PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It steps up a level for the Pitt basketball on Friday, Monday night the Panthers finished a three-game opening span against non-power conference teams with an 83-64 win over Gardner-Webb.
“I’m eager to see us every day,” said Pitt head coach Jeff Capel. “I think we have a chance to get better every day. The thing our guys and our program to understand every game is the most important because we are playing. Doesn’t matter who we are playing, it’s a chance for us to get better.”
They will do that next in a game setting against West Virginia on Friday night at 8 at the Petersen Events Center.
“We know the juice will be a lot different in here on Friday,” Capel said. “The competition level will be increased, the level of talent. All of those things, we understand that. We are excited about it to see where we are against that level of competition.”
“We know it’s going to be a dog fight,” said senior Ishmael Leggett. “We feel like we’ve prepared for the dog fight these last three games. We have felt each other out and now it’s time to put all the pieces together and do what we do best.”
If something has stood out about the first three it’s Leggett’s play. A three-game sample size, but having to make up for the loss of leading scorer Blake Hinson and NBA first-round pick Bub Carrington, Leggett is averaging 19.7 points per game and had a dazzling spin move for a layup.
“He worked really, really hard this summer, especially on shooting the basketball. That was a big part of his game he wanted to improve on. Obviously, he’s always been able, since he’s been with us, to be able to drive, slash and get to spots and he’s strong. But he really wanted to work on his three-point shot. He’s done a really, really good job of that.”
Capel also said Leggett is their most physical defender. He’s guarded the other team’s best player. He said he takes pride in his defense and being the best two-way player on the team. Capel added he’s a’ little pit bull’.
Leggett’s stat line-7-9 field goals, 3-4 from three and 4-4 from the foul line with six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Four others were in double figures-Damian Dunn and Cam Corhen with a dozen each, Zach Austin and Guillermo Diaz Graham with 10. Diaz Graham added nine rebounds.
Notes
· Pitt was 9-30 from 3
· Panthers forced 19 turnovers (including 10 steals)
· Pitt had 18 assists to 9 turnovers
· Panthers were a minus 8 in second-chance points
· Zach Austin had 4 blocked shots
· Coming back from an injured shooting hand, freshman Amsal Delalic played in his first game hitting his first three, a rebound and a pair of assists.
Opposing love
Gardner-Webb head coach Jeremy Luther came away impressed with Jeff Capel, the offense, how unselfish the Panthers are, how the ball moves and the size down low.
“Having played Tennessee, and Tennessee is really good, 12th in the country, if (Pitt) can make some shots, I don’t think there is a lot of difference there,” Luther said.
Luther, who started his college career at Robert Morris before transferring, had a few one-liners after the game:
· (Pitt’s) size is special
· You play the game and you get a big check
· You put up a shot and Jeff Capel comes out and blocks a shot. You put it up and Jason Capel blocks it, Jason is more athletic than Jeff.
· You guys paid us a lot of money, which is awesome
· I don’t know that we slowed them down or they missed a bunch of shots
· On covering the spread with a late three, ‘yeah, we won something’
After a matchup at home against VMI next Monday, Pitt plays LSU and either Wisconsin or Central Florida at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia followed by three consecutive road games-at Ohio State, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech.