Andy Katz has a little more on Pitt’s schedule and the game at Army (Insider Subs).
As such, Dixon set up the Maggie Dixon Classic. Details are still being finalized but the unique doubleheader will include Army’s women’s team against Ohio State and Dixon’s Pitt men’s team against Western Michigan at the Academy on Sunday, Nov. 12. ESPNU tentatively is scheduled to air the doubleheader. Aeropostale is a sponsor, as well.
A pre-existing scheduling conflict prevented DePaul, where Dixon worked prior to going to Army, from playing on that date. Ohio State coach Jim Foster also knew Maggie. Army’s men’s team also is in another event, which is why Western Michigan was added. WMU coach Steve Hawkins is a friend of Dixon’s and was willing to go to West Point. The two teams were already slated to play.
Meanwhile, the Panthers upgraded their schedule even more with a home-and-home series against Washington, the first of which will be on Feb. 17, likely at noon or 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. The contest should be a big man’s dream with Pitt’s Aaron Gray against UW’s Spencer Hawes. The Panthers already are playing Florida State and UMass at home, Wisconsin and Auburn on the road, and South Carolina at Madison Square Garden for their other high-profile affairs.
The Panthers have been criticized in the past for their nonconference schedule, but Dixon has a top-five team returning. Pittsburgh also rates well nationally, so get used to seeing the Panthers on TV quite often.
Something to consider, when we discuss Dixon’s coaching and teaching. Unlike almost all of the other teams being put in the top 5-6: Florida, UNC, Kansas, Ohio St., UCLA; Pitt’s roster is devoid of any McDonalds All-Americans. That needs to change (hopefully soon), but it points out how well the coaches have found talent and actually done a good job with it.
While talking about recruits, Mike DeCourcy at the Sporting News points out some prospects that seem to be falling in the opinion of scouting services.
Herb Pope, PF, Aliquippa, Pa. Pope was hot after a dazzling performance at the 2005 ABCD Camp. But his inconsistency on and off the court — in the past 11 months, he talked about changing high schools and withdrew a commitment to Pitt — dropped him out of the Scout.com top 10. He will be great only if he decides he wants to be. Possible colleges: Kansas State, Pitt, Louisville, Connecticut.
…
Julian Vaughn, PF, Reston, Va. Vaughn looks so much like a player that scouts got excited, perhaps prematurely. Vaughn is effective, but he does not impose his will upon a game. Considered a top 35 type, he probably belongs in the second half of the top 100. Possible colleges: North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Florida State, Kentucky, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Considering that most of the Pitt basketball players have been in Pittsburgh taking classes, working out and playing ball all summer, plus the very early hype the team is already receiving; you would think there would be more articles about individual players sooner. Well, finally the first of what will probably be many more through August is written. It focuses on Antonio Graves.
Yet, it took much of the season for Antonio Graves to realize how valuable his role was with the team.
“I struggled with it, no question,” Graves said Friday, as he took a break from summer workouts to fly to Atlanta for his sister’s wedding. “I struggled with it, mentally. I didn’t know what to think.
“Finally, it hit me, and I began to believe in myself and understand that it wasn’t about me. It was about the team.”
…
“I’m working a lot this summer on getting stronger,” he said. “I watched how the players got to the basket in the NBA playoffs, and I talked a lot to Carl (Krauser, Pitt’s leading scorer as a senior last season).
“The key is getting to the free-throw line. Even if you don’t make the shot, you want to have the opportunity to get those points somehow.”
Graves enters his final college season with a chance to make a big impact on a Pitt team that’s expected to be highly ranked in the preseason.
He understands all of it.
“I’m excited. I expect my senior year to be a good one,” Graves said. “I know I’m one of the leaders of this team now, and I can tell you that, since my freshman year, I’ve been through it all.”
Graves is not a starter, but he is a good bench player. He has improved and is willing to go inside, but is still inconsistent. He needs to improve or abandon his 3-point shooting which was atrocious last year (23-82) after looking very comfortable out there the previous year (36-78).
“We only lost one person (Krauser) who gave a major contribution,” Graves said, who was quick to point out he meant no disrespect to Krauser’s fellow senior, John DeGroat, who started nearly every Pitt game last season but averaged only 10.7 minutes per game.
“We have a good core coming back,” Graves added. “I think we gained a lot of experience in big games, and we proved, in Big East games, that we could get it done, even when Carl was in foul trouble.”
The pitch in Graves’ voice began to elevate with excitement as he continued to look ahead to the coming season.
“It’s going to make us a lot better, knowing we can play the way we did last year in certain situations,” he said. “We’re all going to be working hard, because we’re playing for a position. We’re all going to be pushing one another.”
It is always scary as a Pitt fan, to have these big expectations. Not to mention, there’s still an unfamiliarity with them.
