It’s anyone’s guess as to the nature of coach Jeff Capel’s postgame message to players following Pitt’s wild 75-74 loss to Florida State on Wednesday night.
On senior night at Petersen Events Center, Pitt trailed by 16 at halftime and 24 early into the second half before a furious comeback made it a two-point game with 11 seconds left and one-point game with a single second remaining.
Capel could have focused on the Panthers’ dominant second half or putrid start.
Either way, in the penultimate regular-season contest and home finale, Pitt’s comeback effort wasn’t enough.
“I didn’t think we played with the necessary force we needed to in the first 25 minutes of the game,” Capel said. “Why? I don’t know because I thought we were past that. But we didn’t and it showed on both ends. … We got down 24 and then we started playing hard, with force, and were able to work our way back in the game. Guys made some big-time plays and we made some opportunities.
“I’m proud of the fight, proud of the effort, proud that we didn’t drop the rope and give in but disappointed in how we started and that we didn’t come out with the necessary force. That’s on me. I’ve got to figure out how to get us better prepared.”
Barry Dunning Jr., Cam Corhen and Damarco Minor were the three Pitt seniors honored with a pregame ceremony, and each played important roles in nearly willing the Panthers to a win.
Dunning finished with a season-high 26 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double, while Corhen added 14 points and six boards.
Minor scored six of his 10 points — both on 3-pointers — in the final 11 seconds of play to give Pitt some late hope.
Unfortunately, for the Panthers (11-19, 4-13 ACC), it went for naught.
Minor’s final 3-pointer, made with about a second-and-a-half left, made it a 75-74 game and was reviewed for a foul, potentially setting up a game-tying free throw attempt.
But no foul was called and a successful final inbound sealed the deal for Florida State (16-14, 9-8).
“To finish that second half the way (Pitt) did was truly impressive,” FSU coach Luke Loucks said postgame. “We made our fair share of mistakes and we’re obviously pleased with another road win — five straight road wins for our program. … But that second half was very problematic in a lot of ways.”
Loucks could hardly have asked for a better start to the game, as his team got hot from downtown, draining 8 of 14 (57.1%) of its 3-point attempts to start.
The long-range shooting and a 60.7% make rate from the floor in general allowed Florida State to put Pitt on the ropes heading into halftime, with the Seminoles promptly taking a 54-30 advantage less than two minutes into the second.
Things stayed well out of reach for Pitt over the ensuing minutes, but the Panthers did eventually begin to chip away.
With 11:06 to play, two layups from Corhen and 3-pointers by Nojus Indrusaitis and Dunning got Pitt within nine, 60-51.
Pitt and Florida State traded baskets over the next few minutes and still, with 6:58 to play, the Seminoles clung to a nine-point lead.
However, Dunning, who dropped 18 in the second half, hit a 3 and Corhen added a pair of free throws to trim FSU’s lead to 67-63 at the 5:21 mark.
LaJae Jones of Florida State then hit a free throw to make it 68-63 with 5:07 to play.
That score held for 4 minutes, 15 seconds, until there was less than a minute remaining in regulation, as both squads struggled for offense.
“We got some good looks. We missed some shots,” Capel said. “I thought we were a little bit fatigued.”
Added Loucks: “In the second half, we weren’t getting stops, which hindered our pace, which hindered our ability to attack the paint. Pitt adjusted.”
With 52 seconds to play, Florida State appeared to have delivered the dagger, as Jones converted a 3-pointer that put his team up 71-63.
But eight seconds later, Indrusaitis, who finished with 17 seconds, responded with a 3-pointer.
Chauncey Wiggins then dunked the ball, putting Florida State back in front, 73-66, with 33 seconds to go.
Then, with 19 seconds left, Indrusaitis hit two free throws and Minor made the first of his two late 3-pointers with 11 seconds on the clock, as FSU hung on with a 73-71 lead.
The Seminoles’ Robert McCray made two shots from the charity stripe with five seconds to go, but Minor’s 3-pointer soon thereafter had the scoreboard reading 75-74.
No more miracles were in store for the Panthers from there, though, as Florida State escaped with a narrow win.
As a team, Pitt shot 41.3% from the floor and 33.3% from deep. The Panthers hit 13 of 17 (76.5%) of their free throws and out-rebounded FSU 37-35.
“We didn’t come out with urgency in the first half,” Dunning said. “We came out really slow, and (Florida State) took advantage of that. They made some tough buckets in the first half, and you could see in our body language that we looked like we were defeated. We’ve got to come out with some urgency, come out with some fight in the first half. We’ve got to put two good halves together.”