Northwestern, familiar foe Chris Collins give Pitt's Jeff Capel chance to prepare for ACC

There is nothing Jeff Capel needs to see more from his Pitt team than to see more of his Pitt team.

Tiptoeing cautiously into a basketball season that is being played in the midst of a raging pandemic, Capel can’t be sure the Panthers will play a full season.

“We’re hopeful,” he said, “but it seems inevitable it’s going to be disrupted.”

Throughout the nation, programs are paused, games are canceled and postponed and no one is sure what will result from the constant series of covid-19 tests.

But Capel is happy to be heading to Evanston, Ill., to play Northwestern on Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. It is Pitt’s fourth of five nonconference games after the Panthers played 11 last season.

Pitt needs (2-1) to get ready in a hurry. The first ACC game is Dec. 16 at Miami, and the Panthers will play No. 25 Louisville on Dec. 22 and visit No. 10 Duke on Dec. 29. Meanwhile, the NCAA mandates three consecutive days off during the upcoming holiday.

It’s a tricky juggling act for Capel, but blending six new faces into his lineup will only work if Pitt can play enough games to test them.

The only problem, Capel said, is the next opponent. And he admits that with a bit of a chuckle.

Capel welcomes the chance to play Northwestern, but he would prefer not competing against its coach.

Chris Collins is a close friend and former Duke teammate. The two were guards on Duke’s national runner-up in 1994, scored a career total of 2,692 points for the Blue Devils and later served together as assistants under Mike Krzyzewski.

From personal and basketball standpoints, the two know each other well.

“I wouldn’t say it’s an advantage or disadvantage,” Capel said.

“I don’t like it, to be honest with you. It’s difficult from the standpoint he’s a very, very, very close friend of mine. Our families are really close. There is a lot of history.

“He and I went through some amazing things together when we were teammates. We went through success, and we also went through difficulties and we overcame it together.

“It’s something that’s bonded us.”

Capel and Collins speak regularly, but it was all business on the court last year when Pitt defeated Northwestern, 72-59.

“During those 40 minutes, I didn’t look at him. He didn’t look down at me. I’m assuming it will be the same thing Wednesday,” Capel said.

Northwestern (2-0) finished 8-23 last season, but Capel said, “Even in the midst of them losing, I saw them get better.”

Capel is expecting a different opponent. Northwestern has scored 203 points in two games, defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 111-60, and Chicago State, 92-49.

“It seems like they’re trying to play faster,” Capel said. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence. They’re playing with a lot of joy.”

Pitt also is scoring in unaccustomed quantities, averaging 80.7 points over three games (70, 83, 89). Pitt hasn’t hit 70 or more in each of its first four games since the 2015-16 season (Jamie Dixon’s last and the school’s most recent NCAA Tournament team).

Games that don’t count in the ACC standings — after Northwestern, Pitt has one more Saturday against Gardner-Webb at Petersen Events Center — will give Capel an opportunity to get a good look at his freshmen.

One to watch is 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward John Hugley, who has the potential to give Pitt a rugged presence in the paint. He started the opener and grabbed eight rebounds in 20 minutes, but he had a total of six rebounds in the next two games.

“He’s done some good things, but we need him to be better,” Capel said.

“He has to understand how hard you have to work every day, the discipline it takes to be a really good player at this level. The mindset you have to have every day.

“It’s difficult for a freshman. And I would imagine this year is maybe the most difficult year for any freshman, maybe ever.”

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