Busting Brackets
Fansided

ACC Basketball: Updated preseason rankings for 2018-19

By Brian Rauf

DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 24: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 24, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 24: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 24, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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DURHAM, NC – JANUARY 13: Associate head coach Jeff Capel of the Duke Blue Devils directs. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC – JANUARY 13: Associate head coach Jeff Capel of the Duke Blue Devils directs. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Pitt’s decision to part with former head coach Jamie Dixon and bring in Kevin Stallings has decimated this proud program in just a couple of years. Now, Jeff Capel is taking the reins and inheriting a roster that went 8-24 last season and was winless in conference play.

It’s looking like 2018-19 will be another long season for the Panthers. Ryan Luther, Marcus Carr, and Parker Stewart, three of Pitt’s four leading scorers, opted to transfer and find fresh starts elsewhere.

“With those three guys, I don’t think we ever had a chance of keeping them,” Capel said via Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Luther and Carr, the reality of it is those guys had been talking to people, or people in their circle had been talking to other schools. Look, I know how this world works. When there’s chaos and uncertainty, other people really start inserting themselves. The recruiting process from other schools had already started happening.”

Jared Wilson-Frame, last year’s leading scorer, will be tasked with carrying this team along with four-star freshmen Trey McGowens and Au’Diese Toney.