Notebook: Pitt posting good numbers
The Pitt basketball team has a chance to win 20 games for the first time in a decade. It also has a chance to advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.
And last, but far from least, it has a chance to continue basking in the spotlight, to continue gaining recognition, to continue to enhance its chances of luring potential recruits.
A victory over Mississippi State (17-12) at 7:30 tonight in a second-round NIT game at Fitzgerald Field House would keep this joyride going a little longer for the Panthers (19-13).
The winner advances to the quarterfinals, where it will play the Minnesota-Tulsa winner Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at a site to be announced. The semifinals are March 27 and the final is March 29.
"There aren't a whole lot of teams playing basketball right now. Most have been eliminated or they never got to a tournament," said second-year Pitt coach Ben Howland, whose team has won seven of nine. "We're still here. We want to be here for a while."
It won't be easy against an athletic Mississippi State team that boasts wins over NCAA tournament qualifiers Arizona, Mississippi and Arkansas and is led by a trio of players - Tang Hamilton, Antonio Jackson and Marckell Patterson - who are capable of putting up big numbers.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 75-68 first-round victory over Southern Mississippi in which Patterson scored 21 points. Pitt defeated St. Bonaventure, 84-75, in its first-round game Wednesday at Fitzgerald Field House.
"They can get as many as four or five guys in double figures," Howland said. "And they also play great defense with their man-to-man, their 1-3-1 trap and their 2-3 zone. That's a tough, hard-nosed basketball team."
And its a team that can crash the boards, as evidenced by a plus-8.1 defensive rebounding margin that is fifth-best in the nation. The Bulldogs don't have any players averaging double digits in rebounding, but their numbers are good because they attack as a team.
"They go after it," Howland said. "And they do it with some great athletes."
Similar to Pitt, Mississippi State is on a roll, winning five of its past seven games. The Bulldogs have done that despite the fact that forward Robert Jackson, who averaged 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 25 games, abruptly left the team earlier this month.
Freshman Mario Austin, a 6-foot-9 McDonald's All-American, has been relied upon more, as has 6-9 forward Quentin Smith since the departure of Robert Jackson. Austin contributed 12 points against Southern Miss on Wednesday.
"They have a number of guys who can put up good numbers," Howland said. "When they played Auburn, Hamilton had 20, Patterson had 20 and (Robert) Jackson had 14. That's an example of how they come at you from everywhere. They have some great players on that team."
But those "great players" don't play so great on the road. Mississippi State is 2-8 away from Starkville, which should bode well for a Pitt team that is 13-3 at the field house.
"The home game is big," Howland said. "We've played well there lately, and our crowd (Wednesday) was the best all season."
Pitt also has received a boost in the health department, particularly senior forward Ricky Greer, who fought through back, foot and ankle problems all season. He scored 26 against St. Bonaventure.
Add in the fact that freshmen guards Julius Page (22 points vs. St. Bonaventure) and Jaron Brown (10 points, eight assists, eight rebounds Wednesday) are playing well, and Pitt could be looking at win No. 20 and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.
"You know why we'd be excited about winning 20 games?" Howland said. "Because it means we're moving on. That's what we want to do - move on."
The Pitt basketball team has a chance to win 20 games for the first time in a decade. It also has a chance to advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.
And last, but far from least, it has a chance to continue basking in the spotlight, to continue gaining recognition, to continue to enhance its chances of luring potential recruits.
A victory over Mississippi State (17-12) at 7:30 tonight in a second-round NIT game at Fitzgerald Field House would keep this joyride going a little longer for the Panthers (19-13).
The winner advances to the quarterfinals, where it will play the Minnesota-Tulsa winner Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at a site to be announced. The semifinals are March 27 and the final is March 29.
"There aren't a whole lot of teams playing basketball right now. Most have been eliminated or they never got to a tournament," said second-year Pitt coach Ben Howland, whose team has won seven of nine. "We're still here. We want to be here for a while."
It won't be easy against an athletic Mississippi State team that boasts wins over NCAA tournament qualifiers Arizona, Mississippi and Arkansas and is led by a trio of players - Tang Hamilton, Antonio Jackson and Marckell Patterson - who are capable of putting up big numbers.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 75-68 first-round victory over Southern Mississippi in which Patterson scored 21 points. Pitt defeated St. Bonaventure, 84-75, in its first-round game Wednesday at Fitzgerald Field House.
"They can get as many as four or five guys in double figures," Howland said. "And they also play great defense with their man-to-man, their 1-3-1 trap and their 2-3 zone. That's a tough, hard-nosed basketball team."
And its a team that can crash the boards, as evidenced by a plus-8.1 defensive rebounding margin that is fifth-best in the nation. The Bulldogs don't have any players averaging double digits in rebounding, but their numbers are good because they attack as a team.
"They go after it," Howland said. "And they do it with some great athletes."
Similar to Pitt, Mississippi State is on a roll, winning five of its past seven games. The Bulldogs have done that despite the fact that forward Robert Jackson, who averaged 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 25 games, abruptly left the team earlier this month.
Freshman Mario Austin, a 6-foot-9 McDonald's All-American, has been relied upon more, as has 6-9 forward Quentin Smith since the departure of Robert Jackson. Austin contributed 12 points against Southern Miss on Wednesday.
"They have a number of guys who can put up good numbers," Howland said. "When they played Auburn, Hamilton had 20, Patterson had 20 and (Robert) Jackson had 14. That's an example of how they come at you from everywhere. They have some great players on that team."
But those "great players" don't play so great on the road. Mississippi State is 2-8 away from Starkville, which should bode well for a Pitt team that is 13-3 at the field house.
"The home game is big," Howland said. "We've played well there lately, and our crowd (Wednesday) was the best all season."
Pitt also has received a boost in the health department, particularly senior forward Ricky Greer, who fought through back, foot and ankle problems all season. He scored 26 against St. Bonaventure.
Add in the fact that freshmen guards Julius Page (22 points vs. St. Bonaventure) and Jaron Brown (10 points, eight assists, eight rebounds Wednesday) are playing well, and Pitt could be looking at win No. 20 and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.
"You know why we'd be excited about winning 20 games?" Howland said. "Because it means we're moving on. That's what we want to do - move on."
