Jeff Capel wasn’t happy with what he saw in Pitt’s 72-49 loss to Syracuse on Wednesday night. Here’s a full rundown of what he had to say after the game.
Capel: Before I get into the game, I want to express my gratitude to our fans all year, especially the Oakland Zoo. They’ve been absolutely amazing all year with their support, their energy and their commitment and passion to our program. I am really, really grateful for that. We can feel a different energy in the building. All the fans. I want to send a special shout-out to the senior cheerleaders, dance squad, band members, all of them - appreciate their commitment to Pitt athletics and especially our program.
Congrats to Syracuse. Disappointed in our performance. I didn’t think we had the required and necessary energy to start the game and throughout the game that’s necessary to win, especially for a team that’s lost four games in a row. The thing is, I don’t think Syracuse had it early either. So that’s what it makes it especially disappointing for me with the effort that we put in today. In the first half it was, we fouled too much and we didn’t keep them out of the paint. 34 of their 37 points came on free throws and in the paint, so we have to do a better job there. And then we did a poor job of attacking their zone. In the first half, having 12 turnovers against it, just a poor job by us in doing that.
Obviously their zone was good. Hughes is an elite-level scorer, probably the best scorer in our league. He had a huge game. Even when they weren’t really wired and loaded for bear, just like us, they had a guy that could get them going, and he did that for them. So again, congrats to them.
Where and in what areas of the game do you notice that lack of energy the most?
Capel: Well, today, it was everything. It was everything. It was every aspect of the game.
What do you think can cause that this late in the season?
Capel: I don’t know. I don’t know.
How do you motivate a team that’s lost four in a row and loses like this?
Capel: Yeah, well, you know, there has to be self-motivation, too. That has to be a part of it, and we obviously didn’t see that tonight.
As you’re rebuilding big-picture and you go through a smaller rough patch like this, is it at all difficult to stay true to your convictions and stay true to the plan -
Capel: It’s not hard for me to do that. We have to be better. When I say we, I’m not blaming anyone. It’s we. It’s me. I’m responsible. So we have to be better across the board. And we will be.
What sort of an impact and how much of an impact did Sidibe have on the game tonight?
Capel: He had a big impact. Their first couple of baskets came from him on offensive rebounds. When he’s in the middle of the zone, it’s very different. His ability to block shots, he did a good job of coming up to shooters when we got the ball there in the middle and he does a good job protecting their basket.
What did you like from Justin tonight?
Capel: I mean, he rebounded the ball well. Look, those numbers look great, but there’s more he can do, just like there’s more everyone can do, so we have to do more. Everyone has to do more.
How much of that size stuff is just - is it still a talent thing, that they have big guys that are better than your big guys?
Capel: I just think they’re older. If you look at their big guys besides Guerrier, they’re older. Dolezaj, Sidibe, I think both of them, I think they’re juniors, so they’ve been in that program, they’ve played and they’ve had a chance to be backups to guys and now it’s their turn. With Sidibe this year, he’s been prepared for that challenge and he’s done a good job. Dolezaj has been a really good player in their program, a very versatile player. So I think that obviously Hughes is a guy that’s older, he’s a redshirt junior so he’s a little bit older. I think that has to do with it. And then Guerrier can come in as a freshman and kind of figure things out and take some - we’re in late February, he’s playing really, really well right now, but not a lot was required of him early. He was able to come in and figure things out, learn their system, learn the spots in the zone, learn what they want from him offensively without the pressure of having to be the guy right away, so to speak.
Are you worried that maybe the attitudes are going south?
Capel: I’m worried about everything. I’m worried about everything. And I’ve been worried about everything since we’ve been losing. I think a coach’s nature is to worry. And when things aren’t going right, you probably tend to worry a little bit more. Even when things are going well, you worry that, ‘Man, I hope it continues to go well, we have to keep this.’
You know, these seasons are long, and as you get into February, that becomes the grind, for every team, every program in the country, and you have to be mentally tough enough, physically tough enough to be able to push through. And we haven’t. We haven’t.
Over the course of the past couple months, do you feel like this team has improved?
Capel: I don’t. Over probably the last couple months, no. I mean, a little bit. Slightly. Certainly not over the past month, I don’t think we have.
Have the defensive struggles been from communication issues or has it just been energy?
Capel: It’s been everything. It’s been everything. It’s been a mixed bag. Sometimes the energy is there but the communication’s not there, the execution is not there. Sometimes the first-shot defense is pretty good but we don’t rebound the ball. The communication is key. Any good team, I’ve always felt you can hear a good team, especially on the defensive end. Talk unites. Talk connects. And we haven’t done a good job of that over the past month or so.
With such an elite scorer like Elijah Hughes who can take it to the basket himself and can score from the outside, how do you prep for that during practice with the guys on your team?
Capel: Well, you know, you try to do some things. We feel like we have a guy that can simulate it in practice with Ithiel. But this time of year, you’re not practicing as much. You’re not doing as much contact. One of the ways I thought - and this is what really good scorers do - I thought one of the ways he was very effective, he got fouled and he got to the line. That’s what really good scorers do. They score, you always hear ‘all three levels’ - he’s a guy who can score on all three levels. He can shoot it with range so you have to guard him out there. He can play off the bounce; that makes it tough. He’s strong, he’s physical, so he can go through to contact at the basket. He also can post. And then because of his strength, he’s able to draw fouls. So I thought he did a really good job of that today.
Speaking of that contact, do you feel you need to see - even though Xavier and Trey and Champagnie are smaller than Elijah Hughes - do you feel you need to see from them a little more aggression going to the basket, trying to create contact?
Capel: Well, we normally do that. That’s hard to do against the zone. So the game today was a little bit - it’s tougher to do that against the zone. The zone stands us up and it gets us thinking instead of being instinctive. Normally, we do that. Normally, those guys do that. They do drive it. They do try to attack the basket. We are trying to get downhill.
With the opportunity to start, how much could you tell that meant to Anthony?
Capel: I thought it meant a lot. Anthony’s been - really, Anthony and Samson, I’m going to single those two out and it’s nothing against Eric and I’d put Kene in that group with those guys - those guys have been through a lot here and I’m appreciative of them for sticking it out. They could have easily left, chose to do something else. Anthony could have chosen not to play, just to be a regular student. He’s a very good student. He’s already got his career situated, what he’s going to do after college. And after going through a season like they did, 0-18, a coaching change, those guys have had good attitudes, they’ve shown up to work every day, they’ve been really good teammates. I’m really, really grateful for it and I’m grateful that Anthony got the opportunity to not only start but to come in and do some things in the game.
