3 keys as Pitt continues road swing at Georgia Tech

After a loss to Duke on Wednesday in which Pitt blew an 11-point halftime lead, the Panthers remain on the road and take on Georgia Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.

Here are three keys for the Panthers (11-6, 4-2 ACC):

Embrace rebounding roots

Noting Pitt needs to rebound better borders on the obvious, and yet, after getting outrebounded 51-28 by Duke earlier this week, the point needs to be brought home.

Pitt has displayed an impressive ability to rebound this season, with Wednesday’s result serving as an anomaly. In the Panther’s previous 16 games, they were never worse than minus-8 on the glass.

The Panthers are third in the ACC in offensive (11.2) and defensive rebounds (25.8) per game.

On Saturday, Pitt will face a team that has looked good on the glass of late, with Georgia Tech (8-8, 1-5 ACC) eclipsing 40 rebounds in two of its last three games.

Of concern for the Panthers will be the Yellow Jackets’ offensive rebounding average (12.3) during that span.

Getting bullied for 24 offensive rebounds by Duke is something coach Jeff Capel likely will be unable to erase from his memory for some time.

If he and the Panthers want to wash that taste out of their mouths, a good first step would be boxing out against 6-foot-7 Georgia Tech forwards Ja’von Franklin and Jalon Moore.

Find a way from deep

There is no better team in the ACC at shutting down opponents’ 3-point shooting than Georgia Tech.

Having held the opposition to 28.4% shooting (95 of 335) from downtown, the Yellow Jackets lead the ACC in 3-point defense, ranking 14th nationally.

A key component is undoubtedly the size Georgia Tech possesses on the perimeter, namely in 6-foot-6 guards Miles Kelly and Deebo Coleman.

Also working well against opposing teams is Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner’s willingness to switch up his squad’s defensive looks, as he is known to alternate between man and zone schemes.

Pitt enters Saturday afternoon having shot below their 3-point season average (33.9%) in three of its past four games.

The Panthers managed just a 27% (6 of 22) conversion rate from downtown against Duke, while Elliott, one of the team’s primary sharpshooters, has been cold of late, making only 27.5% (8 of 29) of his 3-pointers over the last five games.

Similarly, point guard Nelly Cummings has hit only 3 of 16 (18.8%) of his 3s in four games since Dec. 30.

If Pitt can best Georgia Tech at its own game, generating offense from beyond the arc, it will be a big boost.

Beat lesser competition

No Pitt coach or player likely underestimates any given opponent.

Georgia Tech has performed well on its home court (7-2).

Yet the Yellow Jackets have defeated just one league opponent to date, in somewhat surprising fashion over Miami, earlier in January.

With Pitt’s program appearing to be in the best shape in quite some time, certainly in the Capel era, Saturday represents a need-to-win contest against one of the ACC’s lesser teams.

A road affair against a bottom-tier conference opponent that has show some flashes is just the kind of game the Panthers should win to manufacture some momentum on the heels of losing two straight.

A similar opportunity will present itself next Wednesday, when Pitt wraps its three-game road trip with a visit to ACC cellar dweller Louisville.

Less than a week ago, ahead of a home game Jan. 7 against Clemson, Pitt took the Petersen Events Center court in a game that would determine the first-place team in the ACC.

The Panthers failed that test and now are currently two games out of the ACC lead.

Still, Pitt remains within striking distance and the season is still young.

If the Panthers have aspirations of playing postseason basketball, a win against the Yellow Jackets would go a long way.