College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 24-12; Third (14-6) in the Atlantic Coast Conference, won a First Four matchup, lost in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Jeff Capel (Sixth Year; 75-81 at Pitt, with one NCAA Tournament appearance)

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Jaland Lowe – 6’3″, 170 – Freshman

SG Ishmael ‘Ish’ Leggitt – 6’3″, 185 – Junior

SF Zack Austin – 6’7″, 205 – Junior

PF Blake Hinson – 6’8″, 230 – Senior

C Federiko Federiko – 6’11”, 225 – Junior

Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats

Jaland Lowe: Consensus Top 100 recruit

Ish Leggitt: 16.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 spg – 32.0% 3FG @ Rhode Island

Zack Austin: 14.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.1 spg, 2.1 bpg – 33.3% 3FG @ High Point

Blake Hinson: 15.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.6 spg – 38.0% 3FG

Federiko Federiko: 6.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.5 apg, 1.7 bpg – 66.7% FG

Experienced Reserves

F Guillermo Diaz Graham – 7’0″, 229 – Sophomore

F Jorge Diaz Graham – 6’11’, 225 – Sophomore

F William Jeffress – 6’7″, 210 – Junior

Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats

Guillermo Diaz Graham: 3.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.8 bpg – 44.7% FG

Jorge Diaz Graham: 2.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.5 bpg – 35.3% 3FG

William Jeffress: 3.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.7 spg – 29.8% FG in 2021-22

Freshmen

G Carlton Carrington – 6’5″, 190 – Freshman – Consensus Top 100 recruit

C Papa Amadou Kante – 6’10”, 235 – Freshman – Will miss season (injury)

W Marlon Barnes, Jr – 6’6″, 190 – Freshman

Coming into last season, since the end of 2015-16 when Jamie Dixon left for TCU, Pitt had won more than 16 games in a season a grand total of zero times. Jeff Capel, Pitt’s head coach, had coached nine previous seasons at the high major level. Outside of his Blake Griffin-led 30-win squad in 2008-09, Capel had only led one other of his previous teams to more than 16 wins. At this time last year, Capel had gone a combined 65-87 over his five previous seasons; one of those seasons got him fired at Oklahoma, and the other four came at Pitt, where the home fans were getting more than a bit frustrated.

Then, something changed. Mostly, Pitt’s roster. Legendary Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was famously heard to say last season that “Pitt bought a team”.

“The point I’m making is every school can do that,” Boeheim later clarified as part of an apology for his comment. “Throughout the league, if you look at teams that have really improved, they mostly have transfer guys.”

If Pitt ‘bought’ a team last year, so did a great many other programs. Which isn’t to say that it’s an altogether admirable way of building a team, but this is where we are in the world of college basketball. It is a time for bold action, and Capel and the Pitt administration have played the new game boldly.

It’s working. Pitt won 24 games overall last season, inverted their Atlantic Coast Conference record from two years ago to win 14 league games, and the Panthers won two games once they arrived at the NCAA Tournament. Also, Boeheim might want to avert his eyes from Pitt’s haul of newcomers this time around, too, because Capel has, in part, restocked his roster the same way scores of other coaches have: via the Transfer Portal. NIL $ goes in, wins come out. Capel and the Panthers can kinda explain that…but they’d rather just play -and win.

Blake Hinson is a unique player with a unique story. He’s got the size and lower-body strength to play effectively in the post, and the sweet stroke to make opponents pay from the outside. In his first year at Pitt, Hinson certainly did the latter. Last year, at a career-high 38.0% rate, Hinson led the ACC with 97 made three’s for the season. As the Panthers’ main scorer, Capel wants him to know that his coach is fully in support of a green-light policy when Hinson gets it on the outside. “In practice one time, I didn’t take a shot,” Hinson remembers. “It wasn’t the most wide-open shot but Coach came up to me and told me, ‘I never want you not to shoot that ever again.’…We laugh now because he said ‘Ever since, there hasn’t been a shot that you haven’t taken.’” It wasn’t just a breakout season, it was a personal triumph for the veteran forward. After spending two years trying to establish the right fit at Ole Miss, Hinson looked for a new program which would be a better match. He chose to play for Steve Prohm at Iowa State, and began the nearly-archaic process of sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules. Hinson was then forced to miss the next season, as well, due to a medical redshirt. By the time he was healthy and ready to finally suit up as a Cyclone, Prohm had cratered and been replaced by TJ Otzelberger, who met with Hinson about the role Otzelberger envisioned for the player he had inherited.

Soon after, Hinson was in the Transfer Portal, and after a tremendous season in the Steel City, Hinson is perfectly at ease with how his decision has played out. He even got to exact a measure of revenge at the Cyclones’ expense; Pitt met Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament last year, and Hinson’s team prevailed. “It was Pitt vs. Iowa State. It wasn’t Blake vs. Iowa State,” Hinson told SiriusXM ACC Radio after the Tournament. “But Iowa State told me I wasn’t good enough to play for their team so you can imagine how good I felt after we were waving them goodbye come tournament time.” These days, Hinson ranks right up there with beloved local documentarian Rick Sebak as one of Pittsburgh’s favorite big dudes. Since Hinson is back to lead the Panthers and be the floor-spacing focus of opposing defenses, Capel’s youngsters will always have a teammate ready and willing to look for in big-shot moments. With both good strength and touch around the rim, he cashed in 26 putbacks, per Hoop-Math, accounting for nearly a fifth of the buckets he scored near the cup last year. Hinson also ranked ninth in the ACC in defensive rebounds, shot 58% overall near the basket last season, and he took a career-high 134 trips to the free throw line – though Capel would love to see his star cash in more than 67.9% of his freebies. Pitt fans are happy that Hinson chose to come back for another year, and since the NBA likes versatile guys who can shoot it from deep, it figures to be ‘bombs away!’ when #2 has room to shoot again all winter long. Hinson is the veteran in a young and rising frontcourt, and there are now four talented bigs all vying for the prime minutes around him.

Federiko Federiko arrived in Pittsburgh from the junior college level last season, and immediately set about showing the ACC that he was going to be a tough matchup. Federiko started 27 games and swatted 58 shots, the third-most blocks in the league. He further snagged 86 offensive boards – sixth in the ACC – and thundered home 41 dunks, helping Federiko to make an excellent 69.5% of his attempts near the rim, per Barttorvik. Federiko was actually playing some of his best basketball down the stretch, too; prior to injuring his knee in the ACC Tournament against Duke, Federiko had been averaging 11.3 points and six boards on 69% shooting since the middle of February. He played in the NCAA Tournament, but ‘Fede’ wasn’t the same guy he’d been prior to getting hurt. This summer, he’s gotten stronger and worked on his face-up game, and Federiko is hoping to return to ACC play with a vengeance. This year’s highest-rated freshman big will unfortunately not be able to take the court this winter.

Papa Kante is a skilled pivot who picked the Panthers over Michigan, and has the size, wingspan (it’s reportedly 7’4″) and physical presence that made recruiting analysts expecting he would make an impact right away. He injured his knee in summer workouts, though, and is expected to miss this season recovering. “He rim-runs well, is just starting to utilize his big body to seal for easy buckets inside, and has made a lot of progress with his hands and reactions in quick catch-and-finish situations. Kante also has good touch and footwork, but becomes less efficient when trying too hard to prove his face-up skill set,” Adam Finklestein of 247 Sports has said of Kante, and Pitt fans will eagerly anticipate their first true look at Pitt’s new Papa.

Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham are twins from Spain, and got their start at Pitt last year off the bench as they adjusted to the American college game. It was tough to consistently get serious minutes as developing youngsters on an NCAA Tournament-bound squad. When the brothers did get to play, though, their happiness to be out there – and considerable potential – was evident. “Those two young guys are awesome,” Capel told reporters after the brothers shared the court late in a win against Louisville. “From the time they took their official visit here and every day we get to be around them – they have joy for playing basketball, for being good teammates, for working. They’re not afraid of it. They are going to be really good players here.” Both brothers are good passers who see the floor well and have a bit of patience. Guillermo, considered to be a bit stronger with the more-developed post skills of the two, played a bit more often than Jorge in their first year, and started three games to Jorge’s one. While both of them have good range on their jumper, Jorge is considered to favor his face-up game more, and each of the brothers is a potential shot-swatting intimidator for wing players who just want to get inside for a look at the bucket. As the confidence and physicality of the brothers grow, Pitt’s literal twin towers could emerge as an outstanding pair of versatile x-factors.

Last season, Capel had a terrific pair of playmakers at his disposal. One of the best duos in the nation, really. Burton & Cummings have gone like the Original Hot Dog Shop; and like an O-dog, Pittsburgh – nay, the world – will miss them. Together, departed seniors Jamarius Burton and Nelly Cummings averaged 26.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game last season, plus they accounted for 59 steals and 79 made triples. That’s a staggering amount of production to replace at maybe the most valuable position on the floor.

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

+5.4 – Average Score Margin (65th)

7.6 – Opponent 3FG Made Per Game (232nd)

75.9% – Team Free Throw Percentage (41st)

9.0 – Opponent Offensive Rebounds Per Game (264th)

1.273 – Team Assists Per Turnover (55th)

So Capel is gonna go with a freshman at the point. A 4-star recruit in this year’s class, Jaland Lowe may well be the crown jewel of Capel’s highly-rated and talented group of freshmen. A point guard who loves to shoot three’s, Lowe is said to already possess NBA range, and his handle, pacing and savvy running the show are not too far behind. A Houston area product, Lowe has been on the radar of high major programs for years now, and he truly stepped into the spotlight last summer, starring for his AAU team on the Nike EYBL circuit, bringing home All-Peach Jam honors last year. “They (Pitt) are getting a point guard who competes and can score while getting his teammates involved,” Lowe told Brandon Jenkins for 247 Sports after committing to the Panthers. “They are getting someone who wins. I want to be a winner over there while having a lot of fun.” A smooth-operating lefty, Lowe doesn’t let pressure speed him up, and though he’s young, Lowe communicates and keeps his guys organized whether in the halfcourt or while using his great speed in the open floor.

While the point may be in young hands, Capel needed at least some experience at the off-guard spot; and hopefully, somebody to replace some of the 77 triples which Greg Elliott sank last year. In his only season as a Panther, Elliott helped Hinson to boost Pitt towards the upper echelon of three point-shooting teams in the nation last year. With Cummings and Nike Sibande – who’s also gone – combining to chuck in a further 104 treys, Pitt finished 35th in all of Division I hoops in made triples a season ago. That’s a whole lot more production to try and replace.

“Ishmael is a strong veteran guard with a balanced skill set”

– Jeff Capel

The veteran scorer who Capel came up with is former Rhode Island star Ishmael Leggett. While he’s not quite on Hinson’s level yet from deep, Leggett can make plenty of outside shots. “Ishmael is a strong veteran guard with a balanced skill set,” Capel says of his new scorer. “He uses his strength and craftiness to get in the lane to create for himself and his teammates and has also shown the ability to be a weapon behind the three-point arc. His leadership and competitive spirit mirror the culture we are creating in this program.” Leggett is a 33.3% career shooter from deep, but made 84.5% of his foul shots last year and was by far the Rams’ top scoring threat. The hope is that Leggett will be taking at least some fewer forced shots now that he’s on a team with other scoring options, and his efficiency will rise. Speaking of his 85% at the stripe, Leggett’s 147 made freebies ranked third in the A-10 last year, and he finished seventh in the league in scoring average. Though he’s not going to be the biggest 2-guard in the ACC, Leggett always gives a great effort defensively, and is a surprisingly tenacious rebounder despite his smaller size.

While Lowe is H2P’s top-rated freshman this year by some publications, his classmate Carlton Carrington is no less a touted prospect. Capel is expecting instant offense from the lanky off-guard, and Carrington possesses some scoring instincts which should play well right out of the box. Carrington is a good shooter; maybe not the most dangerous deep threat of 2023, yet he has shown a very good feel inside the arc. His pull-up jumper is a true go-to option, and Carrington’s confidence shooting off the bounce should play well so long as he takes smart shots.Carrington is a good passer who occasionally tries for highlight-reel plays; some of them are great fun, while other go for sloppy turnovers. “Carrington is a late-blooming big combo-guard who has terrific positional size and a frame that he is still growing into,” says Finklestein. “As he continues to grow into his body and simultaneously become more efficient, his best basketball is clearly still in front of him.” If Carrington can defend at a high level early on, it will help him to get onto the floor with both Lowe and Leggett in different sets, and he projects as a strong compliment to Lowe going forward.

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

N – Baylor / Oregon State – November 24

N – Florida – November 22

@ West Virginia – December 6

vs Missouri – November 28

vs Florida Gulf Coast – November 13

Hopefully, while Leggett and Carrington get buckets, Capel’s other key Portal addition will help out quite a bit on the defensive end. Zack Austin comes to Pitt as pound-for-pound, one of the best defenders and shot blockers in America. With so many winning-minded veterans to replace, Capel is looking forward to Austin doing all sorts of little things; and to him making life exceedingly unenjoyable for opposing scorers. “Zack is a versatile and productive forward with the ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor,” said Capel upon Austin’s commitment. “He is an outstanding athlete with strong rebounding and defensive instincts along with a solid shooting stroke out beyond the three-point line. We believe Zack will be a great fit in our system and we look forward to working with him as he continues to grow and develop.” If you squint just right, it’s possible to see some Matisse Thybulle out there when Austin is on the floor. Highly athletic and explosively quick, Austin is a defensive menace. He likes to shoot it from deep, and though he’s at just 32.7% for his career, Austin has made 60+ three’s in both of his college seasons. Given his defensive skills and range, Austin is thus a particularly attractive two-way player for a team that had so much success shooting from outside a year ago. Austin is also a willing passer and terrific, active rebounder who has picked up 101 offensive boards in two years despite not being anything like a traditional post player. With his range of skills and spark-plug style of play, Austin should be a big hit all over the court for his new team of Panthers.

Last season was a long one for wing forward William Jeffress. Before his year began, Jeffress hurt a toe on his left foot. It didn’t get better, and eventually, Jeffress missed the whole season. Now, he’s back to regain what had been a rising role. A strong defender, Jeffress raises the energy level when he steps onto the floor. He’s a hard worker on the glass, and takes on a variety of defensive assignments. Capel hopes to employ Jeffress at the 4 spot when he goes with a smaller lineup, and Jeffress earned 16 starts over the course of his last healthy season by sliding over to cause problems for scoring wings. If Jeffress has improved as a shooter, it will really go a long way towards getting him back to playing almost 20 minutes per game. Jeffress is just a 27.3% shooter through two seasons, and needs to start hanging his hat on something on the offensive end. Marlon Barnes, Jr, rounds out Capel’s freshman class. He can score effectively inside the arc, and has even more of the long, quick-footed defensive upside which Capel has been searching for.

Pitt has come a long way in a short amount of time. Capel’s landing of what has been ranked as a Top 25 freshman class is further evidence that the Panthers are making a real move towards becoming a contending program, not just hiring a good year every now and again (right, Jim?)It will be very difficult for Leggett, Carrington and Lowe to give the Panthers all of what Capel’s four departed veteran guards offered as a group last winter.

This team has been constructed differently, though, with a shift towards the exciting potential up front. If Austin can make the same offense-wrecking impact he’s demonstrated so far, Leggett assumes some of the primary scoring load, and Hinson continues to be one of the country’s top deep threats, the kids will have time to find their roles. Not many around the Zoo would have believed it just 12 months ago, but the Panthers are close to being fully back on track.