Column | Pitt ends a disappointing 2024-2025 campaign

What was once a season full of promise and return to glory turned into a season of disappointment and heartbreak for Pitt men’s basketball. At one point this season, Pitt ranked fifth in the net rankings, No. 18 in the AP Poll and looked like a lock for a high seed in the NCAA tournament. 

Pitt entered the new year with an impressive 10-2 record and a couple of solid wins under its belt heading into ACC play. What followed was a dreadful 7-13 end to the season and another missed NCAA tournament for head coach Jeff Capel’s program. 

So, what on earth happened to the Panthers? Pitt’s second-half collapse was one of the worst in program history, despite some talent available on the roster.

The biggest problem was a lack of reliable depth on the team. While there was plenty of talent, a lot of it did not mesh well together or was very underdeveloped at a couple of key positions.

Because of this, some players on the roster played 35 or more minutes a game, leading to fatigue and mistakes in key moments. This would play a huge role, with Pitt’s losing by two possessions or less in eight losses. If even half of those break the other way, fans could have seen this team in March Madness. 

The team also lacked a lot of physicality and focus when it came to defense and rebounding. In ACC play, Pitt’s defense was particularly abysmal. Pitt allowed teams to shoot well from behind the arc, including poor shooting teams like Virginia and Wake Forest, which were both critical losses. 

Pitt also got heavily out-rebounded in several of its losses, which shows an issue with roster construction in the frontcourt. While junior forwards Cam Corhen and the Diaz Graham twins are solid scorers, they don’t have the size or ability to control the paint and often look overmatched when defending and rebounding down below. 

Jeff Capel and his staff need to pursue a physical, big man who can control things underneath, while the aforementioned forwards can more effectively stretch the floor, which is their strength. 

Pitt also had a notable downgrade in guard and wing play, which was a strength of the team in the previous two years. This problem comes down to inefficiency and inconsistency. While it was expected that sophomore guard Jaland Lowe would contribute the most on the team, he had a notable step down from the season prior. 

Last year, Lowe looked calm and collected most nights. This year, he looked lost and frustrated in most games. Lowe’s struggles were due to Capel placing most of the playmaking duties on him. 

This is shown through Lowe’s shooting and turnover statistics, with the guard shooting a ghastly 26% from three and averaging three turnovers per game. While he did lead the team in points per game this season, a lot of his scoring came on inefficient shooting nights. Two other players who also disappointed were fifth-year guard Damian Dunn and first-year guard Brandin “Beebah” Cummings. 

Dunn dealt with injuries throughout the entire season, eventually getting shut down late into ACC play. When healthy, Dunn was a major contributor to Pitt’s success, providing experience and versatility to the lineup. However, he could not stay healthy throughout the year, creating a major lineup crisis. 

Cummings’ issues lie in the fact that he seemed out of place throughout the season. But Pitt fans were a little spoiled by Carlton “Bub” Carrington’s play last season, while Cummings looked more like a typical first-year player. 

Cummings had flashes throughout the year but overall seemed to need more development. While I think he has great potential in this program for the coming years, his product was not what the team needed this year. 

Pitt fell victim to inconsistency and a lack of a cohesive roster. While I’m not quite on the “Fire Capel” train, this offseason is the most crucial of his tenure. This offseason is potentially the difference between this season looking like an unfortunate blip, or a sign of a downturn of a program that seemed like it was finally going to turn it around. 

It’s looking grim in Oakland, but the future is not completely bleak. It just might need another Blake Hinson or Carrington to get it going again. I’m just not sure where it will come from at this time.