Jeff Capel knows Pitt let a winnable game slip away because of self-inflicted wounds.

“I think we missed eight layups,” Capel said. “So, you look at that and think if we just do these things and make half of the layups, make our free throws in the game, perhaps it’s a different outcome.”

What’s troubling is Capel, speaking with reporters Monday, was referring to Pitt’s Dec. 30 ACC opener at Miami, not Wednesday’s road loss at Boston College.

But after the Boston College defeat, Capel most likely made a similar assessment as to why the Panthers (8-11, 1-5 ACC) did not leave Chestnut Hill, Mass., with a win.

Against Miami three weeks ago, Pitt built a 10-point halftime lead but was outscored by 17 in the second half, losing 76-69. As Capel alluded to, opportunities for easy points were squandered on multiple instances.

At the free-throw line, Pitt went just 9 of 17 (52.9%).

Arriving at Boston College on Wednesday, Pitt had immense trouble getting points early as the Panthers shot only 7 for 30 (23.3%) from the field in the first half while missing 5 of 11 free throws.

The second half saw much stronger shooting (17 of 33, 51.5%) but only 1 of 6 free throws converted.

By game’s end, Pitt had gone 7 of 17 from the free-throw line for a season-worst 41.2% success rate.

Brandin Cummings, one of the team’s strongest free-throw shooters, was 4 of 7, and Roman Siulepa’s struggles at the line continued. After making 3 of 6 free throws Wednesday, his conversion rate on the year sits at 47.1% (24 of 51), worst on the team.

Omari Witherspoon also missed both of his free throws in the three-point loss.

Missed layups were an even wider team affair.

Not counting a handful of blocked attempts, Pitt missed 15 layups: Siulepa was the worst offender with four misses, Nojus Indrusaitis had three, Cummings, Cam Corhen and Kieran Mullen had two apiece and Macari Moore missed one.

At this point, deriving silver linings from losses is becoming an increasingly stale task for Pitt.

Had the Panthers beaten Boston College, they would have had a lot to celebrate, given the trials of the season on top of playing the majority of the contest without starting point guard Damarco Minor.

Minor was ejected with 8 minutes, 30 seconds to go before halftime as a result of a flagrant 2 foul call, having made hard contact with Boston College’s Chase Forte on a layup attempt.

Minus Minor, the Panthers were forced to turn to Moore for extended minutes.

After playing a combined 17 minutes over his past five games entering Wednesday, Moore hit that total in one night against the Eagles, setting a career high.

While he looked a bit off-balance to start, Moore hit a 3-pointer and another bucket within 35 seconds about midway through the final half to help Pitt take a small lead.

Moore finished with five points and a team-high four assists.

Now Pitt turns its focus to N.C. State (13-6, 4-2) as the Panthers host the Wolfpack on Saturday.

Though it wasn’t a 41-point loss like Pitt suffered to Louisville on Jan. 17, Wednesday still stung. Moore gaining experience might have been the only positive takeaway from another deflating defeat.

“I thought Mac stepped up,” assistant coach Jason Capel said after the loss on 93.7 FM. “He played a season-high (17) minutes, and you have to have that. (Four) assists, only one turnover, got in the paint and made some nice passes, had a nice little floater in there. We need everybody.

“We don’t have a deep bench, so we need everybody, all hands on deck, to do their job and be ready to do their job when their number is called. Tip your hat to Mac, he did that and we’re going to need him as the season progresses.”

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