Pitt Take 5: Thanks to postponements, Justin Champagnie's injury not so painful

There might be two ways of looking at Pitt’s bad luck within the protocols of covid-19.

The most obvious would be that the momentum created after starting 6-2 (2-1 in the ACC) has been interrupted. Pitt must wait a week for its next game Wednesday at Boston College. The team also will go almost a month between home games, but with no fans, that’s not as significant as it would be in a normal season.

But the most optimistic of Pitt fans might look at the season in another way.

Sunday will mark three weeks since Justin Champagnie injured his knee. At the time, Pitt coach Jeff Capel said Champagnie would miss six to eight weeks. Half of the minimum amount of rest, rehab and recovery will pass, and here’s what Champagnie will miss:

Three postponements and two games, including a victory at the Carrier Dome — Capel’s first there as Pitt’s coach.

If Champagnie misses the minimum amount of time, there’s a chance he could return for 11 regular-season ACC games, including two postponements that have not been rescheduled, before the start of the ACC Tournament.

Even an eight-week absence might get him back in time for eight regular-season games and the tournament.

Of course, this is all speculation leaning far to the optimistic side. But it’s a good sign that Champagnie traveled with the team to Syracuse.

“He’s getting better,” Capel said. “It’s a process. He’s working at it. He’s getting anxious. We’re hoping he’s a quick healer, but we’re certainly not going to put him out there where there’s any sort of risk. We want him to be out there when he’s healthy.”

Capel noted that Champagnie was more than a cheerleader at Syracuse. At halftime, he took some players aside and diagrammed some defensive strategy on the whiteboard.

“That’s big when you have one of your better players doing that,” the coach said.

Here are some thoughts on how the season has evolved and where the Panthers can go from here:

1. No great ACC teams

You have to run your finger over 18 schools before you come to the first ACC team in the Associated Press Top 25.

That doesn’t mean the ACC is especially easy this season. There are five ACC schools ranked 19th-25th, led by Virginia Tech and Clemson at No. 19. No. 21 Duke, No. 22 Virginia and No. 25 Florida State also will be difficult games for the Panthers.

But a 3-0 road record and the comeback from 18 points down to Syracuse should build players’ confidence. Getting a covid-free team will help, too, and maybe that will happen next week.

2. Johnson growing up

Xavier Johnson was kidding when he said he won’t touch anyone in the next game to avoid getting into foul trouble. But that’s been the only part of Johnson’s game Capel would like to change.

Aggressive by nature, Johnson has collected 25 fouls in eight games. He’s fouled out only once, but Capel must put him on the bench to make sure that doesn’t happen. After losing Champagnie, Pitt can’t afford long stretches without its point guard.

While averaging 14.1 points, Johnson has become much more than a scorer. He leads the ACC in average assists per game (5.4) while committing only 26 turnovers (barely three per game). Impressive for a point guard who handles the ball much of the time.

“He’s grown. He’s matured. He’s learned the position,” Capel said. “He’s always been a competitor. He’s always been a fighter. But I think he’s learned how to channel that in a much better way.”

3. Toney’s key stats

There isn’t much a coach appreciates more than offensive rebounds and shots that go through the cords. Au’Diese Toney is doing both this season.

He leads the team with 18 offensive rebounds, including four that helped lead Pitt to its victory at Syracuse. For the game, he totaled 14 rebounds.

Toney is one of only seven ACC players who have made more shots than they’ve missed (36 good/33 off-target, 52.2 percent, fifth in the conference).

4. Remember Brown

Terrell Brown does nothing but come to practice, play a big role off the bench (eight points, four rebounds against Syracuse) and please his coach.

”Brown’s been such an interesting guy,” Capel said. “He hasn’t played as much, but he’s kept a great attitude.”

Brown was on the 2017-18 Pitt team that was winless in the ACC, but he never lost his zest for the game.

“A lot of these young people now want to run from stuff when things get hard,” Capel said. “I respect Terrell and Xavier and Au’Diese. They’ve run towards it.”

5. For those who love basketball

Pitt resumes its season Wednesday at Georgia Tech. That starts a string of seven games in three weeks, slightly more than the norm. Five will be at the Pete, including the makeup game against Notre Dame on Jan. 30.

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