Pitt has a light Positional outlook press release. Still no actual explanation as to how or what John Pelusi did to his knee. It doessay that he will be ready come fall camp.

Apparently the plans for the “Toronto Bowl” are almost in place.

…according to league [Big East] associate commissioner Nick Carparelli, Jr. The bowl will make an application and presentation to the NCAA Football Licensing Committee at the group’s meeting late next month. The committee will then give the bowl the go-ahead or turn down its application.

The Big East has been working with the people involved and would be one of the conferences affiliated as long rumored.

In Big East coaching accumen, there are 3 coaches that are clearly at the top tier, in terms of achievements, credentials and reputation — Calhoun, Pitino and Boeheim. I’d put them in that order, and some might switch Pitino and Calhoun, but that’s quibbling.

At the second tier, depending on your biases, metrics and what they did this week, there are five coaches: Jay Wright (‘Nova), John Beilein (WVU), John Thompson III (G-town), Tom Crean (Marq.) and Jamie Dixon. At this tier, partisan fans can debate who they would honestly prefer coaching their team without a clear answer. All have flaws and positives. Non-Big East biased college basketball fans might easily differ on the rankings of those coaches depending on what had happened in a particular season and what their particular favorite program needed.

As an example, right now in the thick of the NCAA, John Thompson looks like the best of the bunch with the upset over #2 seed Ohio St. Then it would be Wright and Beilein. How do think the perception was right after the Big East Tournament? At the end of the regular season? Opinion can shift quickly.

After that in the Big East you have the unproven — Wainwright (DePaul) and Roberts (St. John’s); the lackluster — Brey (ND) and Welsh (Providence); the just plain bad team — McCallum (USF); and then the (presumably) semi-open jobs — Rutgers, Seton Hall and Cinci.

The point is, Coach Dixon is one of the best coaches in the Big East. Heck, take a look at the coaches across the other 5 power conferences. The list is damn short as to coaches you could honestly say, “yes, I am sure that guy could come in here and do a better job.” How many of those coaches are long-term fixtures or at incredibly storied programs?

After that, you start reaching the guys you think might be able to do better. And if the metric is post-season success, there aren’t many who you can point to that have done it more than once — if that.

Hiring the coach who is doing a great job at a mid-major is no assurance. For every Bruce Pearl or Ben Howland there is a Ralph Willard or Gary Waters.

With that, Coach Dixon is considering an offer from Pitt.

Dixon and his agent are mulling over an offer Pitt officials have laid out in an effort to renegotiate his contract. Dixon has four years remaining on his current contract that pays him around $600,000 annually.

“I haven’t had time to look at it,” Dixon said last night. “We’ve been in discussions. That’s all I can really say about it.”

Dixon is being mentioned for several head coaching vacancies, most prominently at Arizona State. Arizona State athletic director Lisa Love is expected to formally ask Pitt athletic director Jeff Long for permission to interview Dixon this week. Long would not confirm or deny yesterday whether Love has sought permission.

Dixon said that he has not been contacted by Arizona State. Dixon’s agent, Dennis Coleman, could not be reached for comment.
…
More than half of the coaches in the Big East Conference make more money than Dixon.

Arizona St. wants to move soon. They have some recruits who don’t want to come right now and even some promising players considering leaving.

Jeff Pendergraph says he will decide whether to return to Arizona State for his sophomore season after ASU hires a new basketball coach.

“I’m just waiting to see who they bring in,” Pendergraph said Monday in his first comments since Rob Evans was told March 10 that he would not be back as ASU’s coach for a ninth season.

Pendergraph, one of five players on the 2006 All-Pac-10 Freshman Team, said he talked to his mom about whether to go or stay last week during spring break.

How much of it is emotional outbursts, is never clear, but ASU can’t afford to have their talent level dip further. As a reflection of that, one of their top in-state recruits who is reconsidering is actually being asked to meet with the AD. He’s not requesting the meeting, the AD is.

One Arizona columnist called Dixon, the UConn of ASU AD Love’s hiring bracket.

Is there a risk that Dixon may not really be as good as he’s been the first 3 years? Or that Pitt will never get over the post-season hump with him? Of course. But there is no guarantee with anyone else. If Pitt is to keep building towards reaching consistent national prominence, there has to be a coach in place for more than 3 years at a time.

I think Dixon improved as a coach and a public communicator from last year to this year. The recruiting has been very good, and whether you want to give more of the credit to Associate Head Coach Barry Rohrssen, remember that it is still up to the head coach to close the deal.

Has Coach Dixon shown enough to merit a huge bump in salary and years? Maybe not, by some standards. The market, however, seems to indicate he has.

With all that has been out there for basketball the last couple weeks, I’ve let a lot of football stuff slide by out of time constraints. Not to mention, just not being in the right frame of mind to even begin focusing on it.

I’ve skipped even posting about the last couple of Q&As from Paul Zeise. His one from 2 weeks ago talked about Darrell Strong needing to step up this year or never with Nate Byham coming in, impact freshmen, expectations for 2006 — 7-5 or so, and there was this comment about Pitt’s offensive philosophy.

Q: What college or pro offense is Matt Cavanugh’s offense modeled after and what parts of Walt Harris’ schemes has the Panthers retained?

Zeise: It isn’t modeled after any offense — it is the West Coast offense in its purest form, as if Bill Walsh himself had drawn it up and were calling the plays. Cavanaugh pretty much scrapped the Walt Harris offense in its entirety, although there were some concepts of the vertical passing game that were retained, and started from scratch. I think the comfort level among the players in the offense now that they are in the second year will be a big factor and a reason they will play better and more consistently.

You know, I read that two weeks ago and I felt a little confused by that. I just assumed it was because I was too much in b-ball mode. But I’m still finding that a bit unclear. Pure West Coast offense? Scrapping everything, but retaining some “concepts” of Harris’ vertical passing game? Is that anything like visualizing the deep pass but not really doing it? I hope the players do have a better comfort level because that explanation doesn’t do much for me.

Zeise also indicated that there was better chemistry between the players coming back as opposed to this past season. A theme he repeats in this past week’s Q&A.

Q: There seems to be a trend of Pitt players letting their individual agendas bring down team chemistry following a successful season. It happened in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Am I off base with this?

Zeise: I think there is something to that with a lot of teams. Once you have success, guys start to forget what it was that brought them to the top of the mountain — teamwork, hard work, chemistry, accountability. Individual agendas start getting in the way, egos get involved and it can fall apart quickly if a team isn’t focused.

That being said, I think there is more to the collapse each year than just egos and individual agendas. The 2001 team was done in by an ill-fated attempt at running the spread offense. The 2003 team found out rather quickly just how good Gerald Hayes, Torrie Cox, Brian Guzek and Brian Beinecke were because they had nobody to replace them and thus the defense was terrible.

Last year, I do think there was a big problem with chemistry and accountability and a lot of individual agendas, but there were some personnel issues as well. I don’t think the running back spot ever got settled, there were some issues at center and guard, the defensive line was just not very good, etc. etc.,

Why do we never hear about these “chemistry” issues during the season? Regardless of whether it’s football or basketball. It’s always the following season that ominous word is released that people — who are now gone — had their own agendas and that sabotaged the team. Just once, I’d like to read about some of these problems before it is old news.

The rest of the Q&A discusses position battles at WR, what redshirt players will be expected to make immediate contributions and line questions (always line questions).

If it had been any team other than Pitt that Bradley beat, I could probably read a lot of these stories, smile and feel good for the players, coaches and fans of Bradley for getting to the Sweet 16. It is quite the achievement to knock off Kansas and Pitt in the opening rounds of the NCAA.

Instead, I keep getting this hollow feeling in my gut. Still, here’s what was written.

This AP article essentially wondered who was the experienced team.

O’Bryant and Sommerville combined for all 13 of Bradley’s points during a 13-2 run in the first six minutes of the second half that put the Braves in control.

“They weren’t intimidated at all,” Pitt forward Levon Kendall said. “They were in our face the whole game.”

Freshman Levance Fields, who scored 18 points, stopped the run with a layup, but Pitt’s misery continued. Gray missed a dunk and then Krauser missed a wide open tip-in.

O’Bryant followed on the other end with a thunderous alley-oop dunk and Tony Bennett banked in a mid-range jumper for a 53-39 lead with under 9 minutes to go. Pitt never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

Playing in their school-record fifth straight NCAA tournament, the Panthers looked like nervous kids against the newcomers from Bradley.

They committed careless turnovers, missed free throws and lost their composure throughout the game. Krauser, playing in his ninth NCAA tournament game, came unglued several times and Gray picked up a technical foul in the second half when he slammed the ball to the court after being whistled for a five-second call.

Plenty of talk of vindication for the Missouri Valley. For Bradley in particular, it’s been over 50 years since they were in the Sweet 16.

For the first time in the conference’s 99-year run, two MVC schools have advanced to the Sweet 16. MVC commissioner Doug Elgin and his long-time associate, Joe Mitch, stood beaming as they witnessed the happy scene.

“Bradley deserved to win,” Dixon said. “They are a very good team, well-balanced, well-coached.”

And, for the first time in a half-century of Marches, Bradley is well-traveled in the NCAA tournament.

“It’s a great accomplishment for our program and it’s great for Bradley,” Sommerville said. “We’re trying to bring the tradition back to Bradley.”

After the game ended, Bradley players went into the stands to shake hands and embrace some of their fans and family.

Bradley coach Jim Les thought it would be a good idea for his players to go over to their edge of the stands and thank their crowd following Sunday’s victory.

But Marcellus Sommerville spotted his wife, Brooke, and son, Lathan, up there and just couldn’t help himself. His teammates followed their co-captain and all of a sudden, Palace security staff got nervous.

A Detroit reporter, mindful of the brawl between players and fans at a 2004 Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game that saw nine players suspended and nine fans treated for injuries, later asked this postgame question to the Braves’ players on the interview dais: “At The Palace of Auburn Hills, they frown on players entering the stands, although today was an exception. Whose idea was that?”

Sommerville, Patrick O’Bryant and Lawrence Wright all got a laugh from how the query was posed. Sommerville owned up to leading the charge.

Once they all went into the stands, they just started hugging everybody and anybody wearing red.

The Bradley player who got a lot of stories afterwards was actually senior guard Tony Bennett. Bennett came from Chicago’s West Side Projects, and also took a while to get to Bradley. After the game he was crying for joy.

Bennett went to two high schools, then Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan., before landing at Bradley. Asked to name the best thing about Bradley, his reply was simple: “Its degree.”

Sunday afternoon, Bennett, a senior guard, eventually regained his composure. His eyes dried and his throat cleared. Then he took a few verbal jabs at Pittsburgh point guard Carl Krauser, who had given Bennett an unauthorized elbow in the second half and talked too much trash for Bennett’s liking.

“He had a few words,” Bennett said, “but I had the best choice of words. I told him to have a nice trip home.”

This was the kid from the projects reclaiming his turf. But rewind a few minutes. Zoom in on Tony Bennett’s tears.

“I’ve been holding it in since we got the NCAA bid,” Bennett said. “I didn’t want to show emotion. I tried to stay focused. But it’s just too much to hold in.”

For more fun, I think I’ll shove a pen through my eye.

Hard to believe, considering how bad Pitt did to start the game, but possession-wise, that spell in the second half when Bradley took control was even worse. Ken Pomeroy has the graph showing how bad it was.

The big theme Coach Wannstedt is trying to stress this spring is that no starting position is guaranteed. Sure that’s not really true (and that was the similar message last spring), but it is the message.

And, because of the way the Panthers performed last season, Wannstedt’s approach to this spring is every starting position, including quarterback, is up for grabs.

“We want our guys to be hungry,” Wannstedt said. “We want them to understand they have to work hard to earn what they get. Nothing is going to be handed to anybody. There are obviously some positions where we have returning players who are pretty secure in their spots, but they are our leaders and they are the ones we are asking to set the tone.

“We have a lot of work to do, obviously, but I’m excited because I think we’re going to have a great spring.”

Even though all of the starting spots are open for competition, the Panthers are in a strange position in that most of the competition won’t really begin until August when the incoming freshmen and first-year players arrive. Wannstedt expects as many as 10 true freshmen to be starters or backups this season.

For the WRs, especially, this is their window.

Greg Lee, the leading receiver from last season, opted to forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft. Recruit Dorin Dickerson, the Associated Press Class AAA player of the year for Pennsylvania, doesn’t join Pitt from West Allegheny High School until training camp in August.

That leaves a little window this spring for the returning receivers to jockey for position.

Kinder and senior Joe DelSardo have the most experience. Redshirt sophomore Marcel Pestano played a little. There are high hopes for others, primarily redshirt freshmen Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee.

Coach Dave Wannstedt called the receiver spot probably the most competitive on the team this spring. He said some will get ample opportunity to shine because the Panthers will work a lot from a three-receiver set because of a depleted group at tight end.

I somehow missed the news that Tight End John Pelusi had a knee injury. Anyone care to fill me in?

The receivers will get more looks this spring because tight end is depleted by John Pelusi’s knee injury, which leaves only Steve Buches and Darrell Strong at the position. Wannstedt said the Panthers now have an opportunity to use more three-receiver sets to see who can perform.

“We got spoiled here because we’ve always had a bunch of tight ends,” Palko said of the Panthers, who lost starter Erik Gill to graduation. “I was sick when Pelusi did that. He was looking like he could do big things.”

Not that the incoming freshman are far from the present players’ thoughts — or even line of sight.

The signature signees from Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt’s first and highly heralded recruiting class attended Sunday morning’s helmet-and-shoulder pads session, and their presence sent a powerful message to the holdovers.
…
Scattered throughout the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on the South Side were 10 high school stars who signed with the Panthers in February. West Allegheny’s Dorin Dickerson, Duquesne’s Elijah Fields and Gateway’s Aaron Smith followed the receivers. Thomas Jefferson’s Nate Nix and Gateway’s Dan Loheyde watched the linebackers. Baldwin’s Justin Hargrove and Jason Pinkston and Franklin Regional’s John Malecki studied the defensive linemen. Seneca Valley’s Kevan Smith watched quarterback drills. Cornerback Aaron Berry of Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt came by bus Saturday for the practice.

According to this graphic, the top 5 areas Pitt Coaches are looking for answers are:

• Defensive Line
• Left side of O-Line & Center
• Fullback
• Receiver
• Defensive Backfield

The lines are the issue. What a shock.

Pitt rotated sophomores Rashad Duncan and Corey Davis and redshirt freshmen Craig Bokor and Darrell Jones at defensive tackle, but Wannstedt hinted that the depth could allow some moves to be made.

“If a couple of those offensive linemen don’t pick it up, we’ll have some defensive linemen going to the O-line,” Wannstedt said. “We’ll wait until they put the pads on.”

Same as last year, Coach Wannstedt is itching to get the kids in pads.

“It’s really difficult when you don’t have pads on to get the type of work that you’d like to get,” he said yesterday.

The NCAA mandates teams can’t wear full pads the first two practices, so Pitt will be in shorts again tomorrow and in full gear Thursday.

Teams must have a third practice without pads, and Wannstedt said the Panthers probably would do that the final week of spring drills.

And of course the players spoke positively about the first practice.

“We had a good practice,” junior cornerback Darrelle Revis said Sunday. “There was a lot of effort, the intensity was up, and we were moving really fast. Everyone was into it. … We had a tough offseason, but it was done on purpose to get us ready for next season.

“They wanted to let us know that we don’t want to go 5-6 any more. We don’t want to have a losing season. We want to try to change the program by working hard, and this is the place to start. So, I think we’re ready to have a real good spring.”

I’d rather have a good January, but the point is taken.

I hope Pitt AD Jeff Long isn’t thinking he’s got plenty of time to work out a contract extension with Coach Dixon. Arizona State is ready to go.

According to multiple sources among ASU boosters and officials, the Sun Devils have targeted Pitt coach Jamie Dixon as their No. 1 candidate.

Love is expected to formally ask Pitt Athletic Director Jeff Long this week whether she can speak to Dixon, who has four years left on his contract at an annual salary of a reported $600,000.

There has been talk since last fall that Pitt would extend Dixon’s contract, but that has yet to happen.

It’s not clear how a disappointing loss to Bradley might affect negotiations for a new deal at Pitt.

Meanwhile, Wichita State’s Mark Turgeon, who is also on ASU’s short list, is suddenly a hot candidate after the Shockers advanced to the Sweet 16 with an upset over Tennessee.

Formal conversations between ASU and Turgeon wouldn’t happen until after Wichita State’s run is over. The Shockers next play George Mason.

As for the “what if” scenarios, I don’t put a lot of stock in this.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger, some believe, is intrigued at the possibility of going to Arizona State, where he could coach his son. Kruger couldn’t possibly be accused of playing his son too much. Kevin Kruger averaged 39 minutes and 15 points per game as a junior for the Sun Devils. ASU might have its sights elsewhere, on Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon. If Dixon bolts Pitt, Memphis coach John Calipari would rank No. 1 on the Panthers’ wish list. Failing that, Hofstra’s Tom Pecora or Pitt associate head coach Barry Rohrssen are possibilities. If Pecora moved to Pitt, Rohrssen would be a candidate to replace him.

Why do I think that the source of any Calipari rumors are Calipari himself? While there are probably some old boosters who push for Calipari, dating back to his assitant days under Paul Evans and of course being a Moon Twp. native. I just don’t see it. First, the Memphis gig is worth around $1.5 million/year, so Pitt would have to approach $2 million in the package to get him. Second, they didn’t have much interest in him and his always bordering on sketchy recruits and recruiting last time around — despite Calipari’s best efforts.

Can’t wait for the Herb Sendek rumors once more. Maybe Skip Prosser as well.

Just work out the #!@@!$%^ extension for Jamie Dixon, and stop $#@^%^&* around.

I am starting to think that the Pitt Athletic Department is trying to get me to begin drinking in the morning. A press release that begins with a quote from Rocky III, then concedes this may not have been the best way to go, is just a little much to start my week.

It is questionable how well that 1982 film has aged, and the movie’s hit song “Eye of the Tiger” has fared even worse. There is a lot of resonance, though, in the idea of regaining your edge by going back to your roots.

Go ahead, read it all. I’ll be over here in the corner staring down the bourbon.

…

Ok, you’re back. Did you make it through the whole release or were you finding yourself averting your eyes after that start? It took me a few times before I made it all the way through, so I’ll skip to the most interesting part:

The Panthers begin spring drills on March 19. Per the NCAA, Pitt can hold 15 total practice sessions, including the spring game, which is scheduled for April 19 at Heinz Field.

In an effort to reach out to Western Pennsylvania’s surrounding communities, the Panthers are scheduled to hold two spring practices at area high schools. On March 24 Pitt will practice at Center High School, while on April 7 the Panthers will be at Thomas Jefferson High.

“Western Pennsylvania is our home and we have really appreciated the way the surrounding communities and area high school coaches have rallied around us,” Wannstedt said. “This is our backyard and we always want to make an effort to keep those ties strong. Visiting area high schools during the spring is a win-win for all of us. We really enjoy making those visits and I think the host schools and communities relish the opportunity as well.”

I like it. A great way to get out into the area again, and go to the local recruits’ home turf. Definitely good to see continued effort to find ways to have the local talent keep Pitt in the front of their mind. Part of the continuing effort to make as many things as possible serve as a recruiting tool.

Of course, the counter argument is that Pitt has so much work ahead of it, and only a limited number of coordinated practices allowed. That the players and coaches should really be more focused on getting better, improving and not being distracted by going out to other high schools on thinly-veiled recruiting trips.

Pitt also has the 2006 Prospectus available. All of the sections are in PDF.

UPDATE: The press release does contain an error — nice catch CathedralLawn. The spring game is indeed scheduled for April 15, a Saturday at 1 pm. You can see it in the “Schedule” portion of the prospectus (PDF).

Lots and lots of stories. Not many that can make you feel too good in the aftermath. Let’s get the runaround.

The story of Bradley’s success started with their big man inside.

O’Bryant was the catalyst for the Braves, who haven’t advanced this far in the tournament since 1954. O’Bryant was 10 for 17 from the field and got the better of Pitt’s 7-footer Aaron Gray. Gray, a first-team all-Big East Conference selection who averaged a double-double for the season, scored 12 points and had a season-low four rebounds.

“That was my ‘A’ game right there,” O’Bryant said. “I think I played a great game.”

Gray picked up two early fouls and could not get into the flow offensively or defensively. He sat out 12 minutes in the first half after picking up his second foul, and he picked up his third foul early in the second half after slamming the ball to the floor out of frustration after being called for five seconds.

Gray’s technical foul proved to be the turning point. Pitt led by one when it was called, but Bradley used the momentum for a 19-4 run in which it took control of the game.

“Obviously, I could have played better, I should have played better,” a distraught Gray said afterward. “I definitely had to play more tentative than I would have liked. I wanted to be more aggressive in the second half, but I picked up that cheap technical that got me my third foul. Obviously, I wasn’t playing the most aggressive I could have, and he definitely took advantage of that.”

Bradley outrebounded Pitt, 40-38, and got 16 offensive rebounds against the usually hard-nosed and defensive-minded Panthers. The Braves were quicker to loose balls and more aggressive in the lane.

Gray was never in his game. He committed obviousdumb fouls in the first half, and was visibly frustrated by both his early misses and O’Bryant’s shots falling. Gray missed his first 3 shot attempts within the first 5 minutes of the game.

The Technical Foul called on Gray was a big swing in emotion and momentum according to all.

Gray, working against O’Bryant on the block, was cited for a 5-second call before being assessed his third foul on a technical after he slammed the ball to the floor in frustration.

“Obviously, the technical foul gave them momentum,” Krauser said. “They gained a lot of energy off that play.”

Sommerville made both free throws, sparking a 9-0 Bradley spurt that ultimately led to a 19-4 run and gave the Braves a 14-point lead — their largest of the game — at 53-39 with 8:52 remaining.

“It showed we were starting to frustrate them a lot and they might have gotten a call or two that didn’t go their way and it just made them more mad,” O’Bryant said.

And that was something Bradley had been counting on.

Bradley appeared to feed of the technical. More accurately, it fed off Pitt’s frustration.

Coach Jim Les planned for it.

“We said, ‘When you see a level of frustration, we’re going to turn it up another notch with our pressure,’ ” Les said. “I think we took (the technical) as part of the cue that it’s time.”

There were some questions by Coach Dixon regarding the 5 second call itself.

As the possession unfolded, Gray appeared to be angry at guard Ronald Ramon for not clearing out and letting Gray go one-on-one against Bradley center Patrick O’Bryant. Gray later confirmed as much but also said Ramon made a smart play by giving him an outlet after Ramon’s man went to double-team Gray.

“He was doing the right thing,” Gray said. “I was just frustrated.”

Pitt coaches said the referee on their side of the court never began a 5-second count as Gray held the ball on the low block. Had a count started, the coaches could have yelled to Gray — who was near the Pitt bench — to pass.

“What was strange was there was no count,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said.

Bill Raftery, bless his Big East biased heart, thought the technical shouldn’t have been called. So did Joe Starkey.

Referee Scott Thornley’s ticky tacky technical-foul call on Pitt’s Aaron Gray was another. It happened early in the second half with the Panthers leading 35-34 and completely turned momentum.

As an NCAA spokesman later explained, spiking the ball — as Gray did — is not an automatic technical. Thornley should have used better judgment and let it go. It was a rotten way to slap a third personal foul on Gray, who was obviously agitated with teammate Ronald Ramon and not trying to show up the referees.

Let the players determine the outcome.

I disagree. I think they had to call it. He didn’t just slam the ball on the court and hold it there. Nor did he spike and grab it. He spiked it hard and high to the rafters. I don’t think you can let that pass unexcused. Yes, it was frustration at himself, not the call, but it has to be called when the ball flies like that.

I do agree with Starkey that it had as much to do with Bradley being the better team and this about Marcellus Sommerville:

Move away from the center matchup and ask yourself this: Who was the best player on the court?

If your answer isn’t “Marcellus Sommerville,” try again. Sommerville, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound senior forward, killed Kansas on Friday and had 14 second-half points yesterday. He scored nine during a 19-4 run in which Bradley took control.

Sommerville took a long road to Bradley. He was a top-ranked JUCO, but before that he had been a recruit and played a season at Iowa. There was a lot more talent on that Bradley team than realized.

Even Smizik says that Bradley was the better team. He also continues his complaints that Pitt needs shooters not athletes and playing defense.

As so often has been the case in big NCAA tournament games, Pitt didn’t have the offensive answer for Bradley. Coach Jamie Dixon’s emphasis on defense and rebounding holds the team in good stead in the Big East. But out of the league, the Panthers become the lesser team.

In 2002, Pitt lost to Kent State of the Mid-American Conference; in ’03 to Marquette, then in Conference USA; in ’05 to Pacific of the Big West Conference; and this year to Bradley of the Missouri Valley Conference. That’s not supposed to happen to Big East teams.

But when you gear up to win on defense and rebounding sometimes it’s hard to have offensive answers to talented teams. The Dixon-Ben Howland approach has taken the Panthers further than anyone might have expected at the start of their run. But they’re stuck as an early-round loser in the most important event of the season.

Maybe it’s time to tweak the formula. Maybe it’s time for Pitt to have an offensive answer of its own.

Yeah, it had nothing to do with being outrebounded — second chances on offense — and freethrow shooting. It had nothing to do with poor positioning and not getting to the looseballs. It’s about offense. So what if Pitt actually shot better than Bradley.

Still no word on what is ailing Keith Benjamin. And some of the final numbers for Krauser.

Krauser had 17 points, 5 assists and 6 turnovers and finished his career in ninth place on Pitt’s all-time scoring list with 1,642 points. In his four playing seasons, Krauser had a 104-27 record with four NCAA tournament appearances, becoming one of only three players in school history to play in four NCAA tournaments.

“This is the best five years I spent anywhere in my life,” Krauser said. “I didn’t have anything but one book bag when I got here. This was a city known for football and we turned it into a nationally known basketball program. I’m proud of my achievements.”

He ended that statement with a little something else.

“We turned a football school into a school known for basketball, but there’s a lot of winning left for Levance and the kids to do.”

Good luck to Carl Krauser.

As for the team and next year, the first order of business is getting Coach Dixon’s extension hammered out before Arizona State, Missouri or anyone else come calling.

runkle had this to say:

I am not sure who “J-Maile” is, but threatening to censor his thoughts is below you (I don’t know you either!) and quite frankly, undemocratic.

That’s in response to my warning to J-Maile:

…Abusive crap is something all together different. J-Maile, I’m cutting you slack for today because it was a tough loss. Keep it up and I’ll simply ban you.

As my dad used to tell me when I was a teen, “who said this was a democracy?” Last I checked, anyone is free to do their own blog. I try to keep the comments open and free, but what can I say. I try to hold certain standards, and I really expect some level of civility.

Simply put, there is a line I feel between disagreements and screaming abuse. Especially crossing lines is the way he described Krauser. You can criticize the game, but I won’t put up with calling Pitt players a “f—ing piece of trash,” or a “cancer” based on the result of a game. Those are some very personal attacks, with no call or basis for that. All of that needed to be checked. This isn’t some call-in radio show. Emotions may have been raw, you may not like the player or his game, but that’s going too far.

J-Maile did raise some good points that I do hope to address when I have time.

While I’m ranting a bit, can everyone give a rest to this whole not a “real fan” line of BS? It’s like listening to bad discussions of what is a Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc. It’s a bad argument that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Thank you.

Well if there’s any consolation to the end of Pitt’s B-ball season (and I don’t see much), it’s that attention will start shifting to Spring football practice (yes, Reed, you can do a happy dance that I am finally getting to it).

Pitt hosted its “pro day” on Saturday. Things were a little different then in the past.

“We had to re-organize some things, just try and make it better for our players,” Wannstedt said. “We have guys from about 20 teams coming in, from scouts to personnel guys and even some coaches and I will meet with them all before the workouts begin.

“It is something different I wanted to do for our players to show them we are committed to helping them get to the next level. It is the way they do things at programs like Miami that produce a lot of NFL players and it is the way we are going to do things here.”

Wannstedt and his staff will meet with the scouts at 6 a.m. today at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on the South Side and review tape with them. The team’s medical staff will be available to answer questions and perform any tests that are requested. Wannstedt’s assistant coaches also will meet with the representatives from the NFL teams to answer any questions about individual players.

The reason behind the changes to the format is so the Panthers can give as much information as possible to the NFL teams about every player who has aspirations to play professionally.

All of the seniors from last year’s team — as well as junior receiver Greg Lee, who left school a year early — are expected to be in attendance at the combine-style workout today.

Seniors who worked out included Josh Cummings, Eric Gill, Josh Lay, Charles Spencer and J.J. Horne.

Additionally, Pitt had Juniors Tyler Palko and H.B. Blades have informal workouts for the scouts to get them additional exposure. Not to mention put on a show for the numerous high school juniors who attended unofficially, of course.

The Pitt coaches took this opportunity to bring in some top local high school prospects. Among them was Downingtown East quarterback PAT BOSTCK, the No. 1 rated quarterback in the state and one of the top rated in the country. Local quarterbacks in attendance included Bethel Park’s JEFF STEWART and Seton LaSalle’s MATT RODGERS.

Other local players attending included top offensive line prospects GINO GRADKOWSKI, also from Seton LaSalle, Mt. Lebanon’s ANDREW DEVLIN, Seneca Valley’s DONNIE BARCLAY, Peabody’s ANDRE WESTON, and MATT OSTROWSKI from Highlands. Gradkowski and Devlin hold written offers from the Panthers.

Two Keystone Oaks standouts, Chris Jacobson and Myles Caragein, also attended. Jacobson, one of the best offensive guard prospects in the country, has already verbally committed to the Panthers, while Caragein, a fast rising defensive lineman, is also being heavily pursued by the Panthers, who have already offered.

Others HS Juniors who attended included Dom DeCicco and Chris Drager.

“My favorites right now are Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Iowa and Ohio State,” he said. “Chris (Drager) and I are a little disappointed we don’t have an offer yet from Pitt but we remain really interested. We go to almost every activity they have.”

DeCicco has been a three year starter. He is capable of playing wide receiver, safety and cornerback on the next level. Although most schools prefer him at safety, he stated the Panthers’ coaching staff may have other ideas. “We spoke with several of the coaches there. Coach (Dave) Wannstedt, Coach (Bob) Junko and Coach (Curtis) Bray spoke with me. They told me they were very interested in me and that they like me at outside linebacker.”

Drager plays TE and DE, and Pitt seems more interested in him on defense.

I can’t help but think that having Palko and Blades performing for scouts was primarily for the recruits. A way to make a point to showing them that Pitt will do what it can to help them get to the next level in football and noticed by the scouts. Coach Wannstedt does his best to use any event as a recruiting opportunity.

It has to be considered a positive that Pat Bostick keeps attending Pitt events. He keeps coming from the other side of the state for the activities. Not exactly like they are things in his own backyard.

Completing the field of 16, saw the removal of all teams from the Big 11.

Pitt fell to Bradley, keeping one team from Illinois still in the NCAA.

Another Pennsylvania team falls as Bucknell is battered and beaten by Memphis.

Fire Roy Williams! Not only does his team lose to a George Mason team seeded 8 spots below his team (just like Pitt) but UNC blew a 7 point halftime lead to lose by 5. Oh, you mean this was a young UNC team that overachieved? A team that played a bunch of underclassmen who hadn’t started before? A team that is a credit to the coach and his staff for bringing them along and getting this much from them, when little was expected? That seems familiar. Give me a few minutes I know I’ll place it.

UConn wins again without a full heart, and it’s another reminder why Marcus Williams got a slap on the wrist for stealing laptops. Kid is clutch and the only reason why the 1-16 upset of legend and myth didn’t happen this year.

WVU put Northwestern St. away early then coasted the rest of the way. Given the population demographic of West Virginia and Louisiana, do you think more than 5 people with a full set of teeth saw this game?

If Herb Sendek had personality and charm, he’d be celebrated in Raleigh as one of their best coaches ever. Instead, the zombie keeps facing job questions despite consistently good work. Texas was the better team and it showed as they pulled away in the second half.

The real tragedy of Cinci getting shafted by the selection committee last week, there was such an opening for a chorus of “four dead in O-hi-o,” after the first weekend. Now it just falls flat as Ohio State gets humiliated on a home court by Georgetown. Three Ohio teams started in the Field of 64, and now there are none. The entire Big 11 is out of the Tournament.

Arizona finally remembered how to play basketball, but it was too late and Villanova is the remaining team out of four from Pennsylvania to advance.

Conferences

WCC: 2-0 (1 team remaining)
ACC: 6-2 (2 teams remaining)
PAC-10: 5-2 (2 teams remaining)
Big East: 9-4 (4 teams remaining)
MVC: 4-2 (2 teams remaining)
CAA: 2-1 (1 team remaining)
C-USA: 2-1 (1 team remaining)
SEC: 7-4 (2 teams remaining)
Big 12: 3-3 (1 team remaining)
Big 11: 3-6 (0 teams remaining)
A-10: 1-2 (0 teams remaining)
MWC: 0-2 (0 teams remaining)

I’m going to sound condescending for this, but it can’t be avoided. If and when Pitt lost it was just about a given that people would be all over Krauser for the loss. It’s the nature of the situation. This is a football region and the QB is lionized or villanized. In basketball, that’s how the PG is treated regardless of whether he is designated as the Shooting or Point. Krauser is and always will be Point. A lightening rod of criticism.

I’ve made no secret of how much I like Krauser. To paraphrase Jim Boeheim: We wouldn’t have one [bleep] without him!

Krauser hasn’t just been the guy with the ball at crunch time — for good and ill — he’s been the guy to make the passes inside. Don’t believe me? Believe this.

Sampling 17 games for which play-by-play stats could be found, the Big East regular season and the NCAA Tournament game versus KSU, the evidence is clear. During that span, Aaron Gray made 89 field goals; 63 of those field goals came with an assist. Here’s how those assists broke down…

Oh, you have to go visit Keith Wehmeyer to read it all. Consider those numbers don’t even begin to take into account the number of misses by Gray or times fouled.

The offseason assignment for both Fields and Ramon: work on the interior passing. Then we can talk a little bit about how much better Pitt will be.

It’s one thing when Pitt has the outside shooting to spread the defense, but who can thread the needle when the perimeter game is not there and the opposing defense is collapsing inside?

Immediate box scores can be inaccurate, but looking at this one points to the exception of the conventional wisdom of the NCAA Tournament. Bradley’s frontcourt led the way for the Braves.

Their Guard play was good and kept up some defensive pressure, but it was Bradley’s Center and Forwards that led the way. Aggressive play. Hard to the basket and drawing fouls to get to the line — and making them. O’Bryant, Sommerville and Wright (C,F,F) had 60 of Bradley’s 72 points (19-42 FG, 21-24 FT).

Pitt’s front court players: Gray, Kendall and Young had 23 points — 10-21 FG and 3-4 FT.

Considering the purposeful fouls at the end, Pitt really didn’t commit that many more fouls than Bradley, 21-16. The difference was that Pitt fouled Bradley too often in the act of shooting: 32 FTA to 11. A by-product of the team that is more aggressive going to the basket.

Bradley only attempted 6 3FG to Pitt’s 20.

Pitt was outrebounded 40-38 and on the offensive glass 16-12. Gray only had 4 rebounds (as many as Hudson had in 5 minutes), Kendall was Pitt’s co-leader along with Krauser with 6. O’Bryant had 7 and Wright had 9 to lead Bradley.

Okay. Got a full pot of coffee in the system. Had a little breakfast. Munchies nearby along with Newcastle. I’m ready. I’m ready.

Comment before, during and after.

HALFTIME UPDATE: Pitt losing 30-29.

And I am grateful that Pitt is only down 1.

A ton of turnovers. Nothing from Krauser, Gray and Graves but a bunch of fouls.

Too many defensive breakdowns. Neither team shooting that well, but Pitt allowing way too many extra chances for Bradley.

That start from Pitt was reminiscent of the St. John’s start. Pitt seemed ill-prepared for Bradley playing that tight on them on the perimeter.

FINAL: Pitt loses 72-66.

Arrrggghhh!!!!

Horrible game from the entire team.

They came out of the half looking like they had it all figured out. They looked and played with confidence for the first minute or so. Then Bradley got the weak-ass flop offensive foul called on Krauser and the whole team seemed to lose it. Gray got that dumb tech for slamming the ball sky high when called for 3 seconds less than 2 minutes later. Bradley made the free throws to take the lead and never trailed again.

There was one 2006 NBA lottery draft 7-footer on the court. Unfortunately, he played for Bradley. O’Bryant looked amazing for Bradley. Sound, didn’t drop the ball below his waist. Kept position inside. Where was Len Elmore with a lecture on how big men should play when you need it?

Here’s the base information.

The Bradley Braves are located in Peoria, Illinois. Once upon a time (1940s-50s) they were a national basketball power. They were among the teams caught up in the point shaving scandals of that time.

Pitt is a 4.5 point favorite (Ohio St. is only a 3.5 point favorite over G-town). The Pitt Athletic Department has some additional game notes (PDF).

The big focal point is that Bradley has a 7′ Center of their own to match Aaron Gray. Both players are confident in themselves in this game.

The two big men are similar in size, but O’Bryant was quick to acknowledge that Gray has the edge by “at least 20 pounds.

“After watching film, I’d say I’m a little faster than him,” said O’Bryant, who is listed at 260 pounds. “I believe I might be able to outrun him, and I have a better reach, so I might be able to affect his shots and rebound. The disadvantage is he’s much bigger.”

But Gray is listed at only 270, which is only 10 pounds more than O’Bryant’s roster weight.

Nevertheless, neither guy is about to concede much.

“They have a big size presence with O’Bryant,” Gray said. “It’s definitely going to be another challenge, and I look forward to it. They’ve got a much better team than anyone expected.”

But Gray, a junior who had 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double in the past six games, doesn’t plan on making any adjustments against O’Bryant, a sophomore who had eight points and 10 rebounds against Kansas.

“For two years in practice, I’ve been playing against (former Pitt big man) Chris Taft,” Gray said. “The Big East has many good centers. It’s just going to be a game where I’m actually going to be able to be more aggressive, being that I’m playing against someone my own size.”

The key is getting the ball to the big guy.

In Pitt’s opening-round victory over Kent State, Pitt guard Carl Krauser simply lobbed the ball over the top of the defense to 7-foot, 270-pound junior center Aaron Gray, who made all six of his shots to score 17 points and also had 13 rebounds. He probably won’t get his touches as easily today with 7-foot, 260-pound sophomore Patrick O’Bryant guarding him. And the Braves can bring senior Bradyn Heemskerk (7-1, 260) off the bench. “If I can’t lob it over, I’m just going to find another way to get him the ball,” Krauser said bluntly. “I have to get him the ball.”

The issue will be how Bradley’s defense clogs the passing lanes. If Pitt gets the ball down low to Gray, he can score or get him in foul trouble. Gray has shown that he can more than hold his own against even bigger men then him, like Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert. The Braves have focused more on defense during the season.

“It’s gotten to the point where they’re enjoying playing defense and taking pride in it. We’re going to see where that takes us. When the light went on with this group I was pretty confident that this group could go a long way.”

With one more victory today, Bradley can ascend to heights it has not seen in more than a half century. No. 13 seed Bradley and No. 5 seed Pitt meet today in a second-round game for the right to go to the Sweet 16. Bradley has not been to the third round of the NCAA tournament since 1954.

Ever since Les has stressed defense, Bradley has been a dangerous team. The Braves have won 13 of their past 17 games. They did not give up more than 70 points in their previous nine games before Friday and held opponents to an average of 52.6 points per game in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

That’s what makes both teams play on Friday night kind of strange. They both played incredibly well on offense. Far above their averages.

Bradley: Perhaps it was an aberration, or maybe a really good adrenaline rush, but Bradley shot an impressive 52.5 percent from three-point range in the first round.

The Braves weren’t the strongest during the regular season, shooting 33 percent in threes.

What Pitt must do to win

Pitt has the big bodies down low, so they need to use their size and strength to bang away. Kent State tried doubling down on 7-0 center Aaron Gray, and that certainly didn’t work. He was undeterred, scoring 17 points. Gray will face off against Bradley’s 7-0 sophomore center, Patrick O’Bryant. Scoring might be tougher, given O’Bryant’s defensive strengths.

What Bradley must do to win

Believe. The Braves showed good nerves during the first round and didn’t freak out while they downed Kansas. Pittsburgh probably will play scrappier than the Jayhawks did, meaning Bradley should be in for a fight.

Pitt’s perimeter defense will have to be solid. The easiest way to get beaten in these kind of games is when the 3s start falling.

Pitt of course had to scout Bradley and Kansas after their win over Kent. They had a 12 hour window.

Assistant coaches Joe Lombardi and Pat Sandle sat courtside and watched the Kansas-Bradley game Friday night after Pitt beat Kent State. Lombardi was responsible for Kansas, Sandle for Bradley.

“You try to pick up visuals and signals, things that are hard to pick up on video,” Sandle said.

Afterward, Sandle went back to the team hotel and watched the game on videotape and edited the tape with video coordinator John Alesi for a video session yesterday with players.

Sandle went to bed at 3 a.m. and awoke at 8 a.m. to watch other recent Bradley games.

“We accumulated other tapes from people we know,” Sandle said. “We watched their conference tournament game against Southern Illinois. We went back six games. You want to stay recent.”

After practice yesterday, it was back to the team hotel for more tape review, dinner, and another video session with players. They’ll watch tape one more time today and then have a walk-through a few hours before game time.

Pitt, like any team in the same situation, played the odds and spent a little more time on Kansas, the higher-seeded team. Lombardi had been watching tape of Kansas since Monday. Sandle did the Kent State scouting report and also began preparations for Bradley.

Well, considering the job Sandle did in getting a report on what Kent would do, that’s encouraging.

On injury notes, Keith Benjamin is still not cleared to play. Tyrell Biggs is still unlikely for the game. The only injury note to Bradley is relatively minor.

Meanwhile, Bradley guard Tony Bennett, who hurt his neck in a late pileup in the Friday victory over Kansas, is expected to start.

Bennett was diagnosed with a strained neck and has undergone a series of massages and heat treatments from BU trainer Eric Redman.

Bradley players are going with “team of destiny” theme to get themselves up for the game.

While the Panthers have the advantage in tournament experience, having been here five years in a row, Bradley has an intangible edge.

“I think we’re a Cinderella team,” said BU guard Daniel Ruffin. “But we’re as good as any team out there. We’re confident and that’s what we’re riding.”

Even as they are saying they are treating each game like any other. Well, everyone tries to play that card.

Les pointed out his team has been very focused the last two months. The Braves handled the NCAA tournament pressure a lot better than tournament regular Kansas. Bradley had to play with a heightened sense of urgency after an 8-6 start and believes it is prepared for another big game. Friday’s contest was an example of its approach.

“We took it as another game,” Bradley senior Marcellus Sommerville said. “We didn’t get real high because it was Kansas and it was an NCAA tournament game. We had the same approach we had all month. I think it showed in our poise.”

While Kansas was more of a transition team, Pitt likes to get into its half-court offense and let point guard Krauser run the show. Krauser, who had nine assists in the Panthers’ victory over Kent State Friday, is the team’s leading scorer at 15 points per game.

Pitt and Bradley both have a presence in the middle. Gray, at 7 feet and 270 pounds, averages 14 points and 11 rebounds. Bradley’s Patrick O’Bryant is a 7-footer who averages 13 points and eight rebounds.

“They are a really quick team with great guards,” Krauser said. “They have great post presence. [O’Bryant’s] going cause a lot of deflections and people changing their shots. We’re just going to have to finish plays and find the open man.”

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon has cautioned his team against putting any stock in tournament seeds. He wants to make sure Bradley doesn’t have anything to celebrate Sunday night.

“The seedings don’t mean anything,” he said. “Everybody’s here, everybody has the same opportunity.”

After their win over Kansas, the Bradley team was greeted by their fans waiting at the hotel.

Around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, the Bradley Braves returned to their team hotel and were swamped by what coach Jim Les called “a barrage” of fans.

“Guys who were limping getting off the bus all of a sudden had a nice little kick to their step,” he said.

The 13th-seeded Braves, in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade, had just defeated No. 4 Kansas to win a tournament game for the first time since 1986, when Les was a senior guard.

That’s going to be a popular storyline for the announcers regarding Jim Les (it probably was on Friday as well, but the game wasn’t being shown in my area).

Jim Les was Bradley’s starting point guard in 1986, the last time the Braves played in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Twenty years later, Les finally has the Braves back there again, this time as coach. To him, there’s no debate about which feels better.

“Being a player is more of a personal satisfaction,” Les said Saturday. “Now it’s like being a part of the tradition and history of Bradley basketball and being a part of putting it back on the map. … Seeing all the people now that have been affected. It’s more fun to be a part of that.”

The Missouri Valley Conference as a whole has acquitted itself quite well in the Tournament, given where their teams were seeded. Now they hope to keep parlaying the increased exposure into better TV and recruiting.

Now for the doom and gloom segment. An article about being wary to the no-name teams.

For Pitt, it’s the same scenario that has played out a few times in the past: Rather than face a big-name opponent — in this case Kansas — the Panthers face an upstart from a smaller conference.

Pitt has been trying to become part of the “in crowd” during the past five years, and its basketball supporters like to point out how great the Panthers have looked in that period of time. They have the fourth-highest winning percentage in that span. Only Duke, Gonzaga and Illinois have better marks. Pitt’s 132-32 record since 2001 puts it ahead of such elite programs as Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse.

The difference is that those squads have been much more successful in the NCAA tournament. Duke, UConn and Syracuse have won crowns since then. Illinois and Kansas have reached the championship game. Gonzaga and Kentucky have made it to the Elite Eight.

The Panthers haven’t made it past the Sweet 16. To make matters worse, none of the losses has come at the hands of those high-profile schools that Pitt is so desperately trying to fit in with.

Yeah, sure two of the three Sweet Sixteen losses were to teams that made the Final Four, but that’s not important when the name matters. Please. Both Oklahoma St. and Marquette had multiple players now playing in the NBA. Pitt’s squads featured one. NBA quality talent matters.

It doesn’t matter the name on the front, Pitt can’t take anyone lightly period in the NCAA Tournament. I don’t think they are. There’s no one to look past to right now.

Then there is this absolutely astounding Bob Smizik column all but declaring that Pitt sucks if they lose to Bradley.

Friday night — March 17 — was Christmas in March for coach Jamie Dixon.

What more could he or any coach have asked for than to be relieved of the burden of facing No. 4-seed Kansas — historically one of the great programs in college basketball and most recently the champion of the Big 12 Conference tournament — and instead playing Bradley, the team that tied for fifth place in the mid-major Missouri Valley Conference?

Fifth-seeded Pitt went from looking at the distinct possibility of a loss to the Jayhawks to having their ticket punched for Oakland, Calif., next weekend, which is where the Panthers will be if they beat 13th-seeded Bradley today in a second-round game at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Bradley is no Kansas. For that matter, Bradley is no Wichita State, Missouri State, Southern Illinois or Creighton. Those are the four teams that finished in front of the Braves in the MVC.

Bradley is one of those schools just happy to be here. There wasn’t a complaint from Bradley fans about their No. 13 seed. If the Braves had been scheduled to play in El Paso, Texas; Pullman, Wash.; or Brisbane, Australia; there would not have been a word of discontent from their followers.

Predictably, there was a lot of talk yesterday about how good Bradley is. Of course, the Braves are good. But “good” shouldn’t do it against Pitt, not the way it’s playing. There’s no way Pitt should lose this game.

Ugh. Keith Wehmeyer has a good take on it. I mean, sure Pitt should win. I want them to win. I’ll be pissed if they lose. Still, this team just took out Kansas — a damn good team that won the Big 12 Championship over Texas. Bradley is not a gimmee and if Pitt loses it won’t be because they choked against a Robert Morris type team.

Just like when Kent State beat Pitt, they had also taken out a very good Alabama team. Nothing is guaranteed or assured. UCLA nearly lost to an inferior Alabama team with no depth who had scorched Marquette.

It’s one of those articles where you throw up your hands and just say, “whatever.” I don’t even have the energy or desire to give it the proper Fisking.