Cam Corhen has had ample reason to dial things back over the last week.
Pitt’s senior forward injured his ankle Feb. 10 against No. 4 Duke, a lingering pain that coach Jeff Capel said caused Corhen to miss practice Monday.
Corhen also was forced to miss several practices last week in the lead up to Pitt’s eventual road loss at No. 14 North Carolina.
But in both contests, Corhen played through his ailment, logging 36 minutes per night, with Capel commending his toughness and dedication.
“I’m grateful for how he shows up every day (and) how he works every day,” Capel said. “Last week was a perfect example of that. Cam rolled his ankle in the first half against Duke, and he continued to play. He didn’t practice all week. He did a walk-through on Friday, but he was here around the clock getting treatment, day and night, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and even Saturday before the (North Carolina) game.
“It just shows how much he wanted to be out there for his teammates, for us, and he played one of his better games. He means a lot to us, means a lot to me and I’m really grateful to have been a part of his journey.”
Despite the bad ankle and limited practice and preparation, Corhen didn’t miss a beat against the Tar Heels.
Though Pitt lost 79-65, Corhen matched his career-high in points (23) in a Pitt uniform, the second most he has scored in a collegiate game, including his first two seasons at Florida State.
Corhen shot 10 of 17 (58.8%) from the field, grabbed six rebounds and led Pitt with six assists.
“He just had his imprint on the game in so many ways,” Capel said.
But a 14-point first-half deficit doomed the Panthers (9-17, 2-11 ACC), whose season-worst five-game losing streak continued.
Against Duke, when he originally hurt his ankle, Corhen finished with six points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Corhen, playing in his final season of collegiate eligibility, has been a constant for Pitt, leading the team with an average of 33.6 minutes per game played.
He has averaged 12.4 points and a team-best 7.2 rebounds, shooting 52.5% from the floor.
However, it has been a highly disappointing season for the Panthers, with the team fighting to even partake in the upcoming ACC Tournament, which features only the top 15 of the league’s 18 teams.
While Pitt has four remaining regular-season games, it stands second-to-last in-conference, putting the Panthers at risk of being left out.
With Pitt’s season spiraling and a nagging injury, Corhen could have opted to prioritize himself and rest.
That he’s chosen not to further deplete an already limited lineup earned Capel’s praise.
“Right after the (North Carolina) game, when we got in the locker room, I told Cam, ‘Thank you for playing and for getting treatment around the clock,’ ” Capel said. “We weren’t sure up until game time if he would be able to (play) because he had not ran, not done anything since the (Duke loss Feb. 10). I was grateful for his effort and for all the effort that went into him trying to play.”
