No, DePaul isn’t a pushover or a gimmee, but I happen to agree with this:
This is a huge game for Pitt.
Not because of any deep-rooted rivalry with DePaul. The two teams actually haven’t faced the each other since 1936 and most Panthers players probably couldn’t tell you which city the DePaul campus is in.
But because the national media so badly wants a piece of the Big East action, Pitt has been forced to rearrange its schedule to accommodate the television networks. As a result, after playing DePaul on Thursday night, Pitt will play three straight road games before hosting Syracuse in a game that will be its fourth in a nine-day span.
That means the undefeated Panthers need a win at home while they’re fresh, before the schedule puts the squeeze on them. They come into this game on a week’s rest, whereas DePaul played on Saturday.
You can’t help but peek ahead and see that Louisville game, then going to the RAC to play Rutgers and then back to NY/NJ to play St. John’s — where Pitt with it’s large NYC-based players always seem to press and struggle. Add in Syracuse at the end, and it is a very draining and rocky point about to hit.
Of course, now it’s time to re-focus on winning the game in front of Pitt. With Pitt’s extended lay-off, the game tonight has more of the feel of really starting the second half of the season. For DePaul after starting conference play against Cinci and ND, this is really their first game against the unknown teams of the Big East.
The Big East season begins tonight at No. 12 Pittsburgh for DePaul — or at least the “feel” of the Big East.
“I don’t think we’ve had a full sense of the Big East yet because we’ve played teams we’ve played before,” junior guard Sammy Mejia said of games against Cincinnati and Notre Dame. “This will be the break-in point for the Big East. It’s a totally new team we’ve never played.”
What the Blue Demons (8-5, 1-1) do know about the undefeated Panthers (12-0, 1-0) is enough to warrant respect.
“We know they’re like Cincinnati in that they like to body up and overwhelm you with their physical play, and they have a senior guard [6-2 Carl Krauser] who is very good,” Mejia said.
DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright called Krauser “the most dominant player in this game,” an experienced leader averaging 17.6 points after forgoing thoughts of turning professional early.
“You like to think Sam will be that for our team,” Wainwright said.
The 6-6 Mejia has earned high respect from his new coach — not as the team’s scoring leader, as expected, but as its new go-to defender. That means Krauser is likely to be Mejia’s assignment as the Demons enter the Petersen Events Center, where the Panthers have lost five league games in the last four seasons.
They also have their own NY player who is looking forward to the game and style. Kerron Clarke, a transfer from Miami.
“I’m from New York, so basketball is always [played] tough,” he said. “It’s the type of basketball everyone should want to play.”
Just what fans of a team in Chicago want to hear about their style — not as tough as NY.
Since Pitt is one of 3 remaining undefeated teams, there is increased focus and questions on that issue.
Nobody’s mentioning what many are thinking around the Pitt basketball camp these days.
In the same way that it’s bad form to talk to a pitcher about his no-hitter in the fifth inning, with more than half of the Panthers’ regular-season schedule remaining, it’s probably too early to focus on the subject of an unbeaten season.
But it is interesting to note that only a handful of Division I men’s basketball teams have ever conquered their regular-season schedule without a loss. Not long ago, the 2003-04 Pitt squad — the third of three consecutive Sweet 16 teams — won its first 18 games before falling to Connecticut in mid-January.
“That’s not even on our minds,” Pitt guard Ronald Ramon said.
Um, I think someone must have mentioned it.
“Right now, we’re not looking to go undefeated,” Pitt center Aaron Gray said. “If we do lose, one of the things that’s going to determine how good this team is, is how we come back and how the guys respond. I feel we’re ready.
“We easily could have lost that game to Notre Dame,” Gray said, referring to the Panthers’ 100-97, double-overtime victory in its most recent game eight days ago Jan. 4. “The way the young guys played, it just shows they’re not going to give up. We don’t want to lose. If we do, it’ll add fuel to the fire.”
Again, if no one is mentioning it, why are Pitt players answering questions about it?
“Obviously, you want to be No. 1 and stay undefeated, so that’s your goal,” Pitt redshirt junior forward Levon Kendall said. “But it’s something you try not to get too caught up on because anything can happen.
“Look at Connecticut, they got a little bit overconfident, and Marquette snuck up on them, and that’s something you have to recognize in the Big East. There are so many good teams that it’s a challenge every night.”
Kendall and Gray need to discuss their talking points.
One area of concern for Pitt is the same area of concern that has been there since Ralph Willard was fired. Free throw shooting. And as it has been, Coach Jamie Dixon is publicly stating he is not concerned.
“We’re shooting better,” Dixon said. “Our percentage is high. We’re just short of 70 percent, which is middle of the pack in the Big East. That’s higher than we’ve been.
“I thought we’d be better this year, and we are. Every year, we have improved as the year has gone on. We’ve always been better in the conference games. I think this will be the best free-throw-shooting team we have had since I’ve been here.”
Pitt is shooting 68.6 percent from the line this season entering the home game tonight against DePaul at the Petersen Events Center. That ranks Pitt 12th in the 16-team Big East. And, believe it or not, that modest percentage, if maintained the rest of the season, would represent Pitt’s best percentage from the line since 1998-99, the final season under former coach Ralph Willard.
Pitt’s best free-throw percentage during the Ben Howland/Dixon era was 65.9 percent last season.
And as always, others are much more concerned.
For some inexplicable reason, the Panthers still can’t shoot foul shots. That was highlighted when they clanked their way down the stretch of last week’s win over Notre Dame. As the Irish were popping 3-pointer and off-balance 3-pointer, Pitt went 7 of 10 from the line at the end of regulation, then 3 of 8 in the final minute of the first overtime.
Because the score in the second overtime stayed rather tight, the Panthers only attempted two free throws in the final two minutes. Of course, they missed one of them.
Even Krauser, a usually solid foul shooter, has fallen to 69.9 percent this season. Only Ramon (84.6) shoots better than 80 percent.
…
In the past, I’ve said poor foul shooting could cost the Panthers wins, and it has.This season, I’ll guarantee it will at least once.
I know in the past I’ve blown my top at Pitt for missing free throws and Coach Dixon’s public statements of non-concern. Watching missed free throws is akin to a kicker going wide right on a 30 yard field goal. It’s maddening and there doesn’t seem to be any excuse for it.
