It likely won’t be avoided for much longer. Panthers versus Tigers. We can expect all the usual cliches when two teams with the same genus of mascot meet. Especially when the teams have no history. The teams have never played each other. Pitt has played a total of 5 games against Big West Conference teams, with a record of 4-1. The last time facing a Big West opponent was in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 1981. Pitt beat Idaho 70-69.

On the West Coast, they are lining up to get on the bandwagon of the team from Stockton. San Jose claims the rights to them, despite being 75 miles away, because Pacific was originally located in San Jose up until 1925. Okay.

In the Big West championship game, Pacific had their 22 game winning streak snapped. They weren’t playing well in their tournament.

The Tigers are approaching the tournament like a new season. They know they
have to play better than they did last week to defeat a team like Pittsburgh.

Pacific committed 23 turnovers against Cal State Northridge and escaped
with a 63-61 victory in the Big West Tournament semifinals. Utah State smothered
the Tigers with a 25-6 run in the second half en route to a 65-52 win in the
championship. Pacific couldn’t match the Aggies’ physical style of play, which
is something it will address this week.

“We’d better bring our mouth guards to the game because it’s going to be a
physical game,” guard Marko Mihailovic said. “If we thought Utah State was
physical we have something coming. Pitt’s one of the most physical teams in the
country, and the Big East is one of the most physical conferences in the country
and they stand out amongst them as the toughest team in that conference.”

You get the impression that Pacific is taking their cues from Lou Holtz by building up Pitt. It continues.

Early yesterday morning, Pacific coach Bob Thomason was speaking with
friend and coaching colleague Jerry Tarkanian, who confirmed what Thomason had
suspected all along. His basketball team got a raw deal in facing Pitt in the
first round of the NCAA tournament.

“Tark said, ‘Man, that’s not a good draw for you. I’ve seen them play a
few times. They can go to the Final Four,’ ” Thomason said yesterday, taking
some time to discuss a first-round matchup Thursday against the Panthers.

Isn’t it fascinating how Tarkanian, one of the most ethically questionable basketball coaches — ever — is like every college coach’s friend? It’s not just me is it? I get that the guy is apparently friendly and charming, but he’s everybody’s buddy. How? But I digress.

The other thing working to the advantage of Pacific, is that they are heavy with upper-classmen in the line-up. A team that has played together for quite some time, and everybody knows their role.

Pitt is trying to regroup. It has now fallen out of both polls. The first time in 3 years.

Speaking of knowing roles. That is the topic in the Trib. Coach Jamie Dixon’s rotation and substitution patterns (or lack of).

A new phenomenon entered the world of Pitt basketball this season — the well-choreographed head scratch by Panthers fans.

You know the one by now. It occurs when guys like forward John DeGroat, guard Keith Benjamin and center Aaron Gray go in and out of games at warp speed, as if they are stuck in a revolving door.

DeGroat, for example, played two minutes in the Panthers’ 67-58 quarterfinal loss to Villanova in the Big East Tournament, after playing a combined 25 minutes the previous two games against Boston College (16 minutes, 10 points) and Notre Dame (nine minutes, no points).

Benjamin had not left the bench for two games before playing 15 minutes and contributing six points against Villanova.

Gray’s minutes have fluctuated more than Oprah’s weight, as have those of forwards Mark McCarroll and Levon Kendall. It can be confusing to those watching the games — and to those playing in them, as well.

Coach Jamie Dixon is clearly attempting to push the right buttons, but Pitt has lost four of six entering its first-round NCAA Tournament game against Pacific on Thursday in Boise, Idaho, and some players are uncertain of their roles.

In the story, Kendall is about the only guy coming close to saying his game is suffering for the quick hook. I have mixed feelings. There have been several games, especially in the last 3 weeks, where I don’t think Dixon clearly thought out the match-ups. Where it seemed inexplicable that one player never makes it off the bench and another only gets one minute each half to play. Going into the season, I wondered how Coach Dixon would deal with having a team with legitimate depth — a first for Pitt in more than 12 years. Right now, I’d say he hasn’t handled it with aplomb. I’m not quite willing to go as far as Joe Starkey.

Yo, Jamie, it’s mid-March. Time to decide who can play and who can’t.

Why did we see Keith Benjamin singe Syracuse for 10 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes, only to be packed away in mothballs after a bad game a week later?

Why did we see John DeGroat burn Boston College for 1 points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes, only to be buried after a shaky encore at Notre Dame?

Dixon might as well install a revolving door at the bench. From this angle, it’s clear that his schizophrenic substitution patterns are partly responsible for Pitt staggering into the NCAA Tournament with four losses in six games.

A handful of players are confused about their roles. All they know is that Dixon has a short leash — and that can breed the sort of apprehension seen on certain faces against Villanova.

Let’s not go revisionist. The Villanova loss occurred because Troutman had a bad game, and Ramon and Graves couldn’t hit a deep jumper.

Starkey gets to Ramon and Graves, questioning why they are in the game so much when they don’t shoot so well. It ignores the fact that they are the two best defensive options at the positions. Benjamin has shown flashes, but has been inconsistent on defense. No matter how much this team is not like last year, defensively, the players are still expected to put defense first. McCarroll, DeGroat and Kendall provide energy at the small forward/three guard spot, but are not good on perimeter defense or with guys off the dribble.

As far as why some guys seem to disappear from the rotation for games at a time. I think the clue was found in last week’s Q&A with Fittipaldo.

Q: What ever happened to Keith Benjamin? He had a couple of huge games earlier in the season but hasn’t played a lot lately.

FITTIPALDO: I wouldn’t say he had any “huge” games, Jeff. Benjamin scored 10 points against Syracuse in January and looked like he was coming on strong, but he really hasn’t been a factor since. He has not played in three of the past four games. Word is he hasn’t been practicing well.
Dixon seems to have found his rotation the past few games, so I wouldn’t expect Benjamin to see a whole lot of playing time unless there is foul trouble or someone gets injured.

It seems that when you don’t do well in practice, especially the young kids, you don’t get game playing time. You want the best players out there, but you also want them to be working to get better. Playing time is really the only carrot available at this point.

Right now, it comes down to whether you want Dixon to now just pick and stick with a rotation no matter what, or try to game plan and look at the match-ups.