PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Justin Champagnie has done something only Pitt legends DeJuan Blair, Jerome Lane and Billy Knight have done, have multiple 20 rebound games. However, Champagnie is the first to do it in consecutive games scoring at least 20 points in each game.
The sophomore with 22 points and 20 rebounds as the Panthers beat Gardner-Webb 67-50. His teammate said he called it before the game.
“Before the game starts he says he wants to do 20-20 today again, I say ‘go for it’,” said forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly. “It’s just great to play with him. He comes here and plays hard.”
“My coach, (Pitt assistant) Tim O’Toole, tells me to go get every rebound,” Champagnie said. “That’s your strong suit. No one can mess with you down there. That’s one thing you can always do to help a team.”
“I just continuously do it. I look up and I normally have 12 rebounds and I’m just like ‘I will go for 20’.”
Champagnie said he had a talk during the first half with transfer Nike Sibande and the senior said he needed to get a few more rebounds in the first half for a 20-20, Champagnie said he then just went out and got six in a row.
“All my life I’ve been going to the glass and I’ve been trying to get rebounds,” Champagnie said, as he also had no fouls for a second straight game. “I guess I’m at the right place at the right time. My instinct is just get around the basket, I guess.”
“He has a knack for the ball,” said head coach Jeff Capel. “Any elite rebounder has a knack for the ball. Some of the best rebounders aren’t the biggest, most physically imposing guys.”
Champagnie joins ACC legends Tim Duncan, Ralph Sampson, Tree Rollins and Randy Denton s as others who have had multiple 20-20 games in a season since the 1970s.
“It’s big-time effort, that’s a reason it hasn’t been done that much,” Capel said. “It’s a big-time performance, I’m probably more impressed by the five assists and two turnovers and two blocks. He’s a good player and he has a chance to be a really good player.”
“I put it in the back of my mind that I don’t want to see my mother and father struggle anymore,” Champagnie said. “They are a big reason why I come out here every day and play how I play. I do it for them and my little brother. It gives me the extra fire and the extra push to come out here and play hard.”
Pitt ends the non-conference schedule 4-1 with 4 straight wins playing solid defense against what Capel said was a tough Gardner-Webb team. The Bulldogs held without a point for the first 12:20 of the game, 30% shooting overall, forced 18 turnovers and were a plus 20 on the boards.
Xavier Johnson had 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the floor. Coulibaly with 9 rebounds and 6 points.
“I was worried about it because it was such an emotional win and we exerted so much energy in the game against Northwestern,” Capel said of Saturday’s matchup. “I was very proud with how we came out defensively and took care of business there. We will get the offense going.”
Panthers open ACC play Wednesday night in Miami, pregame at 5:30p with tip at 6p on 93.7 The Fan.