After 14-day layoff, Pitt must face Syracuse's 2-3 zone defense

There are no secrets when a team confronts Syracuse.

Jim Boeheim, 76, has been its head coach since 1976, stubbornly – and effectively – using the 2-3 zone defense that’s marked by long arms, steals and contested shots.

Pitt’s Jeff Capel has played and coached against the Orange for many years, handling the ball himself as a guard for Duke and trying to teach others how to attack the zone as a coach.

Capel takes a 1-5 record against Syracuse as a head coach into Pitt’s game at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday. The game was moved from Feb. 13 when Syracuse’s original opponent, Florida State, was forced to bow out after positive covid-19 tests inside its program.

A victory would give Pitt its first three-game road winning streak since the 2013-14 season, but Syracuse has won the past seven games against the Panthers.

Capel’s five losses to Syracuse have come since he’s been at Pitt. His only victory was in the 2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 when he was Oklahoma’s coach and Blake Griffin scored 30 points in an 84-71 Sooners victory.

Capel wasn’t expecting Griffin, a former NBA first-round draft choice, to make a comeback. But is it too much to ask to have Pitt’s best player available for the game?

In this upside-down season, apparently so.

Sophomore forward Justin Champagnie will miss his second game since suffering a knee injury in practice Dec. 20. Champagnie could miss as many as eight weeks.

Which is an unfortunate timetable, with Pitt scheduled to play Syracuse for the second and final time in the regular season Jan. 16 at Petersen Events Center.

Champagnie had emerged as one of the ACC’s best players through six games. He’s one of only two averaging a double/double (17.8 points/12.3 rebounds). The other is Syracuse’s Quincy Guerrier (18/10), and Boeheim already has announced he will have a full roster.

Capel said losing Champagnie is a huge blow for the Panthers, who have won five of their first seven games (1-1 in the ACC). But it’s specifically problematic against Syracuse, Capel said.

“For Syracuse, with their zone, he’s a guy we feel like is very comfortable in the middle of the zone,” he said, “which we think can be a point of attack and also along the baseline. Justin also has the ability to step out and make a 3.”

Some teams believe shooting over the zone can work – Oklahoma hit nine 3-pointers in that ‘09 victory – but Pitt has not proven to be a major threat beyond the arc this season.

The Panthers are 12th in the ACC in 3-point percentage (31.3 percent) and attempted 3s (144).

But it’s difficult, unfair and, perhaps, inaccurate to make any definitive statements about Pitt’s season after only seven games. The Panthers haven’t played since a 64-54 loss to Louisville on Dec. 22. The past two games against Duke and Notre Dame were postponed due to Pitt’s covid issues.

Capel hopes the unusual 14-day layoff won’t affect two elements that have been the strength of the team – rebounding and defense.

Pitt is second in the ACC in average rebounds per game (41.9). If the Panthers maintain that pace, it will mark the first time since the 1993-1994 season Pitt has averaged 40 per game.

But Champagnie has been a big part of Pitt’s dominance on the glass.

“His biggest strength this season has been rebounding, especially offensive rebounding (almost four per game),” Capel said.

Pitt is sixth in the ACC in scoring defense (64.6 points per game), a testament to how Capel’s message is getting through to his players and how carefully they are watching the 3-point line. Opponents are shooting an ACC-low 26.3 percent from beyond the arc.

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