Pittsburgh Basketball is on a three-game winning streak towards the end of this season. Should that make clear that Jeff Capel gets another year?
It’s been a rough year overall for Pittsburgh Basketball, currently with an 11-16 record and 6-10 in ACC play. And for a head coach in Jeff Capel, that’s currently in his fourth year at the program, that would normally spell doom for a man that’s been on the hot seat with fans and college hoops media.
It was as bad a start as possible, losing Nike Sibande to an injury for the season and Ithiel Horton for most games due to a suspension. The Panthers lost several games to mid-major opponents and had one of the worst offenses in the country.
But the team did show some signs of hope in spurts, including conference wins over Syracuse, Louisville, and Boston College. However, a four-game losing streak that included back-to-back losses to Virginia Tech put Coach Capel back on the hot seat, barring some wins in February. And on paper, there were several tough games that almost seemed “unwinnable” for Pittsburgh.
What was winnable was a road game at Florida State, who had been decimated with injuries in the past month. Thanks to a career-high 25 points and seven made three-pointers from Horton, the Panthers got a 56-51 victory. That was followed up with a two-point close win over NC State, led by 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists from big man John Hugley.
That gave Pittsburgh Basketball two straight wins but it almost assuredly wasn’t going to be three straight, going on the road against a desperate North Carolina squad that was right on the bubble for the NCAA tournament and couldn’t afford not to lose a Quad 4 game. Of course, that’s why you play the game.
The first 10 minutes between the Tar Heels and Panthers were close until a trio of three-pointers by Horton gave the underdogs a 9-point lead. Pittsburgh ran with the momentum to lead by as much as 20 points in the second half and despite a UNC run late, held on for the 76-67 win, easily the best of the season for the program. Femi Oduakle had had 10 points and a career-high nine assists while playing all 40 minutes.
Keep believing pic.twitter.com/6s7AW5VW0E
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) February 17, 2022
That makes it three straight for the Panthers in the win column and now and with six overall in league play. Yes, the ACC is down overall but after getting blown out by UMBC and Monmouth in non-conference play, there were moments where six total wins weren’t a guarantee for this team. It matches the total of conference wins for the program in the past two years as well, with four to go in league play.
Even before the streak, the view was always that unless the bottom fell out to end the season, Coach Capel was always going to be back. He’s signed for several more years after an extension and the reported buyout is fairly hefty if both sides parted ways. And considering the roster issues this season, it would’ve been a tough call to move on.
Now, it isn’t. Even since Horton came back to provide some needed shooting, this team has shown improvements individually and overall. They’re winning close games down the stretch, taking care of business both home and away and most importantly, there are no signs of the same lockerroom turmoil that had plagued them in the past.
There are still some games left to be played but the odds of a staff change is likely around 1-2% at this point. And even if you aren’t a Capel supporter, there should be some appreciation for how the team and fought and played as of late, with nothing to play for. Is he the guy that’ll lead Pittsburgh Basketball back to the NCAA Tournament? That remains to be seen. But he’ll get one more year to prove that he can.
And he’s earned that.