PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt players and Jeff Capel wouldn't say it was a turning point game, but definitely a big win when the Panthers moved to 2-0 in ACC winning at Syracuse on December 20. The rematch Saturday at 5p on 93.7 The Fan and a chance for the Panthers to get back into first place.
"It was a big win," said Pitt Head Coach Jeff Capel. He then pointed out it wasn't all rosy, the Panthers led by 19 with nine minutes to play. The lead was one with 29 seconds to play as Pitt hung on to win it 84-82.
"We had a big lead and we played not to lose," Capel continued. "They were super-aggressive and our turnovers (16 total) got them easy baskets (26 points off turnovers) and they hit some tough shots."
"We have to do a much better job defensive rebounding. I think they had 15 offensive rebounds. We have to do a much better job there. When we didn't turn it over, we shot the ball pretty well. We have to do a much better job of valuing the basketball, they got a lot of transition points off our turnovers."
Capel pointed out at times they played not to lose and missed out on opportunities to slam the door shut at one point up 20 in the second half. He believes they are a more experienced team now and have learned some of those lessons. It's also not to say he didn't talk to his team about some of the positives as they now go back to learning how to play against that 2-3 zone.
"We did a lot of really good things," Capel said. "We were able to get a stop at the end and make some really big free throws."
"We shared the ball well," said Pitt guard Nelly Cummings. "We found the holes in the zone and we really made shots.
I think that's what you have to do against Syracuse, you have to make shots."
"Making the zone move from side-to-side, don't let them key in on the ball," said guard Greg Elliott on the Jeff Capel Show on the Pitt Panthers Radio Network and 93.7 The Fan. "We get them to go side-to-side and get us some open shots. I know a lot of threes are going to be shot. I'm definitely good with that."
It's the Panthers holdover rivalry from the Big East. The basketball games that got Cummings excited about Pitt basketball growing up in Midland. Now a chance for a season sweep against what he says will be a desperate team (16-12 on the season) trying to find a way to the post-season.
"It's actually unique for me because at Colgate it's kind of like a rivalry with Syracuse as well," Cummings said. "Coming back here, I didn't know it was this big of a rivalry, but we sold out the crowd already. The fans and everyone else knows what we know, this is a really important game."
"They are a really good team," Capel said. "They have a really good coach. A Hall of Fame guy, one of the best guys who's ever done it. They will come in loaded for bear, I know that."
As will the Oakland Zoo after the comments by Jim Boeheim that he later retracted about Pitt paying for a team.
Don't think the Pitt students will forgive the retraction.
Enjoy the game, pregame begins at 4:30p with Bill Hillgrove, Curtis Aiken and Cale Berger on 93.7 The Fan.
