Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. | Founded: 1787 | Enrollment: 33,500 | Colors: Blue and Gold
Coach: Jamie Dixon | Home Court: John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center | Capacity: 12,508 Record:
(27-10, 10-8
Big East)
It was a tale of two tournaments for the Panthers in 2007-2008. Pittsburgh entered the Big East Tournament as the No. 7 seed but won four games in four days to earn the championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. That brought a squad that was previously looking at a seed probably in the No. 7-10 range up to a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance, and a trendy pick to make the Final Four.
Ultimately, however, the Panthers were denied a fifth trip in the past seven seasons to the Sweet 16 by a Michigan State squad that put the clamps down on the Panthers' offense. The 65-54 defeat ended the season in the second round, and torpedoed the NCAA pools of folks like Bobby Knight, who had picked the team to go much farther.
Those expectations, however, may have been too much for a Pittsburgh team that was talented but vulnerable all season. A lot of that was due to some key injuries that plagued the team all year.
Pittsburgh had a number of strong guards but just one who was consistent. Levance Fields emerged as the unquestioned star at the point, and when he was on his game, the offense flowed. When he wasn't, or when he missed seven weeks because of a broken bone in his foot, everything bogged down. That was a bigger problem than many would have expected in the preseason, because Mike Cook was also sitting in street clothes, lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered against Duke.
That put a lot of pressure on guards Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin, and swingman Gilbert Brown, to succeed in expanded roles. Each had his moments, but none was able to provide the consistency that Fields and Cook could offer.
The frontcourt was always solid, with Sam Young emerging as a force and a no-brainer selection to the All-Big East first team, and DeJuan Blair sharing honors as the league's top freshman with Syracuse's Jonny Flynn. But when both were stymied by the Spartans, the team's offense faded. Nobody could make a shot at key times, and that proved fatal against a tough Michigan State squad.
Still, an up-and-down regular season will go down as a success because of the Big East Tournament championship. Despite the loss of Ramon, Benjamin and Cook to graduation, as long as Young returns for his senior season, the Panthers can make some serious headlines again in 2008-2009.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
Both CBS and ESPN put out their very early next season polls and the results are in:
CBS: #9
ESPN: #3
I feel pretty good about next years team, but I would actually rather start around #15 and work our way up then start at #3, for some crazy reason, whether its Football or Basketball pre-season expectations end up being our kiss of death. Looks like this upcoming season
I think it is almost certain that Pitt will have a better team next year than this. Sam Young will be even better. A healthy Fields is a shot-creating Fields. Dejaun Blair with a years experience will be exciting. Gilbert Brown will step it up one more level. I have to think someone out of McGhee, Wannamaker, Biggs and co. will emerge as reliable. I think (07
Jermaine Dixon just signed and LOI today to officially come to Pitt next year.
This year we most likely lose 3 (Cook, Benjamin, Ramon) and bring in 5 (Gibbs, Miller, Robinson, Woodall, and now Dixon)????
From what I figure we have an extra scholarship. Men's BBall are allotted 13 scholarships and this past year we had 12 on scholarship with a p
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Can Mike Cook come back for another year with the Pitt Panthers? He would be able to keep his good career alive for a true Senior year instead of a short 11 game stint that ended with the injury. I hope he can come back.
Hey guys, I'm trying to set up a sim league starting next season, where a simulator plays out the game and gives you realistic scores and stuff, and your Panthers are still available! If you are interested or have any questions feel free to e-mail me at dosegorillaz@aim.com.
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Just curious, I am still picking up the pieces after an incredibly disappointing loss to a team should have never beat us. This is not the first time. Wondering which loss stuck in your craw the most?
Kent State loss in OT in the Sweet 16? We basically had a clear path to the final four with a terrific team, just beat Indiana, who we dismantled the followi
