Pitt vs William & Mary Takeaways: Nike Sibande's Breakout Game Fuels Comeback Win
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers needed a few "get right" games after dropping three in a row and got them. They downed William & Mary in blowout fashion on Black Friday to secure their third win in a row and inch back above .500 for the first time in two weeks.
It took another marvelous second half effort and to overcome a bad first half, but Pitt was happy to build on their reputation as a second half team. We cover all that and more with five takeaways from the Panthers' fourth win.
Late Surged Starts on Defense
A pattern has formed for the Panthers over their past three games - all of which were wins. Against Alabama State, Fairleigh Dickinson and William & Mary, Pitt started slow and even trailed in the first half against teams they were definitely better than, only to completely turn things around after halftime.
Over their last three games, they own a +57 point differential in the second half after playing their opponents to a stalemate in the first and defense has fueled all of these turnarounds, with their resurgence against the Tribe being a prime example. They shot 45.7% from the field in the first half and 36% in the second. Pitt forced three turnovers before halftime and eight after it. All that added up to a 60% decline in points per possession for William & Mary and a win for the Panthers.
This was never about ability. Pitt simply stopped allowing their opponents to cut for open layups behind them, hustled back in transition and finished off possesions with defensive rebounds. The Panthers have all the tools of a good - or even just okay - defensive team, which is all they need to be. All that's left is to put those tools to use.
Sibande's Statement Night
Nothing has come easily to Nike Sibande since he transfered from Miami (OH) to Pitt in the spring of 2020. NCAA transfer rules and injuries have held the taletned guard off the court for most of his time in Pittsburgh and handicapped the routine so many players need to be a their best.
But an efficient 15-point, nine-rebound, four-assist outing against William and Mary marked an important landmark for Sibande, who finally can feel like he has his feet under him after suffering so much uncertainty. Sibande said it felt good to be back playing like he has for most of his career, acting as a playmaker for his teammates.
“I feel good, man," he said. "Just to help my team and help put batteries in the guys’ backs, help find people and put people in position to be effective to. Just all around feels good.”
Off-Ball Movement Makes Pitt Offense
Entering this game, Pitt had won three in a row despite their lackluster execution on offense. The Panthers overwhelmed Alabama State and Fairleigh Dickinson with their superior speed and size, not clean play.
That was not the case against William & Mary, as they escaped the grip of isolation ball and two-man games to open up scores created without heavy dribling. As the game wore on, they moved the ball side to side better and cut without the ball well after entry passes to John Hugley in the post drew extra defenders.
The Panthers assisted on 17 of their 27 made field goal attempts, led by four each from Hughley, Sibande and Nelly Cummings. It's a long way from the 75% assist rate Capel and company acheived during the preseason, but it's a step in the right direction.
Former Panther Fouls Out in Return to Pittsburgh
Noah Collier has experienced a rennaissance since transfering out of the Pitt program and joining William & Mary for his junior season. Collier's recording carrer-high's in points, rebounds, shots, field goal percetage and minutes while taking on a massive role for a much bigger role for the Tribe, but his return to Pittsburgh was not a successful one.
In his first action at the Petersen Events Center since this past March, Collier scored foru points and gathered four rebounds before fouling out late in the second half. He made just one of his five attempts from the field and committed four turnovers in 24 minutes of work.
Panthers Hit Tough Stretch with Momentum
After dropping three in a row to West Virginia, Michigan and VCU, Pitt's schedule hit a brief lull during the week of Thanksgiving. They didn't play a team ranked higher than 280th in KenPom after facing three top-80 teams in consecutive games.
Northwestern, NC State and Vanderbilt await after two days' rest, and while none of those teams are expected to make a whole lot of noise in their respective conferences, they pose good tests for a Pitt team that has been blown out in the two games they've played against high major opponents. The good news is they have won three in a row and will bring momentum with them to Evanston, Illinois next week when they take on the Wildcats.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and so much more!
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