First-place Louisville hands Pitt another close loss in ACC play

Pitt fought through a series of misfortunes Wednesday night before and during its 75-72 loss at Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

• After nearly a week without practice while sitting in covid protocol, Jamarius Burton showed up the morning of the game and scored 21 points.

• Center John Hugley was burdened with two fouls 72 seconds into the game and did not play the rest of the first half. He scored all of his points after intermission and ended up winning a slugfest with Louisville’s 6-foot-11 big man Malik Williams. Hugley recorded 11 points and seven rebounds while Williams managed only four and four and eventually fouled out.

The good news was guard Ithiel Horton played his first game after his suspension was lifted Dec. 30 and scored 13 points (all in the first half). Overall, four Pitt players scored in double figures, with Mouhamadou Gueye contributing 15 points.

But Pitt’s offense largely disappeared for the game’s final five minutes, and the Cardinals (10-4, 4-0 ACC) found a way to defeat the Panthers (5-9, 0-3).

Pitt’s total margin of defeat in its most recent five losses is 10 points. It has lost its three ACC games by margin of five.

“I thought our guys fought, put ourselves in a position where we had a chance, once again,” coach Jeff Capel said. “We have to be smarter, have to be able to finish, have to be able to defend better.”

Pitt played without forward Dan Oladapo, who was following health and safety protocols. The past week was Pitt’s first time dealing with covid complications this season.

“Interesting week. Guys in protocol. Guys who got here this morning, hadn’t practiced since Saturday,” Capel said. “Everyone’s going through this right now. This is our first time going through something like this this year. Proud of how we fought, disappointed in the loss.”

Perhaps the most significant factor in the loss was Hugley’s foul trouble.

“He puts a lot of pressure on the (opposing) defense,” Capel said. “He’s a big, physical guy. The thing I saw was we need him on the court longer than 19 minutes. Everyone, John, us, we have to do a better job of helping him. We are a better basketball team when he’s on the court for us.”

“When John gets in foul trouble, next man up and that’s Noah (Collier),” Burton said.

Collier ended up with four points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.

“He gives us a different look, different energy out there, different ball screen coverage that we can go to,” Burton said of Collier. “For us, one of our weapons is down, but it’s trying to use what we have. (Hugley) showed up strong in the second half, and we need that moving forward. I challenged him. It would be a great day that he plays both halves.”

Without Hugley, who is Pitt’s leading scorer and rebounder, Horton kept the offense upright with his 13 points in the first half. Pitt was down 35-32 at the break.

“It was great to see him out there after so long,” Burton said. “Tonight, he played well. It was great having him out there with the floor spacing, the aggressiveness and unselfishness.”

The game was marred by six technical fouls, three by Pitt at the outset when Hugley got in foul trouble. It started with a double technical on Hugley, his second foul, and Williams. The other two were called on Capel and the Pitt bench.

“Very weird game. Just how it started. Unlike any game I’ve ever been a part of, to start,” Capel said. “I apologized to my team at halftime for my, I guess, whatever in that.

“I didn’t see what happened. I was confused because I thought it was just a technical foul on Williams. When it became a double tech, I was trying to figure out what was going on.”

The largest advantage for either team was eight by Louisville in the first half. The lead changed hands 16 times and the score was tied six times before Louisville went up 74-69 on two free throws by Jarrod West with 14 seconds left.

Burton hit a 3-pointer to keep Pitt in the fight before West made only one of two free throws to give the Panthers a final opportunity.

But Burton missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“I felt pretty good. I don’t have any regrets,” he said of the final shot. “I had just made a 3 the possession before.”

Burton wore a mask during the game, adhering to ACC health and safety protocols. The mask didn’t hinder him, but it continually fell down to his chin.

“If I have to (wear it Saturday against Boston College), I will,” he said. “Doesn’t matter. Just trying to win.”

Capel said he wasn’t sure what the ACC mask mandate means.

“I don’t understand any of the stuff. I’m really not sure anyone does, even the doctors and scientists,” he said. “I try to do what they tell us to do.”