Pitt's 79-73 loss to Miami shows key offseason needs

The reeling Pitt Panthers saw their season ended abruptly and predictably, getting bounced in the first round of the ACC Tournament for the first time under Jeff Capel.

The Panthers fell 79-73 to the University of Miami to end the season losing seven of their last eight games. It also capped a miserable two-week stretch for a program that had two of his top scorers, Xavier Johnson and Au'Diese Toney, leave the team and enter the transfer portal.  

The Panthers finished the campaign 10-12 overall and 6-10 in the ACC. Capel addressed his team after the game: 

Pitt's defense allowed just 66.1 points per game as it went 8-2 in their first 10 games. It was a strength for the Panthers, who faded as the season wore on, finishing seventh-best in the ACC (69.7 points). 

Those late-season defensive struggles carried over against Miami, which scored well above its 65.9 points per game average. The Hurricanes shot 43 percent from the field and dominated the paint, outscoring Pitt 38-28 in the key. Much of that was based off a pick-and-roll offense that Pitt couldn't solve. 

Watch Anthony Walker set a screen for Isaiah Wong and roll to the hoop an easy basket underneath:

After a nine-point run by Pitt early in the first half, Miami never let the Panthers go on more than a five-point run. The Panthers would make a push in a second half that featured 15 lead changes. But familiar problems surfaced as it lost the turnover battle 14-6, and Miami outscored Pitt 22-6 in points off turnovers and 19-4 in fast break points.

Here's Wong getting one of Miami's seven steals, this one off Femi Odukale, then quickly turning that into transition points:

It was a rough day for Pitt with turnovers.

It also was rough finale for Justin Champagnie, who might declare for the NBA Draft and forgo his junior season. He shot 5 of 20 from the field and 1 of 8 on 3-pointers. It was his worst shooting performance of the season in recording his 14th double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.  

Of all the times for Champagnie to have a bad day, it happened in a game where Pitt's backcourt flourished. Odukale led the team with 28 points, shooting 11 of 16, while Nike Sibande scored 24 points, shooting 9 of 15, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers. Pitt even had Ithiel Horton come off the bench to score 10 points, hitting 4 of 8 shots. It was the first ACC Tournament appearance for each of the guards.

Odukale had his best offensive outing as he drove to the basket, scoring with either hand. He converted while drawing contact several times. Here's an instance when he drove with his left hand and hit a tough layup over multiple defenders:

Odukale was guilty of four turnovers, but they weren't the out-of-control kind too often committed by Johnson at point guard.

Capel said that he was 'very pleased' with Odukale's performance, but that he had a lot of work to do. Odukale also hit just 4 of his 8 free throws, staying on par with his season free-throw percentage of 49.2. Odukale said as soon as he got off the flight back to Pittsburgh from the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., the first thing he was going to do was practice his free throws .

Sibande's offensive explosion also kept Pitt alive, as he drove to the basket several times to convert layups and also stepped back to hit 3-pointers. If he can find that balance in his game, it could really put defenders on their heels next season:

It's a good thing he says he wants to be back.

Despite a competitive second-half showing from Pitt, Miami went on a 9-0 run in the final three minutes of the game. The spurt gave the Hurricanes a seven-point lead, and Pitt never recovered.

Now,a critical offseason begins for Capel, who must replace the losses of Johnson and Toney and wipe away the memory of another late-season flameout. The coach will be entering his fourth year with the program. He will have a young group of players that must develop into key pieces for Pitt to have its first winning season since 2015-16 under Jamie Dixon.

"I'm excited about our future," Capel said. "I think we have some really good pieces. I'm very hopeful that we have a spring and summer when we can work with the guys to help them get better. That's one of the things that hurt any team that relies on young guys because we didn't have a spring or summer to really work. We have some guys that need to change their bodies, get stronger and get in better shape. I look forward to doing that with these guys."

Capel will have blend his young players with high school recruits and talent in the transfer portal to replace the veterans lost in Johnson and Toney. Pitt also will need to find a legitimate center who can give it a front-court presence that has been lacking since even the Kevin Stallings days.

But the looming question is still whether Champagnie will return.

"I had a discussions with his parents about a month ago," Capel said when asked about Champagnie's future. "I said that we'd wait for when the season is over with to come up with a plan. What I try to do in these situations is make sure Justin, his family and I are on the same page. There will be a lot of people who try to divide us by saying I'm trying to make him come back to school for me.

"Justin doesn't owe me anything. He needs to do what's best for him. Because of my connections and people I know in the NBA, I'll get him accurate information and not what you read on any draft website. I know how those things work. I'll share that information with him and his family honestly and I'll support them in whatever they decision they see is best. I've never been a guy that tries to make a kid stay or go. That's not my decision. My job is to get them information. If they ask for my opinion, I'll give it. But I won't volunteer it."

After making first team All-ACC and finishing second in ACC Player of the Year voting, Champagnie could have a case to go for the NBA in this draft. But he also could see his late-season struggles as a sign that he should return to work on rounding out his game to bolster his draft stock.

That decision, along with how Capel develops young players like Odukale, William Jeffress and Noah Collier, could all be what truly determines if Pitt basketball will be competitive in the ACC any time soon.