The Pittsburgh Panthers and Jaland Lowe, missing top scorer Ishmael Leggett, started off 2025 with a home win against the Cal Golden Bears, improving their overall record to 11-2 and maintaining their early position at the top of the men’s ACC basketball standings. Led by an electric Jaland Lowe performance, Jeff Capel and his team exited the Petersen Events Center Wednesday afternoon with a 86-74 victory after trailing by 16 points late in the first half.
Pittsburgh’s Early Struggles Without Ishmael Leggett
The surprise pre-game scratch of Pitt’s leading scorer Ishmael “Ish” Leggett and the ongoing absence of guard Damian Dunn proved to be a challenge for the Panthers in the first half. Putting up only 25 points in the game’s first 16 minutes, Jeff Capel and Pittsburgh performed sloppily on both sides of the ball. While having to resort to second and third-tier scorers on offense, Pitt defenders looked fatigued on defense when trying to keep Cal’s guards at bay leading to some early foul trouble concerns. Eventually trailing by 9 after a steal and fast break dunk, the Panthers battled through loose balls and a series of technical fouls to cut the Golden Bears’ lead to 4 at the half.
Jaland Lowe’s Second Half Takeover
With Jeff Capel’s offense looking relatively stagnant in the 1st, Jaland Lowe set the 2nd half tone for Pittsburgh by knocking down a mid range jumper and driving to the basket for 4 quick points. It was clear from the first inbound of the half that Pittsburgh would play a much more polished game, relying early on mid-range jump shots through pick and roll sets. The combination of Lowe’s poise, control of the offense, and ball-handling creativity struck the heart of Cal’s defense. After a few tough buckets from the Sophomore guard, Cal began to double-down, leaving open space for players like Cameron Corhen, the Panther’s 6’10” junior forward. Corhen, who averages around 10 points and 5 rebounds per game, finished with 19 points and 11 assists.
Pitt’s 2nd half turnaround extended into the defensive side of the ball as well, holding Cal’s leading scorer Andrej Stojakovic to his average of 19 points (yes-he is indeed the son of NBA legend Peja Stojakovic). The Golden Bears only scored 32 points in the 2nd half, 9 of which came during “garbage time” as the clock wound down in Pittsburgh. The Panthers will look to ride this momentum into their second home game this Saturday vs. Stanford. After that, Jeff Capel and Pittsburgh will face their toughest test yet this season against Capel’s alma mater Duke and star player Cooper Flagg.
Can the Pittsburgh Panthers Survive ACC Basketball Without Ishmael Leggett?
While Jaland Lowe and the Panthers proved their adaptability against Cal, there were obvious holes caused by Ishmael Leggett’s absence. When double teamed, Lowe often had to resort to players like Amsal Delalic, who frankly lacks the creative playmaking ability and scoring threat that Leggett presents. When Lowe and Leggett are both playing, Pittsburgh has an advanced ability to spread the floor via the backcourt and invite defensive pressure, often leading to open looks in the paint. Although Pitt got the job done today, a day without Lowe or Leggett might end poorly against teams with more dynamic guards like Wake Forest.
Luckily, Jaland Lowe should have his guard sidekick back shortly according to Jeff Capel in postgame follow-up:
Jeff Capel says Ishmael Leggett rolled his ankle during Saturday’s #Pitt practice but the Panthers thought he could recover in time for the game.
After a noon workout, they realized he still needed to rest and decided he wouldn’t play.
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) January 1, 2025
Is Jeff Capel Creating a New Basketball Culture in Pittsburgh?
Now, it is only January 2025-less than 7 years after he took the head coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh. However, Jeff Capel has consistently proven over the past few years that he can adjust his team on a moment’s notice to meet almost any matchup, the most current example being this performance without star-scorer Leggett. The university appears to be quite pleased as well, recently reaching a contract extension in the summer. having While it’s not yet time to start talking about a Tom Izzo type dynasty, Capel has certainly given Pittsburgh something to be excited about.
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