and he can attack the gaps, penetrate to help the bigs get easy baskets. Take a lot off my shoulders."
Between Texas Tech and Wichita State, Burton started 56 of 90 games averaging 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 41% from three. He had 27 games scoring in double figures and one of three losses that have shaped the early part of this season.
Burton with his knee injury started it early in practices. Then senior Nike Sibande tore his ACL in the exhibition loss to Gannon and junior Ithiel Horton suspended after an off-campus incident. The plan all off-season, and work with the team on how they wanted to play, changed days before the season started.
"I felt like the strength of our team was going to be our perimeter and then John (Hugley)," Capel said. "Now all of a sudden we are down to one scholarship guard. One who can create."
"Those are three guys that have been out that can all shoot the basketball from deep, they can all create offense. They can create things for other guys, they are all older. They are all experienced."
"It's been a tremendous loss for us. I think our guys have adjusted as well as we could in the timeframe that we have."
Role players
In the absence of the three guards, 18-year-old William Jeffress has moved to guard and freshman Nate Santos has started every game, ready or not. Walk-on Onyebuchi Ezeakudo averages 22 minutes a game.
"I have seen growth, it hasn't led to wins," Capel said. "We have to figure this out, but not go crazy. Not feel like you have to reinvent the wheel, we just have to be good. Everyone has to be good, everyone has to know their role. Everyone has to be able to execute their role in what we are trying to do."
Turnovers
West Virginia turned Pitt over 32 times, four times as many turnovers from the first game to the second. The level of competition won't be the same, but UNC Wilmington has experienced guards that will pressure the ball.
"It's something we talk about all the time," Capel said. "Hopefully that was a one-game thing. It is something that we talked about. We watched with our guys. That was a big part of the feedback from the West Virginia game. We felt like when we didn't turn it over, we got good looks."
"We have to be able to be poised, be strong in chaotic situations. That was a chaotic situation for 40 minutes. We didn't handle it well. Hopefully we learn from it and get better and next time we are in that position we do a better job."
Next time is Tuesday night, Panthers pregame at 6:30p and tip at 7p on 93.7 The Fan.
