On Wednesday night, Pitt suffered its first loss of the season, 86-71, to the Florida Gators in the first round of the Preseason NIT event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
To check out the recap of the game, click here. In this piece, let’s dive into our takeaways from the Panthers’ first loss.
NEED A FOURTH SCORER
Florida’s defense came in with a clear plan: shut down Bub Carrington, make Hinson shoot tough threes, and rely on out-tough the rest of the Panthers. Carrington, although he hit some difficult shots early on, struggled to find clean looks against the Gators. Florida’s guards did their job on him.
Leggett scored a team-high 19 points, but it was on 20 field-goal attempts. Other teams can live with 19 hard-earned points from Leggett if it means Carrington and Hinson are slowed down and the Rhode Island transfer is taking the majority of Pitt’s shots.
Hinson hit some early shots and finished with 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting (3 for 8 from three). Despite a strong point total at the buzzer, he hit just one of his five field-goal attempts and three of his seven free throws in the second half. When Pitt was clinging onto its last bit of momentum, Hinson missed three-straight free throws.
This loss is certainly not all on Hinson, Carrington, or Leggett. My thought after watching the performance by those three was that the Panthers need a fourth scorer to step up. Zack Austin had ten points and nine rebounds, which was probably his best game at Pitt stat-line wise. However, he only attempted six field goals all game, and once again struggled from downtown. The transfer wing is now 2 for 16 from three-point range this year (12.5%).
Federiko Federiko, Jaland Lowe, William Jeffress, Guillermo Diaz-Graham, and Jorge Diaz-Graham all scored in this game. But not one of them scored more than three points. Pitt is going to need more production from that group (all of the players aside from its big three).
TIP YOUR CAP TO CLAYTON
Walter Clayton Jr. played as strong of a game as he has in his collegiate career for the Gators. The Iona transfer dropped 28 points, hitting six of his eight three pointers. Clayton had Pitt’s number all night, and in his toe-to-toe battle with Ishmael Leggett, he came out on top by hitting his shots.
Clayton’s toughness forced Leggett to have some difficulty finding clean looks despite Leggett’s 19-point night. Overall, the Gators’ guard had the game of the night and no matter what Pitt threw at him, it seemed as though he was bound to kill!
BIG BATTLE GOES TO THE GATORS
Pitt won the rebound battle 46-37, but from my point of view, the Gators dominated Pitt’s bigs.
Federiko Federiko had just one foul in the first 19:54 of the first half — that’s great. Then came a foul with six seconds left in the first half. Not so great. Less than two minutes into the second half, he grabbed his third of the game. This forced Capel to send Federiko to the bench with 18+ minutes to go all the way until the 12-minute mark. In that timeframe, Pitt went from tied to a seven-point deficit as the Gators hit three layups inside.
Florida’s bigs feasted on Pitt’s. While Federiko and Guillermo Diaz-Graham combined for ten rebounds, Florida’s forward trio of Tyrese Samuel, Thomas Haugh, and Alex Condon combined for 21. Samuel led the way with 20 points and ten rebounds. In addition, Pitt didn’t receive any offensive production from its bigs. The guards couldn’t get Federiko one shot all game out of the pick-and-roll, as he finished 0-0 from the field with one point.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT CARRINGTON
Coming into this game, tons of attention was on Pitt freshman Bub Carrington — and rightfully so. The Panthers’ guard was clamped all night by the Gators, and faced his first high-major opponent.
He finished with 14 points and seven assists with three turnovers in 35 minutes in the loss. He certainly had his individual moments — hitting multiple threes and draining several signature pull-up jumpers. He hit six of his 15 shots in the loss, going two for seven from three-point range. However, from the 6:39 mark in the first half all the way until the 6:18 mark in the second, the Gators held Carrington scoreless.
Jeff Capel spoke about “teachable moments” recently, and this stretch was certainly full of those. Carrington faced adversity tonight, as did Pitt as a team. I think the adversity faced in this tough battle between the Gators and the Panthers will only make Carrington, and Pitt, stronger as a whole.
Capel needs to get Hinson under control. He needs to learn to play within the flow of the offense. Too many forced shots lead to easy buckets the other way. We have a well-balanced team and don’t need him to force things.
That o’fer on the 3pt foul was a killer
Who’s the coach of your Alma mater? Oh, that’s right, he’s in South Bend.
Thanks a lot Pitt hoops team for screwing up my planned “Pitt is now a basketball school” comment.
Golden vs Capel Coaching mismatch. That’s the major takeaway
Where’s Schrewsbury?
Probably out with your wife Band boy
Clayton’s 1 block was a stuff of the 6’7″ Hinson on an outside shot. Clayton is only 6’2″, which says much about the lack of elevation Hinson has. A 6’2″ guy should never be able to block a 6’7″ player’s shot. Hinson has lots of trouble inside as well because of his lack of elevation. Pitt has NO inside game to speak of.
It is only one loss, Capel did NOT get out coached and Pitt got no production from their bigs. This team will get better at shooting free throws and they will get better shooting threes. When Hinson gets hot , he can change the game, so let him shoot. Happy thanksgiving.
I believe Jeffress should start over Austin. He brings a little more size and defense. The twins are hit or miss, to inconsistent. Pitt will win and lose with Leggett, Carrington and Hinson, defense is just not good enough especially inside. This a good team if they can clean up the turn overs, bad shots, and defensive breakdowns,
Capel ABSOLUTELY got outcoached. Incapable of adjusting in game. The Panthers aren’t going to steal any wins from Coaching that’s for sure.
You’re in Pittsburgh because? Oh, no jobs in Happy Valley.
Lookout! Hoopies with rocks! Loser.
Why don’t you tell us how he got outcoached? Because they missed threes or they missed free throws? That guy on the other sideline did nothing.