Takeaways: Pitt Is Wounded, But Has Shot to Bounce Back

The Pitt Panthers have more problems to solve, after they lost to Clemson.

Jan 7, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel (right) talks to guard Jaland Lowe (15) during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers' losing ways continued on Saturday afternoon as they lost to the Clemson Tigers 78-75 in overtime, the Panthers' fourth straight loss and 13th straight loss to the Tigers.

Who is Pitt’s answer in clutch moments? It doesn’t seem like Pitt even knows.

Time after time when Pitt needed a bucket last season, Blake Hinson was the answer. This campaign, I don’t know who Pitt’s answer is.

Against Clemson, sophomore guard Jaland Lowe is who head coach Jeff Capel wanted to have the ball in the clutch.

“Jaland’s made big plays and big shots for us all season long and wanted to give him an opportunity to make some plays,” Capel said. “Unfortunately the ball didn’t go in the basket.”

Capel may trust his sophomore guard too much. He doesn’t have the same abilities as Hinson, who was this clutch shot maker the last two seasons. Any shot on the entire basketball court, Hinson liked, it’s not the same for Lowe. 

When Lowe is in an isolation situation, he often ends up shooting a deep 3-pointer and one of those shots today cost the Panthers the game. 

The Panthers were in a must-score possession, 1:30 left in overtime down 75-71 and Lowe was isolated against a Clemson defender.

But rather than trying to blow by the defender which Lowe excels at, he dribbled the ball around for about 20 seconds and shot a three-pointer that was far too deep for Lowe’s range. 

The sophomore guard shooting deep threes is stupid, especially in clutch moments, because he is shooting 28.4% from beyond the arc. The Panthers need another option for these clutch moments. 

Pitt looks at its best offensively when the ball is moving around. Not when a guard dribbles the ball around and shoots an ill-advised three-pointer.

Best Pitt has played during the losing streak, but still not good enough.

During Pitt's current four-game losing skid, their performance against Clemson is easily the best they have played. 

The team didn’t just submit to the pressure when they trailed throughout the first half and by 14 points at the 14:31 mark in the second half.

“Proud of my team for how we fought,” Capel said. “Thought we were ready to play, we got down early in the first half, fought back, got down 14 in the second half, fought back got the lead made some plays, but it is not enough and that’s the thing we have to figure out.”

Pitt figured out what they had struggled mightily in recently, rebounding the basketball. Pitt tallied more offensive rebounds, scored more second-chance points and scored more points in the paint than Clemson.

But Pitt simply couldn’t stop Clemson from behind the arc, as they shot 51.7%.

When one thing goes correctly for the Panthers, something else goes wrong. 

“We can’t have lulls, we have to understand the importance of every possession, offensively and defensively,” Capel said. “...We have to talk more, we have to be tougher, we have to be a little bit more physical, we have to be more disciplined, we have to be better all the way around — everyone.”

“We fought, we battled, but it’s not good enough that’s the big thing,” Capel said.

"Wounded," but a great chance to get back on track ahead.

The Panthers aren’t happy to go on yet another losing streak, but it's a team that has proved it can get out of it. They started as a 1-5 ACC team last season and ended as a top-four seed in the ACC playing in the ACC Semifinals. 

It may not feel like it for Pitt fans, but it is in a better spot than it was last season. Pitt has three conference wins, an impressive non-conference resume and is currently on the good side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Plus, its a team that believes it can fight through this rut.

“I think we have the resolve in that locker room to be able to fight through and push through and to get better,” Capel said.

The Panthers don’t play a weekday game this week and have a chance to clear their minds and rest their bodies. Then, the Panthers play a struggling team in Syracuse to bounce back and get to the winning ways that Pitt fans accustomed themselves to earlier this season. 

But if they lose in the JMA Wireless Dome to a bad Syracuse team, this team will be in serious trouble.

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• WATCH: Pitt's Jeff Capel, Ish Leggett Address Clemson Loss
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