It’s never easy to follow up an emotional roller-coaster of a win.
That’s what Pitt will have to do on Tuesday when it takes on Georgia Tech (9-9, 2-5 ACC) in Atlanta. The Panthers are coming off of arguably the best road victory since Jeff Capel took over the program, beating No. 7 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium late Saturday night.
In the win, Pitt’s leader Blake Hinson scored 24 points, going a stunning 7 for 7 from three-point range to tie and set numerous shooting records, including his tie for the most made three-pointers without a miss in ACC history. In addition, Pitt rookie Jaland Lowe scored 17 points, including a three pointer in the final minute over Kyle Filipowski, which Lowe called the No.1 shot of his life.
“In our league, whenever you have an opportunity to beat a Duke or beat a North Carolina, just because of the history and traditions of their program — it’s a big deal,” Capel said on Monday. “As an adult, I understand how to move on, but for an 18-year-old kid to 23-year-old kid that grew up watching those two programs and understand the history of Cameron Indoor Stadium or the Smith Center. That’s what those two programs specifically, I think there is probably one or two others in the country that have that historical significance. It’s why it’s heavy on those guys, the players that play there, because they have to deal with it all the time.”
With the win, Pitt advanced to 11-7 (2-5 ACC) on the year, while No. 7 Duke dropped to 13-4 (4-2 ACC). The Devils’ only other loss in conference play so far came to the next team on Pitt’s slate: Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets, led by first-year head coach Damon Stoudamire, knocked off the Blue Devils by four points earlier this winter on their home court. In the rematch, this time at Cameron Indoor, Duke took care of Georgia Tech, but not by much. On Jan. 13, Georgia Tech lost by just four points to the Blue Devils, as Naithan George, Miles Kelly, and Baye Ndongo each scored at least 16 points for the Jackets in an ACC battle.
“For us, it is important to move on to the next play,” Capel said. “It is important to flush that and to understand, we have another game against a team that beat Duke when Duke was whole, down here in Atlanta. [A team] that was up ten on them in the second half a few games ago.”
While Georgia Tech has as even .500 record to start this season, the Jackets have beaten two conference opponents that Pitt has lost to so far already: Clemson and Duke. This year, Kelly (6’6 G), Ndongo (6’9 F), and Kowacie Reeves (6’7 G) are leading Georgia Tech in scoring. Kelly and Reeves are the team’s biggest three-point threats.
“They’re a really good team,” Capel continued. “They’re tough, they’re athletic, They really really shoot the ball well. They’re confident, and if we’re not ready to play, then we’re going to get our butts kicked. So it’s important for not just our veterans, but for all of our guys to understand, this is where we are, hopefully, it’s the middle of January now — towards the end of January. We understand now what college basketball is about. You have to move on. You can’t stay in the past. You have to take the rearview mirrors off and you have to be forward thinking and forward moving.”
Pitt Vs. Georgia Tech will tip off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23 on ESPNU.
This is really going to be a test game. GT has big Guards which tend to give Pitt problems. Think Syracuse & Copeland. And another road game in an old Tobacco Road venue where there are ACC refs. And we know how that can go. If they can win this game after the high of Duke, it could be a lynchpin of the 2nd half of the season where the ACC schedule is not nearly as tough as it has been.
Boy the refs sure tried like hell to tip the scale to Duke. The ref spent a whole commercial break trying to give Duke an extra point. Fire that ref it’s blatant and it’s bullcrap.
I like Coach Capel and I Love Pitt sports, but in this league you got to have an inside presence. Pitt has height but, it is not going to win too many games shooting jump shots. The big guys we have are adequate but their presence inside is a non-factor
If they’re a non-factor, they’re not adequate. In this game Twin Guillermo was adequate.