Heading into a season full of questions surrounding the backcourt, Pitt men’s basketball went the untraditional route. First-year guards Jaland Lowe and Carlton “Bub” Carrington were thrown into an uncomfortable position — manning the backcourt of a team hungry to return to the NCAA tournament.
While Carrington delivered immediate success, Lowe struggled. For the viewer, it seemed as if the young guard just wasn’t ready for the moment. But as his play of late has shown, he’s more than ready.
Through the Panthers first 12 games of the season, Lowe averaged just around 15 minutes per game and four points per game.
Lowe struggled through the beginning of the season with a nagging injury sustained in the summer. And roster turnover in August almost immediately emphasized Lowe’s role on the team.
After the Panthers’ 12th game of the season on Dec. 20, Lowe and the rest of the Panthers returned to their respective hometowns to spend time with their families. During this break, Lowe says he spoke with his family about his play. This home trip triggered something in the first-year guard.
An injury to junior guard Ishmael Leggett opened up a spot in the Panthers’ starting lineup for Lowe. In the Panthers’ last eight games, Lowe has raised his scoring to 13 points per game, and his minutes per game rose to 29. For Lowe, this scoring burst is just a culmination of him finally feeling healthy.
“I always felt comfortable,” Lowe said. “It was about feeling comfortable in my body. I am feeling a lot healthier, and that helps my comfort out there on the court and helps me play my game. I’m almost 100% now.”
On the trip back to Texas, Lowe counted successes in healing from an injury and increased playtime. Lowe attributes some of the newfound success to his father Marland, who has attended almost every game.
“He leaves the coaching to [Jeff] Capel,” Lowe said. “But my dad’s been great throughout this whole journey.”
Lowe’s increased production has resulted in increased recognition. Lowe was named ACC Rookie of the Week after his performances against Duke and Georgia Tech. Carrington and Lowe are the first Pitt teammates to ever win the weekly award in the same season.
Along with the recognition, Lowe’s responsibility has jumped. Lowe is a mainstay in the Panthers lineup, especially lately in close games. In the upset against Duke, Lowe drained a dagger three-pointer, which literally and figuratively silenced the crowd.
In their loss to Miami, the Panthers had an opportunity to win the game on the last possession. Instead of drawing up a play for senior forward Blake Hinson or Carrington, the Panthers put the ball in the hands of Lowe.
While the shot was unsuccessful — albeit due to controversy — it shows the growth Lowe has made as a player and the faith the team has in him.
This confidence isn’t something that Panthers fans have seen throughout the start of the year, but it shows why Lowe was the No. 66 ranked player in his high school class. To Lowe, he’s simply playing how he knows he can play.
“I’m just playing like myself,” Lowe said. “Everyone on the team saw it before the season started, just in pickup games. It’s nothing new, it’s just that everybody, including myself, is seeing that I’m back to being and playing like myself.”
This surge of production and confidence doesn’t come without support. Panthers head coach Jeff Capel has continued to support Lowe even when he struggled to start the season.
“He’s a good player,” Capel said in a post-game press conference after Lowe shot 1-for-8 from the field. “He’s played well, he just hasn’t shot well.”
Capel’s trust in Lowe is what triggered Lowe’s promotion. And Lowe and Capel will need to keep trusting each other, as well as the rest of the team, moving forward.
The Panthers currently sit 12-8 and will need to finish strong to return to the NCAA tournament. And it is likely that Lowe will continue to play a big role for the Panthers. For Lowe, he wants to see the team show resilience down the stretch of the season.
“[I want to see] the fight that we know we can bring each and every night,” Lowe said. “At the end of the day, the ACC is one of the hardest leagues to win, and we know our ultimate goal is to try to get to win a championship. In order to do that, we need to fight.”