The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
Student of the Oakland Zoo stand together with arms around one another during Pitt basketball's game against West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 15

Pitt Dominates West Virginia in Basketball Backyard Brawl

By Conor Hutchison, Senior Staff Writer • November 16, 2024

Pitt men’s basketball routed West Virginia 86-62 in front of a record-setting Oakland Zoo crowd that showed why they’re the Panthers’ sixth-man. Two Mountaineers fouled out, to the pleasure of the...

Jeff Capel, head coach of Pitt men's basketball, yells on the court during the game against Wake Forest on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

‘I want more’: Jeff Capel displays the benefits of patience in college basketball

By Jermaine Sykes, Assistant Sports Editor • March 7, 2024

In a college basketball landscape filled with NET rankings, NIL, the transfer portal and constant coaching movements, what’s lost is a program's ability to build and rebuild. And rebuilding is exactly...

West Virginia guard Malik Curry (10) works the ball as Pittsburgh guard Onyebuchi Ezeakudo (31) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va., Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.

Panthers fall to WVU, 74-59, in 188th Backyard Brawl

By Stephen Thompson, Sports Editor • November 13, 2021
In front of an animated home crowd, Pitt and West Virginia played a game befitting its nickname. In a chippy matchup between rivals, the Panthers succumbed to “Press Virginia,” turning the ball over 32 times in a 74-59 loss to the Mountaineers.
Pitt men’s basketball head coach Jeff Capel has a heated exchange with the referees during the Panthers’ game against NC State on Feb. 17.

Column | After three years under Jeff Capel, Pitt left with more questions than answers

By Zack Gibney, Staff Writer • March 17, 2021
At what point does Capel’s infallibility wear off? After a tumultuous 2020-21 season, the answer is now.
The Pitt men’s basketball team wore masks in a team huddle during its game against Saint Francis University on Nov. 25. Head coach Jeff Capel was gut-wrenchingly honest over the course of the past few months about how difficult this season was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Column | Was this worth it: Reflections from a season covering COVID basketball

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • March 16, 2021
College basketball isn’t a great sport because there is something inherently “good” about a group of 18-to-22-year-olds putting a ball in a metal ring. College basketball is thrilling because of its pageantry and is deeply personal — especially for a student journalist — because you can write about a player dominating national television one night and go to class with them the next morning.
Nike Sibande (22) recorded season-highs in points (12), rebounds (7), shot attempts (13) and minutes (36) against the Florida State Seminoles last weekend.

Pitt falls 79-73 to Miami in ACC Tournament’s opening round

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • March 9, 2021
Pitt men’s basketball entered the ACC Tournament desperate to pull themselves out of a downward spiral that goes back months.  It began when the Panthers (10-12 overall, 6-10 ACC) dropped a one-point contest to Wake Forest on Jan. 23, snowballed into a streak during which they lost nine of 11, reached its climax when junior stars Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney transferred and ends with a 79-73 loss to under-manned Miami (9-16 overall, 4-15 ACC) on the first day of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. 
Pitt star forward Justin Champagnie announced on Tuesday that he will "test the NBA Draft process."

Confounding basketball season to conclude with ACC Tournament

By Zack Gibney, Staff Writer • March 9, 2021
After a long and bumpy ride, the ACC men’s basketball regular season has finally come to an end, and there will be no shortage of storylines as the ACC Tournament approaches. The matchups were finalized after the completion of the regular season on Saturday night.
Pitt men’s basketball (10-11 overall, 6-10 ACC) fell short in a 77-62 loss at Clemson (16-6 overall, 10-6 ACC) on Saturday afternoon.

Pitt comeback falls short in 77-62 loss at Clemson

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • March 8, 2021
Pitt men’s basketball (10-11 overall, 6-10 ACC) was unable to overcome sluggishness on both ends of the court early. The Panthers’ comeback effort fell short in a 77-62 loss at Clemson (16-6 overall, 10-6 ACC) on Saturday afternoon.
Pitt men’s basketball (9-10 overall, 5-9 ACC) has now lost eight of it’s last nine games after falling 62-65 at NC State (12-9 overall, 8-8 ACC) on Sunday afternoon. The team also lost two of its players, juniors Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney, after they transferred.

Pitt begins life after Johnson, Toney with 65-62 loss to NC State

By Zack Gibney and Stephen Thompson • March 1, 2021
Pitt (9-10 overall, 5-9 ACC) has now lost eight of its last nine games after falling 62-65 at NC State (12-9 overall, 8-8 ACC) on Sunday afternoon. In the wake of two key personnel losses, head coach Jeff Capel insisted that he felt this loss could be better attributed to the eight-day layoff between games and not the recent roster attrition.
Au’Diese Toney pictured against Virginia Tech on Feb. 4.

Pitt announces Toney to transfer, second key departure in two days

By Alex Lehmbeck, Sports Editor • February 25, 2021
Junior Pitt forward Au’Diese Toney has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and will not finish the 2020-21 season, the program announced Thursday.
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