Capel Comments on Status of Injured Pitt G Brandin Cummings
Pitt men’s basketball’s leading scorer Brandin Cummings has missed the last two games with a lingering ankle injury.
Head coach Jeff Capel was asked Monday on the weekly ACC coaches call if Cummings’ injury is potentially season-ending as the Panthers prepare for their final seven games of the 2025-26 season.
“There is a possibility that he could miss the rest of the season,” Capel said in response. “I don’t have any expectations right now. I’m hoping to find out maybe a little bit more today as he was seeing an expert; he and his father. I don’t have any expectations.”
Cummings missed three games earlier this season in November with an ankle injury.
The 6-3 sophomore from Midland, Pa. leads Pitt with 12.5 points per game. Cummings is shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three on 30-of-92 shooting. He also averages 2.1 steals and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Cummings has been in and out of the starting lineup throughout the season. He started the first five games of the season before primarily coming off the bench. He then started a three-game stretch against Boston College, NC State and Wake Forest before returning to his role off the bench.
His best work has come off the bench that included a career-high 34 points against Hofstra, along with a 29-point performance against Syracuse.
With the status of Cummings still up in the air for a matchup against No. 4 Duke on Tuesday, Pitt will lean on guards Omari Witherspoon and Nojus Indrusaitis, along with freshman Macari Moore, who is averaging 5.1 minutes per game.
In Year 8 of Capel, the Panthers have dealt with several injury issues, primarily in the frontcourt. Iowa State transfer Dishon Jackson has not played a game as he deals with a heart condition. Redshirt sophomore forward Papa Amadou Kante underwent season-ending knee surgery in January.
Pitt enters the matchup with Duke on a three-game losing streak. The Panthers are 9-15 overall and 2-9 in ACC play.
