When Femi Odukale scored in the first half of Pitt’s game at West Virginia on Friday night, he blew a kiss to the crowd as he ran back on defense.

That was all the large group of students at WVU Coliseum needed to see.

He became a target all night, drawing jeers and boos every time he touched the ball.

Which was OK with him.

“I don’t want to say it was challenging because I’m from New York, and I’ve played in outside environments. Even high school games,” said Odukale, who grew up in Brooklyn. “I actually enjoy that a lot. I like when people make me feel like the underdog. This is what I wanted since I was a kid.

“I like the West Virginia crowd. I wish we had a chance to play them again.”

The Backyard Brawl is played only once a year, and West Virginia has won the past five in row, including a 74-59 victory Friday.

“That just happened naturally,” Odukale said of his gesture to the students, “because back in my high school days I used to do it.

“Before the game, (fans) were talking while I was warming up. In my mind, once I get one shot going and do that to them, I know they’re going to be angry and that’s just going to put fuel in my fire.

“But it didn’t turn out how I wanted it to turn out.”

Odukale made only one more basket and ended up with seven points while playing almost 32 minutes. Confronted with the Mountaineers’ intense defense, the Panthers committed 32 turnovers — sixth-most in program history — and Odukale was charged with eight. That’s as many as the entire team committed in the opener against The Citadel.

Coach Jeff Capel believes playing in an energized atmosphere in Morgantown will help his team become accustomed to people in the stands for the first time since the end of the 2019-20 season.

The season resumes Tuesday with more friendly faces watching when Pitt welcomes UNC Wilmington to Petersen Events Center. UNC Wilmington is 1-1, with a 68-63 loss to Illinois State and a victory against Guilford, 77-68.

The hope is West Virginia’s defensive pressure will teach Pitt a lesson.

“That’s the way they play. There was unbelievable energy in the building. That will help us as we go forward,” Capel said.

Capel said avoiding turnovers is a regular topic of discussion during his video/feedback sessions with the players.

“We felt like when we didn’t turn it over, we got good looks (at the basket),” he said, noting Pitt shot 65% from the field (13 of 20) in the second half. “We just have to be poised and strong in chaotic situations.

“It was a chaotic situation for 40 minutes, and we didn’t handle it well.”

Reduced to one scholarship guard through the first two games because of Nike Sibande’s knee injury and Ithiel Horton’s suspension, Capel hopes Jamarius Burton, a 6-foot-4 transfer guard from Texas Tech, will make his Pitt debut Tuesday.

Burton, a senior, has been sidelined for more than a month with a knee injury. Burton practiced with the team Monday, and how his knee responds Tuesday will indicate his readiness to play.

“There’s a chance that he will. If there are no setbacks, most likely he’ll play,” Capel said.

“He’ll give us another ball-handler. He’s a shot-maker.”

Capel also said Burton’s experience, toughness, defensive ability and leadership will be welcome.

“We’ve been playing with a lot of stuff going on,” he said, “and it severely impacted us with what we had worked on for over a month in preparation for our season. Two of the mainstays from that were gone.

“That left us two days of preparation to figure out: Do we do something different or do we stick to what we’ve done?

“We tried to preach strength. We tried to preach being together and fighting. I was proud of how we fought at West Virginia.”

But he knows the reality of the situation.

“We need to get a win,” he said. “Hopefully, we can come out and be worthy enough to earn the right to win.”

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