No shortage of recurring issues have plagued Pitt in a men’s basketball season that has been all but irretrievably compromised before the midway point of ACC play.
Most prominent has been an inability to finish close to the rim, leading to plenty of missed layups, as well as countless points lost to subpar free throw shooting.
Then there have been defensive lapses, inconsistencies on both ends of the floor and injuries, such as the medical issue that sidelined transfer center Dishon Jackson in September, which coach Jeff Capel continues to view as a major blow before the campaign even got underway.
Following Pitt’s 63-52 loss Saturday at No. 22 Clemson, Capel lamented his team’s lack of ball movement.
“As far as the Clemson game goes, one of the things we have to be able to do, we have to pass,” Capel said. “We have to pass the basketball. We have to move it, especially when you’re playing against really good teams. Clemson’s one of the better defensive teams in the country and you’re not going to be able to beat them one-on-one. We have to be able to pass the ball, get it into pockets that are there to move the ball side to side.”
Those woes contributed to a season-low 16 points scored in the first half as Pitt (9-13, 2-7 ACC) managed only six field goals over the opening 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, Clemson took a 17-point lead into the break. Pitt produced some spirited stretches in the second half, including a 10-0 run late, but it was far from enough to close the gap.
The result, one game removed from an exciting overtime win over Wake Forest on Jan. 27, was another tally in the loss column for the Panthers, who visit No. 18 Virginia at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
In order to inspire better decision-making and passing, Capel is willing to turn to punitive measures.
“Guys have to trust each other more,” Capel said. “We have to keep emphasizing it in practice and hopefully it carries over to games. I’ve got to start sitting guys who are not doing it.”
That will be easier said than done, given Pitt’s rotation is only composed of seven regulars.
In terms of complementary pieces, Capel has freshman guard Macari Moore and center Kieran Mullen, who average between five and six minutes.
Currently, Pitt ranks 15th in the ACC with 12.95 assists per game.
When they post 13 or fewer assists in a game, the Panthers are 3-12. Pitt is 6-1 when managing at least 14 assists.
So Capel has seen evidence Pitt can pass the ball efficiently, disrupt defenses and generate good looks.
The challenge continues to be translating that execution from the practice setting to game night.
“I’ve seen what’s there,” Capel said. “We get into the games at times and we do panic. But also, I think at times our guys are trying to make plays that aren’t there. We have to continue to coach them, continue to emphasize it and start sitting guys that don’t do it.”
Note: Tipoff for Pitt’s home game against SMU on Saturday has been changed to 2 p.m. Originally scheduled for 3:45 p.m., the game will still be broadcast on The CW.
