No time to 'stew' over loss to Florida, Pitt prepares to confront Oregon State on Friday

It was 11:53 p.m. Wednesday, not long after Pitt’s loss to Florida in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT Tip-off, and coach Jeff Capel gave his players their orders.

“I just told the team, ‘Right now, we have about seven more minutes to stew on this, and then we’re going to wake up (Thursday). Midnight’s going to be a new day and then we have to move on. We play Friday. We have to move forward quickly. It’s a quick turnaround. We have to be ready to play.’ ”

This early-season MTE (multi-team event) presents a unique challenge Pitt won’t face again this season unless it reaches the NCAA Tournament. There is only one day — 39 hours, actually — between the Florida loss and the consolation game at 3 p.m. Friday against Oregon State (3-2). The Beavers lost to No. 13 Baylor, 88-72, in the first game Wednesday.

The Panthers (4-1) are on a run of five consecutive games against teams from power conferences. Missouri visits Petersen Events Center on Tuesday, followed by Clemson in the ACC opener Dec. 3 and a trip to West Virginia on Dec. 6.

The games get more interesting and challenging, and the trick will be sustaining the Panthers’ momentum and fans’ enthusiasm after the 4-0 start against mid-majors.

Pitt wasn’t competitive in the second half of the 86-71 loss to Florida, the first time the Panthers have scored fewer than 86 points.

But Capel was encouraged by one aspect of the game that had been a previous concern. Pitt had a rebounding advantage against the Gators, 46-37. Ismael Leggett and Zack Austin led the way with nine each.

“That’s something we had a point of emphasis coming into the game,” Capel said.

Baylor (5-0) outrebounded Oregon State, 34-30, while cruising to a relatively easy victory. Oregon State trailed 44-26 at halftime and shot 63% (17 of 27) in the second half but could get no closer than a 12-point deficit.

“That’s as good a test as we’re going to see this early in the season,” Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said. “Disappointed with our start. I think we got caught up in the moment a little bit.”

Oregon State had scored only nine points nearly 10 minutes into the game.

Dexter Akanno, a 6-foot-5 guard, led Oregon State with 16 points, followed by 6-2 guard Jordan Pope (13) and 6-10, 287-pound center KC Ibekwe, who scored 10 points and blocked three Baylor shots.

The game will be only the fourth all-time between the Panthers and Beavers. Pitt is 0-3, losing in the Far West Classic in 1981 and in back-to-back games Dec. 22-23, 1950.