NCAAB Game Recap - Pittsburgh at Northwestern
Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:41 PM EST

MSU
75
UCLA
62
F
Dayt
84
Kansas
90
F(OT)
UNC
76
Bama
67
F
Maine
26
UVA
46
F
Gonz
94
USM
69
F
Seton
69
Oreg
71
F
NE
79
Web
69
F
LoyIL
68
ODU
61
F
Bry
54
WCU
78
F
Mich
83
IaSt
76
F
TN-M
76
Boston
73
F
ColSt
79
WaSt
69
F
Drake
63
Murr
53
F
SCSt
47
Tuls
78
F
UNCC
78
GASt
81
F(OT)
StLou
64
BC
54
F
MsVl
50
N AL
73
F
TexAr
57
Furm
58
F
GWebb
67
N CO
62
F
Manh
64
URI
73
F
Mia-O
66
WriSt
71
F
SoFL
67
Nebras
74
F
Miss
74
PSU
72
F
Denv
64
SCla
81
F
SouthCar
72
NrthIA
78
F
KSU
60
Brad
73
F
(N/A)
44
Vermt
93
F
Hartfo
58
SMU
90
F
Niag
54
IPFW
77
F
(N/A)
67
YSU
93
F
(N/A)
62
RobM
102
F
Norf
71
Monm
75
F
Stony
61
Del
75
F
USA
76
LaSal
81
F(OT)
NMSt
64
GMas
68
F
SEMO
57
CS-Ful
64
F
Alc
50
ArkLR
67
F
OkSt
86
Syr
72
F
(N/A)
71
Valpa
98
F
Samf
77
SDSt
86
F
Pitt
72
NW
59
F
WichSt
63
WVU
75
F
UGA
80
Chami
77
F
ECen
71
UTEP
91
F
(N/A)
43
IdaSt
102
F
SDak
84
CBU
83
F
PorSt
70
UCSB
81
F
Hof
69
USD
79
F
SJSU
48
OrSt
83
F
VaTec
77
BYU
90
F

Nov 27, 2019, 8:41 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

Pittsburgh

25

47

72

Northwestern

23

36

59

Champagnie has 21 Pitt tops Northwestern 72-59 to win title
Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:50 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) As the horn blew after Pittsburgh’s 72-59 win over Northwestern in the Fort Myers Tip-Off championship game on Wednesday night, Jeff Capel and Chris Collins approached each other and shared a big hug with Capel telling his former teammate, “I love you. Talk to you tomorrow.”

Capel and Collins have been dear friends since they started competing together in 1993. They not only played at Duke, they coached there before taking on jobs with Pitt and Northwestern.

On this night, it’s Capel’s Panthers (6-2) trending upward.

Tournament MVP Justin Champagnie had 21 points to lead the Panthers while Xavier Johnson joined him on the all-tournament team after he had 11 points and eight assists. Eric Hamilton added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Pat Spencer, also named to the all-tournament team, had 18 points and Boo Buie 13 for Northwestern (3-3).

Champagnie hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half to push Pitt’s lead to 56-43 with 5½ minutes to play. The Wildcats cut the deficit back to six with just under three minutes left but a 9-0 surge, with Champagnie hitting another 3, sealed the deal. After a slow start, the Panthers made 7 of 25 treys. At one point, the Panthers were 2 of 33 behind the arc in the tournament.

“My teammates wanted to me to shoot the ball, coach wanted me to shoot the ball so I shot the ball,” Champagnie said.

Capel added, “We’re a streaky-shooting team but we’re taking good shots. I won’t take a guy out for missing shots. I will if they’re not playing hard or forcing some things.”

Capel said he feels since Collins took the Northwestern job seven years ago, he’s been with him every step of the way. And in Capel’s two years at Pitt, he feels Collins has been a sounding board.

“He’s part of my family,” Collins said. “His kids call him me uncle and my kids call him uncle.

“We’re very lucky in this profession when there’s someone you can lean on. It’s tough to go through highs and lows and difficult situations. He’s someone I can call and be vulnerable with and share my struggles, my frustrations, my goods. He’s been a great friend and hopefully I’ve been there for him.

“Now, we can go back to being each other’s cheerleaders.”

BIG PICTURE

Northwestern: The Wildcats had a number of good looks against Pitt but couldn’t knock them down. Pete Nance, who averaged 15 points coming into the tournament, scored just 12 in the two games. Ryan Young didn’t score Wednesday. They’re scoring is crucial.

Pittsburgh: The Panthers, who play at Louisville on Dec. 6, needed a good showing to build confidence for ACC play. Pitt has started with a win over Florida State. It now has three triumphs over Power 5 schools and have held seven teams to 61 points or less.

“I don’t know if we’ll have an easy win this season,” Capel said.

TWO-SPORT STAR

Despite not having played college basketball before this season, Spencer had 41 points, 11 assists and four 3-pointers in two games. He had 23 points, eight assists and made all three of his 3-pointers in a 78-51 win over Bradley.

His best sport is lacrosse. After earning all-American honors for four consecutive seasons at Loyola (Md.) where he finished with the all-time NCAA assists record, Spencer earned the Tewaaraton Award last year, lacrosse’s version of the Heisman Trophy.

“He’s not bad,” Johnson said.

NEXT YEAR

Wisconsin, Butler, Colorado and South Florida will play in the 2020 Fort Myers Tip-Off.

Wisconsin made Final Four trips in 2014 and 2015 and Butler reached the national semifinals in 2010 and 2011.

Next season will be Year 3 of the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Boston College won the inaugural event.

UP NEXT

Northwestern will play at Boston College on Tuesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Pittsburgh will play host to Rutgers in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Tuesday.

-----

For more AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Pittsburgh PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
J. Champagnie 21 0 1 6 0 0
T. McGowens 15 0 3 2 2 0
Northwestern PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
P. Spencer 18 0 3 3 1 0
B. Buie 16 0 0 2 0 1

Team Comparison

Pitt NW
Points For 72 59
Field Goals 29/65-45% 19/52-37%
Three Pointers 7/25-28% 7/22-32%
Free Throws 7/12-58% 14/16-88%
Offensive Rebounds 12 2
Defensive Rebounds 32 28
Rebounds 53 32
Blocks 1 3
Steals 5 2
Turnovers 10 12
Personal Fouls 13 16
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - Pitt Leads Series 1-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Wed Nov 27 Pitt 72 @ NW 59 J. Champagnie 21 P. Spencer 18

Game Information

Stadium: Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Florida
Attendance: 2,046
Game Time: