Jeff Capel looks for Pitt to put 2 good games back-to-back vs. ACC foe

The following information is factual but drawn from a small sample size: two games. So, please, no overreaction.

Pitt is 3-4 in the ACC and coming off a victory Saturday against North Carolina. After the first two victories, Pitt didn’t play as well in its next games and lost to opponents whose talent level was less than remarkable.

After opening the season with a 63-61 victory against Florida State (which won 16 of its next 17 games and rose to No. 5 in the AP poll), Pitt committed 21 turnovers and lost to Nicholls State, 75-70.

Then, after winning Jan. 8 at North Carolina, Pitt’s shooting percentage dropped from 44.2 to 35.9 in a 66-58 loss at Miami.

Of course, Jeff Capel noticed.

“What we’ve done this year, especially in conference,” Pitt’s coach said, “is that you win a game, and the next game we’re not as good. That’s been, unfortunately, the thing we’ve been consistent at this year.”

The Boston College game Wednesday at Petersen Events Center is a chance for Pitt to reverse that two-game tendency (not a trend yet) and build some confidence for the upcoming games at Syracuse and Duke.

Here are three thoughts to consider before the 9 p.m. tipoff on AT&T SportsNet:

1. Boston College injuries

Center Nik Popovic, a 6-foot-11, 253-pound senior, has been out since December with a back injury. Wynston Tabbs, a 6-2 sophomore guard, who averaged nearly 14 points last season, is lost for the season with a knee injury.

Poor Jim Christian. The Boston College coach had microfracture surgery on his left ankle and has been wearing a boot while pacing the sideline in pain.

“We had five guys,” he told The Boston Globe after a 71-52 loss to Georgia Tech. “If you’ve got five guys, you can play.”

Boston College has lost four of its past five games (by margins of 39, 19, 16 and 18) while shooting 19% from beyond the 3-point arc (18 of 95).

2. Defense

Two years after surrendering 106 points to Louisville at the Pete, Pitt is tied for 23rd in the nation and is second in the ACC in scoring defense (61.2 per game). Eleven opponents have failed to shoot 40%.

Sophomore guard Trey McGowens needs one steal to become the 32nd Pitt player with 100 thefts. He is fourth in the ACC (1.9 per game).

Capel is not surprised.

“I expected us — and wanted us — to get better on that end,” he said. “Our defense has been solid, at times really good. But it’s something that we need to become consistently good for us.”

The idea is to make the opposing ball-handler uncomfortable with the quick hands of McGowens (35 steals), Xavier Johnson (24), Justin Champagnie (22) and Ryan Murphy (21).

If the ball gets past the perimeter, Terrell Brown can block shots — he has 35 — and Eric Hamilton has the toughness to take a charge, if necessary.

3. Two in a row?

Pitt hasn’t won consecutive regular-season conference games since beating Boston College and Syracuse on Feb. 8 and 11, 2017.

A victory would be the fourth in the conference, beating last season’s total by one and matching the four won by Kevin Stallings’ first team in 2016-17.

This Pitt team (12-6, 3-4) has evolved far beyond any of the three that preceded it. Winning four games with 12 to go would be a sign of significant progress.

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