After losing 4 games in a row, Pitt confronts injuries, issues on offense

The hard truth Pitt’s players and coaches must face after six days of travel — from Pittsburgh to North Carolina to Texas and back home — is that they are a beaten team in more ways than one.

The Panthers (14-10, 5-8 ACC) have lost four in a row for the second time in a month, senior guard Damian Dunn is returning to campus with a broken elbow and sophomore point guard Jaland Lowe may need to spend time in concussion protocol.

The season marches on, but before anyone can even dream of reaching the NCAA Tournament, coach Jeff Capel must find a way to cover for those personnel losses, among several other problems. Lowe’s availability Saturday against Miami at Petersen Events Center is unclear (he has not been ruled out at this point), but Dunn is most likely lost for the season.

Dunn did not play Tuesday in the 83-63 loss at SMU, replaced in the backcourt by freshman Brandin Cummings, who will need to grow up in a hurry.

Cummings has shown an ability to score. He recorded 30 against Eastern Kentucky in December and double digits in five other games, including 15 against California and 12 in the second half at SMU. He’ll need to refine his game with defense and ball-handling, obviously with Dunn out, but especially if Lowe must miss some time.

“He can score. There’s no question about it,” associate head coach Tim O’Toole said on the 93.7 FM postgame show Tuesday night. “But, especially at this level about being a point guard, you have to value the ball and take care of that thing and then you have to defend.

“There’s so much to learn. Beebah (Cummings) is doing a good job. He did have a good second half, but we’re all expecting more, especially now we’re in February. We’re going to hold him to more.”

If Lowe is out, losing both guards at the same time will be problematic. Lowe is averaging a team-leading 16.5 points. Dunn checks in at 9.9, with the strength and willingness to drive to the hoop.

Pitt’s current losing streak includes the past three games in which the Panthers have failed to reach 70 points in any of them. That follows a consistent string of 70 or more points in 10 of the previous 11.

Pitt is shooting only 37.8% from the field (61 of 161) in those three games. To put that metric in perspective, every ACC team, including Pitt (45.3%), is shooting between 42.2% and 48.3% for the season.

“We’re getting pushed off the mark a little bit,” O’Toole said, “and the offense is getting started further and further out.

“Offensively, we have to be more effective and more disciplined in what we’re trying to run and where we’re trying to run it. And then fight for that space.

“I’m always on the bigs about their footwork. All of sudden, it’s your footwork that gave up all this ground and it’s advantage to the defense. I do think we have to get very specific and disciplined on offense. We have to be able to execute what we’re trying to do and then do it.”

Perhaps the closing stretch to the season will provide some relief. Six of the final seven regular-season opponents are in the lower tier of the ACC standings from 10th to 18th (last) place.

Of course, Pitt is in a four-way tie for 10th with Virginia, California and Georgia Tech. So the Panthers don’t necessarily have an edge over anyone, given their current state of affairs.

Capel said he believes his team has the proper mindset to salvage the season.

“We have to stick together,” he said. “We have to keep believing and keep showing up with the right attitude, and we have to fight our way through this. I think we have the guys in the locker room to do that”