Take 5: Pitt players know Jeff Capel has their backs

Mar. 7—In the aftermath of Jeff Capel's impassioned remarks on ACC officiating after the Clemson game — one reader didn't think rant was an appropriate designation — Pitt stayed in the Carolinas and headed straight to Greensboro, N.C., for the ACC Tournament.

Pitt will play Miami at 2 p.m. Tuesday on the ACC Network in the first of 14 games, punctuated by the championship game Saturday.

Here are five thoughts as the Panthers try to extend their season:

1. About what Capel said ...

You can debate how much truth exists in Capel's words, but you'll have to watch video of every Pitt game to do so with some authority. But he's a coach who wouldn't bring up the subject without solid evidence.

The greater point may be the fact that Capel has his team's back — and, specifically, that of Justin Champagnie.

Champagnie took the high road, praising the officials and admitting "basketball is a physical sport."

As long as he plays college basketball, Champagnie will face multiple defenders around the basket. He knows that and will adjust accordingly, although more consistent scoring from teammates will loosen up those nasty defenses.

2. Next up: The U

Pitt has played 13 games against eight opponents in the ACC Tournament (6-7) and never has played Miami.

The game is a rematch of Pitt's 70-55 road victory in its ACC opener Dec. 16. Ithiel Horton scored 18 points with four 3-pointers.

Au'Diese Toney added 15 in 39 minutes, and Capel called him "the steady guy." Xavier Johnson was in foul trouble and scored seven. Suspended freshman John Hugley will be the third Pitt player who won't appear in the rematch. Hugley scored nine points without a rebound.

You would be safe in expecting a bigger game from Champagnie, who followed up his back-to-back 20-20 games with 10 points and nine rebounds against the Hurricanes.

Miami senior guard Kameron McGusty missed the game with a hamstring injury, but he scored 27 points in 39 minutes Friday against Boston College.

Pitt (10-11, 6-10) is the No. 12 seed while Miami (8-16, 4-15) is No. 13. Both lost six of their eight games after January.

3. ACC scoring race

Duke's Mathew Hurt (14) and Champagnie (13) were both below their averages Saturday, and both will play first-round games Tuesday

Hurt sits at 18.6818182 points per game.

Champagnie sits at 18.3684211.

Conference mathematicians may have to keep moving to the right of the decimal point to determine the winner.

Champagnie leads the ACC in rebounding, 11.11-8.91, over Syracuse's Quincy Guerrier.

4. What should the winner expect?

If Pitt beats Miami, its second-round game would be a rematch of No. 5-seeded Clemson's 77-62 victory Saturday. Will the Tigers remember how they led by double digits for much of the game only three days earlier and decide to save themselves for the bigger stage?

Clemson is projected into the NCAA Tournament as the third-highest seeded ACC team (No. 7), according to ESPN's Bracketology.

Pitt won two games in the ACC tournament only once — in its first season in the conference (2013-14).

5. Who will be crowned champion?

There is no clear favorite in the ACC this season.

Check out the most recent ESPN Bracketology. No ACC team is projected higher than a No. 5 seed (Florida State) for the NCAA Tournament, and the Seminoles lost by 10 on Saturday to Notre Dame, ending the Irish's four-game losing streak.

Here's a guess at the ACC final four: Georgia Tech vs. Virginia; Florida State vs. North Carolina.

After that, Florida State will defeat the sixth-seeded Tar Heels in a physical semifinal with lots of bodies banging in the paint. Georgia Tech is on a six-game winning streak, started by a 71-65 victory against Pitt, and will carry that momentum to a victory against No. 1 seed Virginia.

In the end, Florida State will win its first ACC Tournament title since 2012.

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter .