The Pitt Panthers basketball team sits at a very curious place at this point in time. Pitt has raced out to a 17-4 (5-3) Big East start. That alone for most teams would be good enough, but for Pitt it certainly leaves some doubt. Pitt basketball is far away from being a North Carolina or Kansas, but over the past ten years, Pitt has had quite a ride. The Panthers were at or near the top of the ultra competitive Big East for quite some time, and often found themselves ranked in the nation's top 25. 2011-12 came along and the expectations were just as high with a preseason top ten ranking, all for Pitt to flop to a below mediocre season. The NIT did not even want the Panthers. It was a total disaster, which brings us back to the question at hand, How good is this Pitt team?
It is certainly at a crossroads to decide where Pitt is this season. Could they be the Panthers that were a perennial top ten team for so long, or the CBI Panthers? At this point it is hard to say. They beat Georgetown and Villanova on the road by double digits, and took the #1 team in Michigan down to the wire, but they have also lost to Rutgers and needed a double digit comeback against Oakland University. This week will say a good bit about where the teams stands. The Panthers will take on Louisville in a nationally televised Big Monday showdown. The Cardinals are a top 25 team that is struggling, but are already calling Pitt a "must win" game. Louisville has owned Pitt of late, but could their struggles be a sign of weakness? Pitt could certainly take advantage on Monday night. Pitt has the talent and the depth to be a top tier team in the Big East. Freshman Center, Steven Adams, has been showing flashes of brilliance of late. He will be going up against a very good Louisville Center in Gorgui Dieng. Trey Zeigler has really turned it on of late, and is becoming a serious scoring threat, can he keep it going against the tough pressure by Peyton Siva and Russ Smith? All of these questions, along with many others, will be answered Monday night.
Syracuse on Saturday is another massive test. The Orange are certainly regarded as a top ten team, even after losing to Villanova Saturday. They have incredible length, and talent. Pitt has fared well against Syracuse through the years, but Saturday is a very important game. Pitt will either be looking to avoid back to back losses, or take command of the conference's top slot. Pitt will have the benefit of a rowdy Petersen Events Center to aid in that one.
This season was certainly supposed to be a bounce back year. They have more talent and experience than the Pitt team of last year. Still, doubt has to be in everyone's mind. They have last season still lingering, and some questionable performances this season. Pitt does not need to win both of the games, actually they technically could lose both and still be fine. Although, Pitt does need to show they are back on the map. They cannot flop against these teams. It is not so much national perception, but rather perception within the locker room. They can get the Pitt swagger back in the matter of a week.
No comments:
Post a Comment