2pm start. The game is on FoxSports Pittsburgh, MASN, MSG+ and the ESPN FullCourt package. For those on a computer and the right provider, it is on ESPN360.com.
Another road game, and Pitt puts its perfect conference road record at stake. Nice bit on Wanamaker adjusting his game as needed in the Big East.
The 6-foot-4 junior has gone from Pitt’s second-leading scorer to its leader in rebounds (6.6) and assists (4.1) since the return of senior Jermaine Dixon and junior Gilbert Brown to the lineup.
“It’s a sign of improvement for him,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “I’m really happy with what he’s doing offensively. He’s getting other guys shots, and he creates a problem for some teams to match up with him because of his ability to go off the dribble as the third guard for us.”
Part of the reason Wanamaker’s scoring average has slipped is a result of his field-goal percentage dropping from 48 percent to 33 percent — he was 4 of 12 from the field against the Hoyas — but he also has more assists (39) and less turnovers (19) in the past seven games than he did through the first 11, when he had 34 assists and 30 turnovers.
“He’s a great penetrator and a great passer,” Dixon said. “Just getting him to have a little more patience offensively has helped him increase his assists and cut down his turnovers.”
Facing a Hall team with a ‘Quip boy (sort of) who other than major foul problems is thriving in Gonzo ball. To the point where he’s running his mouth just a bit.
“I get to show everybody in the City of Pittsburgh what they missed out on,” Aliquippa, Pa. native Herb Pope said. The Seton Hall redshirt sophomore forward verbally committed to Pitt as a high school sophomore, but eventually re-opened his recruitment.
Pope eventually went to New Mexico State for one year before transferring to Seton Hall. He thought about Pittsburgh that time, too. Although the Panthers might not have wanted to deal with all the drama that has followed Pope the previous 3-4 years.
“It was an option for me,” Pope said after Seton Hall’s 80-77 victory against Louisville Thursday night. “I just never wanted to sit down and meet with Coach (Jamie) Dixon and put a game plan together.”
Now, Pope said he couldn’t see himself playing Pitt’s more deliberate style.
“I can’t hold the ball for 32 seconds,” he said with a smile.
Some of that much talked about new-found maturity it seems. Coach Dixon, to no surprise, sticks to the high road. The Seton Hall frontcourt has size, but no one seems to be seeing the girth.
Despite receiving his formal charges for his wrong-way on the highway incident, Keon Lawrence is expected to play.
LiveBlog around 2 pm. If you need to break it out, Click Here.
