Pitt head coach Jeff Capel met with the media following Pitt’s 80-58 win over Tennessee-Martin on Monday night. Here is a complete rundown of everything he had to say.

Capel: The first thing I want to do is congratulate our women’s soccer program. What an amazing thing. First time ever getting to the NCAA Tournament. What that coaching staff and Randy (Waldrum) has done, the young ladies on the team, the assistants — it’s pretty amazing. It wasn’t a rebuild, it was a build. I know he’s worked and recruited and all those things and to see them be rewarded for that is pretty amazing. Shoutout to them.

The second thing is, I want to give a huge shoutout to the Oakland Zoo. They were unbelievable. To see all those students there and the energy that they brought, the energy they gave. These guys and us. The passion that they displayed all year. We got a chance to be with them a little bit at the football game on Saturday. Their energy there was just like it was here. Really, really pleased with that.

Grateful for a win, certainly not something we take for granted. I thought this is the best that we played defensively since our group has been together. We’ve been working on it and we displayed it tonight. I thought we followed the game plan. I thought we played with incredible energy on that end. I think a big reason why is the guy to my left. I thought Federiko’s energy to start the game defensively. His talk, ball screens, coverages, his rotations, and protecting the basket. I thought it kind of became contagious for everyone out there. So we really did a good job on that side of the basketball today. I thought that we were really anxious to start the game and we missed some shots at the basket and we did not shoot the ball well today, like we have been shooting the basketball. But once we settled in the first half and we were able to get some distance. I thought the way we started the second half was really good on both ends. We were able to push the lead up. We had 21 assists on 26 field goals which has been consistent with who this team has been all year. We made some really, really good plays, connecting plays and it led to us having a good victory tonight.

Really pleased with that. We’ll build on it. We’ll watch the tape tonight and get back and get ready for the next one.

What are your thoughts on Nike Sibande coming back because you were there to see the injury and the entire recovery process. What did it mean to you as his head coach to see him get back on the floor?

Capel: I’m happy for him. Proud of him. I know all the work that’s gone in to getting back. It’s been some tough days at times, some dark days when you go through an injury like that. At times you question, ‘Am I going to be able to get back?’ He has an incredible support system with his family, his Pitt family here. The trainers have done an unbelievable job and most important Nike has done a great job.

You started a lineup with five guys that did not come here out of high school. They were all transfers and we asked the players about the chemistry aspect. How does a team like this coming from different parts kind of already have that, with the 21 assists on 26 made field goals?

Capel: These guys, it happened organically. I think we have really good guys. I think they all want to be a part of something. All have fascinating stories and are appreciative and grateful to be here at the University of Pittsburgh and to be part of this program.

You started 1-of-8 from the field and kind of kicked it up a notch from there. How do you think you turned things around early in the first half?

Capel: I think our defense throughout, I think I was probably most proud of that because we weren’t making shots. We did not allow that to affect our defense. In fact I think we got more energized on that side of the floor and we were able to make a few — I don’t think we shot the ball well. Not like we’ve been doing everyday in practice. I thought we were really anxious early like I said. I thought we missed a couple, but I want our guys taking good shots. If we’re taking good shots, I’m good with that.

Can you talk about Federiko’s overall efforts and how big it was to do that with Hugley out?

Capel: Yea, it was tremendous. He’s played well. He’s played well since the first exhibition. Like Blake said, he’s done it in practice and he has just brought incredible energy on the defensive side of the floor. He’s gaining a better understanding of who he is as a player and who we need him to be for us. He’s very different. All three of our post guys, and I think we have three with Federiko, John, and Guillermo. They’re all different. They’re all unique and his role is very very important for us and he’s learning how to do it at a high level.

I know you can’t predict how each game will go this season, but is 41 3-point attempts the personality of this team you think?

Capel: We’re going to shoot three’s. We’re going to take good shots and if we can get the ball moving and get hopping and things like that, touch the paint. We want to shoot three’s. I don’t know what each game will be, but we’re going to shoot the basketball.

I know there a lot of new guys, but last year you talked about getting in the mud and playing defense. Do you think with some of the returning guys that message kind of carried over?

Capel: I think it helped, but I think that’s also something we’re still preaching. Even though we think we’re better offensively, the way that you win is defense, rebounding, being connected on that end. There’s talk that has to happen. And again we’ve done that. That’s been who we’ve been in practice. That’s been pretty consistent and we need it to stay consistent and learn how to do it a higher level and keep getting better and see what happens.

You guys defended the three-point line well today. What do you guys think you did right there?

Capel: I thought we contained penetration well. That was the very first thing. I think we understood the scouting report and so I thought we did a really good job there. And in doing that, we understood who the shooters were and who the guys that we can play off of a little bit. It certainly helped to get a couple of their key guys in foul trouble in the first half because that’s the best defense is getting them on the bench. But our guys did a really good job. They had the preseason player of the year and I thought our guys did a really good job with him. Obviously I think Parker Stewart is a really good player. I hate what happened. He’s a great kid. But we did a pretty good job with him. Williams is a guy that we had our antenna on for. If you look at his carer at Troy, well over half of his shots have been threes and he shot the ball well. I thought we did a really good job on him. Those are the three guys that we had our antenna up for and I thought our guys did a good job.

Nelly didn’t shoot the ball very well tonight, but what did you think of his overall performance?

Capel: We didn't shoot the ball. Not just him. We didn’t shoot the ball. I thought Nelly had a great floor game. He was able to get into the paint, had seven assists. I thought he took good shots and I have a lot of confidence he’ll make those.

Maybe with Nelly being on a team that he doesn’t have to be one of the top scorers, do you think he’ll transition into more of a facilitator role?

Capel: We need Nelly to be a really good player and that could be being a top scorer. I think Nelly can score the basketball. He got clean looks today. I don’t think he’ll go 2-for-11 as we go forward. So it could be that he’s one of the top scorers. We just need him to be a really good player. We need him to lead, defend, execute. We need him to be a leader and run our stuff and make sure we’re playing with the right connection all the time.

What was your assessment of the twins today?

Capel: Look man, for those two guys to come in and play their first college basketball game…the very first thing is the unbelievable energy and joy that they play with. It’s contagious. We feel it everyday. We felt it…I felt it when they took their official visit. And I liked them before, and on their visit I fell in love with them and their family. Their energy, it’s positive. They are grateful, appreciative, and they played well. Guillermo I think he had 7 or 8 rebounds tonight, he blocked some shots. Jorge came in, he blocked some shots. They did some good things on offense. I thought it was an outstanding first game for them as freshman.

You’ve mentioned energy with a couple of different players, is that infectious with your group in practice?

Capel: Our practices are intense. We get after it. They compete, but there’s love. There’s incredible love and respect for the next guy. They have gotten to know each other and I think you see it here, today and the other two exhibition games. They genuinely care about each other and that’s something that we need to be with us at all times. That’s why I was really proud in the beginning when it wasn’t going well offensively that we were still able to have that.

How do you explain that when these guys haven’t been around each other for that long?

Capel: Yea, I mean you’ve got some older guys. Some guys that are a little bit more secure in who they are and are confident in who they are. Normally we have everyone here for the second session of summer school. We didn’t. We didn’t really get together where we had everyone all together until the end of August when school started, but I think the leadership among the group. I think having good guys and guys that are excited to be a part of something and be part of this program. All those things help.

How close was John Hugley to playing tonight?

Capel: He wasn’t close to playing tonight. There was no way he was going to play.

Is there an update for Friday?

Capel: He got cleared. He’ll start doing on the court stuff. So we’ll get in the gym tomorrow probably on an individual basis tomorrow. The biggest thing is that John has not played. He has not done anything for I think it’s been six weeks. He got hurt the last Friday of the first week of practice. So I don’t know the exact date. It started on the 26th, that was Monday. So whatever date that Friday was, that’s when he got hurt and he hasn’t done anything since then. So the biggest thing with him is going to see how he responds to after workouts and then getting him in game shape. Those are going to be the two biggest issues.

What about Jeffress?

Capel: Yea I think Will will have another evaluation. He’s off the crutches. He’s still in the boot. I think we’ll get him out of the boot on Monday and then we’ll see from there.

Obviously the focus has been on UT-Martin, but what’s it like coaching against West Virginia’s Bob Huggins?

Capel: Obviously I have a lot of respect for Coach Hugs. I have known him for a while. He’s an outstanding coach everywhere he’s been. Akron, obviously the unbelievable teams he had at Cincinnati. I feel for him because I thought he had the best team in the country then Kenyon Martin broke his leg. I thought that could have been the team that won him his national championship because they were really, really good. Obviously Kansas State, I coached against him when I was at Oklahoma the year that he was there and I got a chance to coach against him when I was at Oklahoma and at West Virginia we played him there and certainly here. I have a lot of respect for him, his program, for his career. And it's an honor to have a chance to play them. I understand the rivalry. I understand the intensity of the rivalry. I don’t think it’s hatred, maybe it’s hatred with the fans. I know I don’t hate anyone. I have a lot of respect for them and their program.