Let’s get the minorly annoying stuff out of the way first. It looks like Bob Smizik drew the short straw among the columnist and will be going to Louisville rather than Indy for coverage. So his column to praise Krauser’s performance also contains his usual backhanded slaps.
It’s been a glorious opening run for the Panthers. At best, this was expected to be a rebuilding season. At worst, it would be a continuation of the decline that began last season when the team lost nine times, including five of its last seven and did not get past the first games in the Big East and NCAA tournaments.
[Emphasis added.]
No one argues last year was woefully disappointing, falling very short on expectations. It was a season that created a lot of questions about coach Dixon’s ability to handle the team — and I was asking plenty of them. It was, however, too soon for most rational people to proclaim the program to be in decline after one underachieving season.
He is, however, right about Dixon with this,
Dixon labored in the shadow of Ben Howland, his mentor and friend, even after Howland left. Now he’s emerging. With the exception of Krauser, these are his players, and he’s not afraid to utilize them. In an unusual coaching strategy, he’s going with a 10-man rotation in league play. It could be called trying to keep everyone happy, but Dixon sees it as making his team as good as it can be.
“In the seven years I’ve been here, we’ve never done this,” he said. “We can even go to 11 players.
“This is what we want to do. This is best for the team. They know the rotation, they know when they’re going in, they know their roles, they know what they’re doing.”
That was a big question for Dixon, dealing with all the talent on hand. A deep bench. Something not seen at Pitt, literally since the peak of Paul Evans’ reign. Last year Dante Milligan left because of no playing time. Benjamin and DeGroat were in for spurts and unpredictably. And woe unto them if they made a mistake. This year, has been one where Dixon has some more patience with the players. While there was a lot of early season head-scratching over what he was doing with the rotation, it is working and players are getting rewarded with increased time as they play better.
Sam Young gets tossed into the mix as part of the young talent in Pittsburgh sports teams.
Panthers coach Jamie Dixon said as Young improves defensively, his numbers also will keep climbing. Young scored 10 points against DePaul, 15 against Notre Dame and 16 against both Wisconsin and South Carolina in recent games.
“He has a knack for putting the ball in the basket,” Dixon said.
Young welcomes the attention, and accepts the pressure that goes with it.
“I think it’s an honor to have people look at you that way, and see you as an exciting player for the future,” Young said. “If this is what it’s like at the beginning, I definitely can’t wait to see what it’s like at the end.”
With Young, the early speculation is just whether he plays 3 or 4 years.
As for Louisville, they are just as younger than Pitt but aren’t so deep.
The Panthers start two seniors and two juniors, while the Cardinals have only two upperclassmen — guards Brandon Jenkins and Taquan Dean — who see significant playing time.
Pitino could lament his team’s inexperience, but it’s just another Sunday in the revamped Big East. With 16 teams playing so many varied styles, the Cardinals, like the rest of the conference, are learning as they go.
“Every night out there’s different things you have to do to give yourself a chance to win,” Pitino said.
The Cardinals will have to find a way to matchup with the bigger, brawnier Panthers to beat a ranked opponent for the first time this season.
They do have underclass talent that was considered better than Pitt when signed.
Pitt has three freshmen who are part of the regular rotation. Pitino has four freshmen among his top eight scorers. Pitino’s freshman class was considered one of the top recruiting classes in the country, but the Cardinals are still in the process of figuring out their identity. Louisville has lost both its previous games against ranked teams this season — at Kentucky and at home against Villanova.
“The good thing is we haven’t peaked yet,” said Taquan Dean, Louisville’s leading scorer with 15.9 points per game. “We haven’t touched the surface of what type of team we can be. When our guys realize how good we can be we’re going to be tough.”
Pitino thinks that is one of the big changes for the Big East. The shear variety of styles the teams in the conference play.
“It’s the most talented league,” the U of L coach said. “There’s no league like this. Styles of play are very different in this league. That’s the thing that’s different from when I was there last time, because there are so many more teams. But this is obviously the strongest conference.
“And there’s very little that separates the teams. I think Connecticut, probably, if you look at all the things — the most draft picks, the most size, the most players back — probably has a little edge in a lot of areas. But then Villanova has a unique style. West Virginia has a unique style. Pittsburgh probably physically matches up with Connecticut the best in the league. But there’s not too much difference between No. 2 and No. 12 and No. 3 and No. 13.
“As I’ve said before, in the last two weeks of the season you’re going to have 11 teams on the bubble. I just hope we’re one of those teams.”
The Pittsburgh papers seem to be enjoying having Pitino quotes to use. Media friendly coaches make everyone’s job easier.
Then there is the expected story regarding Louisville Associate Head Coach, Kevin Willard. Willard was also a player for Pitt under his father from 1995-97.
Willard, 30, is the associate head coach for Rick Pitino at Louisville, Pitt’s opponent today, and is considered one of the up-and-coming coaching prospects in the country.
“Kevin reminds me a lot of a young Billy Donovan,” Pitino said.
Of course, that was what along the lines of what was expected when Pitt hired Ralph Willard.
Not that Kevin will say anything bad about Pitt.
Willard will face his former team for the first time today. Although his father had only one winning season in five years as Pitt’s head coach and was fired in 1999, Kevin Willard said his time at Pitt was enjoyable.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Willard said. “I only have good memories of Pittsburgh. I met my wife there. It was a good three years. I know things didn’t go great for my father, but my experience was great.”
And finally, a game capsule from CollegeHoopsNet.
Pittsburgh at Louisville (Sunday, 1:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- This could be the coming-out party for Pitt. The Panthers are one of three undefeated teams left in the country, and are showing they are going to be a team to be reckoned with in March. Carl Krauser is one of the best guards in America, while center Aaron Gray might be the most improved player in the country. Levance Fields is a shifty point guard that can score and fellow freshman Sam Young is a versatile scorer at forward. Louisville needs a quality win in order to bounce back after what seems like a season-long slump. Juan Palacios and David Padgett are a good inside duo and Taquan Dean is one of the best all-around guards in the country. Brandon Jenkins is an underrated perimeter player and Terrence Williams leads a host of freshman that contribute. Prediction: Pitt 70, Louisville 68
In Pittsburgh the game will be on WTAE; Lebanon/Harrisburg has the game on UPN-15 (used to be WLYH, I think). If you get ESPN Regional, and they show Big East stuff, you have a good shot.
