Pittsburgh coach Jeff Capel expressed his frustration for nearly three minutes on Saturday, highlighting what he perceives as a “double standard” in how officials handle his team’s games. In their recent 77-62 loss to Clemson, Justin Champagnie, the ACC’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder, scored well below his average with only 13 points and notably did not attempt a single free throw, which Capel found particularly vexing.
“I don’t like the way he’s officiated, just to be completely honest with you,” Capel remarked. “When you’re a top player in the league and go through a game where you play 30 minutes and don’t get to the line — especially when you’re not just relying on jump shots — that’s incredibly frustrating.”
Capel went on to criticize what he sees as unequal treatment towards his team, citing multiple technical fouls received this season, including one by Gerald Drumgoole Jr., along with six offensive fouls during the Clemson game. He expressed his discontent with what he perceives as leniency shown to opposing teams for similar behaviors that result in penalties for Pitt.
“There’s a clear double standard with us, and I’ve had enough of it,” Capel asserted. “I’ll face whatever consequences come, but it’s frustrating. Other teams can show emotion and get away with it, but we get technicals for minimal things. It’s been like this for two years, but especially this season, it’s really gotten to me.”
Capel acknowledged addressing these concerns with the ACC office previously, though he feels his grievances haven’t been adequately addressed.
“I know it’s a tough job for the officials, and they’re good people,” Capel acknowledged. “But it’s frustrating when you see inconsistencies. You all see it too, and it’s not right. I might be wrong for speaking out, but this is frustrating.”
Despite his frustrations, Capel emphasized the need for his team to persevere through these challenges moving forward.
