Pitt belts Syracuse, rolls into 1st place in the ACC - TribLIVE

Perhaps the moment that defined Pitt’s runaway 99-82 victory against Syracuse on Saturday was Nike Sibande’s alley-oop dunk in the second half.

The play, initiated by a pinpoint out-of-bounds pass from the baseline by Nelly Cummings, resulted in two points, a 50-40 Pitt lead and a thunderous roar from the sellout crowd of 12,508 at Petersen Events Center. It created an unimpeded path to a victory that lifted Pitt (21-8, 14-4) into first place in the ACC.

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— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) February 25, 2023

But the play that might have meant more to the overall program and spoke to the unselfish way Pitt players have interacted was the last basket with 14 seconds left.

Former walk-on Aidan Fisch, a Franklin Regional graduate, drove to the basket — players made sure he had the ball in his hands — and scored on a driving, left-hand layup that created maybe the loudest cheer of the night. At the buzzer, teammates triumphantly wrestled him to the floor.

“It was emotional for all of us,” Capel said. “Fisch has meant so much to this program. He has the respect of everyone in that locker room. He’s a leader. He’s a believer.

“For him to be able to have that moment and for those guys to look for him … When I saw that ball go through the basket, just the energy in the building. It was one of the most special things I have experienced as a coach. A guy like that inspires us.”

Later, Capel became emotional while awarding Fisch the game ball.

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— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) February 26, 2023

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— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) February 26, 2023

The victory was the most important at the Pete — and probably anywhere — in Capel’s five seasons as head coach. Pitt won its final six home games and is now a half-game ahead of second-place Miami (23-6, 14-5), with Virginia (21-6, 13-5) a game behind with two to play. Both the Cavaliers and Hurricanes lost Saturday. But Pitt still hasn’t locked down the double bye in the ACC Tournament after Duke (21-8, 12-6) defeated Virginia Tech.

Meanwhile, Capel said he had no reaction to seeing his team atop the ACC standings.

“I’m happy we won,” he said. “I’ll enjoy it and start getting ready for these guys (pointing at Notre Dame on TV).”

Pitt visits the Irish on Wednesday.

Pitt officials announced the Miami score at halftime, with a visual of the ACC standings that delighted the crowd, but Capel said he didn’t see it.

“I didn’t know until after the game that Miami lost,” he said. “In competition, I don’t want to know. I’m trying to focus on us and trying to figure out how we can extend the lead against them. I’m not really worried about what’s going on anywhere else.”

Nelly Cummings said, “We were focused on our game. I was trying to act like I didn’t hear it.”

What mattered was how Pitt quickly expanded a 37-33 halftime lead early in the second half. Sibande’s dunk and subsequent 3-pointers by Sibande and Cummings put Syracuse (16-13, 9-9) in a hole from which it could not escape — even while shooting 55.2% from the field in the second half.

Syracuse tried to rally with a full-court press, but it yielded only one turnover and several easy baskets for Pitt.

After shooting only 31.4% in the first half (11 of 35), Pitt was 21 of 33 (63.6%) in the final 20 minutes. Pitt’s 62 points in the second half are tied for fifth-most in program history.

Blake Hinson did much of the damage, finishing with 22 points, but five of his teammates also scored in double digits. Greg Elliott collected 19, Cummings 14 and 13 assists, Federiko Federiko and Jamarius Burton 14 points and Sibande 10.

Burton added 10 rebounds in a game where Pitt had a 37-31 edge on the boards and scored the most points under Capel.

Elliott, who was 0 for 5 in the first half and 5 for 6 after halftime, showed why Pitt players have so much confidence in their shots.

“One of the things as a shooter, you have to be OK with missing shots,” Capel said. “As long as they are good shots. It can turn. You always have to think `I can make the next one. I can go on a run.’

“I told (Elliott at halftime), `Do not drop your head and be ready to shoot.’ He got into a rhythm in the second half and he was able to knock them in.”

Pitt’s 16 3s — tied for third-most in program history — set a school single-season record (274). Meanwhile, Hinson quietly went over 1,000 points (1,007) for his career.

Was it Pitt’s best game of the season?

“I thought it’s one of them,” Capel said. “I thought Northwestern (87-58 early in the season) was the other. I thought we did an unbelievable job of attacking the (Syracuse) zone. In the second half, we made shots. We got shots in the first half. We just didn’t make them.”

The key was outstanding marksmanship, combined with 18 offensive rebounds, a season-high 27 assists on 32 baskets and only five turnovers. That’s a complete effort, but the shot-making is what really made Capel smile.

“If you coach some guys who can make shots,” Capel said, “that’s a lot of fun.”

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

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