The good news. Pitt basketball continues to do well off the court with the student part.

For the second consecutive year, the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball program received Public Recognition from the National Collegiate Athletic Association for ranking among the nation’s top-10 percent of all 336 men’s basketball squads based on its Academic Progress Rate. Announced by the NCAA on Thursday, the honor takes into account academic progress, graduation and retention rates over a four-year period between the 2007-08 and 2010-11 academic years.

Pitt and Notre Dame are the only two Big East men’s basketball programs ranked among the nation’s top-10 percent in APR score in each of the last two years. Over the last 11 seasons, Pitt has led the league in overall wins (295), league wins (129), NCAA Tournament appearances (10) and conference titles (six).

The Academic Progress Rate is a measure of classroom performance related to all participating NCAA Division I athletic programs. It is considered to be the NCAA’s “real-time” snapshot of academic progress, graduation and retention. Schools who fail to reach the NCAA’s minimum score can receive penalties that include loss of scholarships, public admonishment, restrictions on practice and competition and even expulsion from the NCAA.

Under the direction of four-time National Coach of the Year Jamie Dixon and Director of Academic Support Services Mike Farabaugh, the Pitt Basketball program has consistently ranked among the best Big East Conference performers in the APR. During Dixon’s nine-year tenure, over 80 percent of his men’s basketball players have graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. The Panthers have also earned a Team Academic Achievement Award for Most Improved Academic Team in 2004, 2006 and 2008.

“Graduating student-athletes will always be the No. 1 priority for our program,” Dixon said. “Once again, this is a tremendous honor for our university and a great reward for all of the hard work and dedication that our players have put into their studies.”

No worries about facing a post-season ban like UConn is having to face this year.

Now the bad. There’s a big hole in the non-con.

Pitt is still searching for a nonconference home game to replace the spot it held for the SEC-Big East Challenge before the Panthers found out last week that they were not going to be invited to the event. Pitt has to make the right choice with this game because their home schedule lacks sizzle, let alone top 25 teams. The Panthers must play a team that will be a conference champ contender rather than a team that has a name, but won’t be an NCAA tournament team and comes from a power conference.

It also lacks a good RPI position. I said it when it happened, and I repeat. Coach Jamie Dixon screwed up by believing Pitt was going to take part in the SEC-Big East Challenge. Especially when you consider how limited the number of “good” teams there were in the SEC that would be useful for Pitt. I would still love to see Dixon pull a rabbit out of the hat — and land a fine “screw you” blow to the Big East — by setting something up with Missouri.

Pitt may have to swallow hard to get a quality opponent at Pitt. It may even have to do a home-and-home with a non-power conference team to get them to the Pete at this point. Perhaps with Gonzaga? St. Mary’s? VCU? Memphis? Dare I say, UNLV?