PITTSBURGH — Even after getting the most effective win of his time in Pittsburgh by knocking off No. 11 Virginia Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel mentioned he hasn’t allowed himself to bask within the place his workforce is in and the early success that has lit a hearth again underneath its beleaguered fan base.
Pitt has reached heights not seen since Jamie Dixon was main this system to the NCAA Event frequently, however Capel continues to be making an attempt to remain degree and keep away from resting on his laurels.
“All through my profession I’ve discovered to remain within the second,” Capel mentioned. “I am grateful for the place we’re, primarily for the way in which this workforce has come collectively. It was actually cool to observe him and to observe their religion in one another, to see them be selfless with one another and provides to one another. It was a extremely cool factor to see, however we now have to maintain going.”
However simply because Capel turns a blind eye to the heights his program has reached, doesn’t suggest you may’t have a good time how far it is come and this workforce’s place in class historical past.
Four-Zero within the ACC for the second time
After beating the Cavaliers, the final time Pitt gained its first 4 ACC video games was their first 12 months as a member of the convention in 2013-14. That 12 months, the Panthers began 16-1 and knocked off league foes NC State, Maryland and Wake Forest to climb into the highest 25.
They lastly fell on the then-No. 2 Syracuse on the street in a 59-54 barnstorming sweep paying homage to the Huge East’s glory days. The Panthers can have an opportunity to open the most effective begin to ACC play in program historical past.
Even once they had the steadiness of coaches and a expertise degree to match their competitors, Pitt has struggled to seek out its footing since shifting from the Sea East. Since that inaugural 12 months within the league, solely as soon as have they completed with a convention successful share above .500, however as they are expected to be favorites in 12 of their remaining 16 conference gamesgetting over the hump to be a successful workforce in ACC play needs to be the expectation.
First back-to-back win over ranked opponents since 2011
The 2010-11 Panthers have been among the best Pitt groups ever. They posted 28 wins—tied for the fifth-most in program historical past—and simply the second single-seeded NCAA Event in class historical past. On their solution to that historic postseason berth, Pitt defeated No. 25 West Virginia and No. 9 Villanova in a four-day span in early February.
It took 12 years, however Pitt has finally beaten ranked teams in back-to-back games after dropping off then-No. 25 North Carolina and no. 11 Virginia on the Petersen Occasions Heart. Capel entered the Carolina recreation 2-14 towards ranked opponents as Pitt’s head coach and doubled his win complete in lower than per week.
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Beats Virginia in regulation for first time since 1974
The common individual can depend on one hand the variety of instances Pitt has overwhelmed Virginia on the hardwood. The Panthers entered the sport towards Virginia Four-19 all-time towards the Cavaliers of their 118-year historical past. This week’s win marked Pitt’s first towards that workforce in 5 years and its first non-overtime win since 1974. The Panthers have misplaced eight in a row and 15 of 16 to the Cavaliers in additional than 4 many years.
Though their historical past towards Virginia is not intensive, it illustrates how far Pitt has been from competing with the most effective of their new convention all these years. As Capel mentioned after his newest win, Virginia has been the usual bearer of the ACC for the previous eight years, virtually precisely so long as the Panthers have been members.
That the Panthers have been capable of beat them — and do it with out an disagreeable taking pictures evening for each side — proves they’ll maintain this scorching begin all winter lengthy.
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