The Pitt basketball regular season has roughly reached the halfway point. So far they have put together a respectable 15-3 overall record, while going 4-2 in ACC play. Now they sit at 4th in the ACC and it is time to analyze the first half of the season.
The season had a rather odd beginning, when in Okinawa against Gonzaga the game was called at half due to poor court conditions. The Panthers used the momentum of leading the number 10 team in the country to cruise through their first four opponents. The ACC/Big Ten challenge was up, but a slow start and finish overshadowed the comeback effort by Pitt. After falling by 13 in that contest, they finished out the rest of their out of conference schedule undefeated. Unfortunately none of those games were a signature win. With conference play starting, Pitt looked ready for the challenge by beating Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and Notre Dame. Since then things have not been pretty for the Panthers as they have lost two of their last three in blowout fashion to Louisville and NC State. The lone win was versus Boston College, who has yet to record their first win of ACC play. The season has had some small successes, like being ranked in the AP Poll for two weeks and climbing as high as 20 in the polls. However, the losses suffered recently give fans plenty of reason to let doubt fill their minds.
Player Grades
James Robinson: B-
As it currently stands Robinson is averaging a career high in points per game and his assist to turnover ratio is around five to one. Unfortunately, that career high is 9.8 points per game and lately he has not been passing at a high level. He gets this grade, because he is doing a solid enough job but has to prove he is true playmaker.
Sterling Smith: C+
The starting shooting guard has been somewhat of a pleasant surprise for Dixon so far this season. He has been doing a good job of spacing the floor with his three point shooting, currently hitting 48.3%. Smith’s downside is that is all he really provides. He cannot drive to the hoop or create his own shot, everything has to be a wide-open catch and shoot jumper.
Jamel Artis: A
Pitt would be sunk without Artis, it is that plain and simple. On the season he is averaging 16.1 points per game on 53.2% from the field, 39.4% from three, and 78.2% at the line. He is playing at an all-conference type level, which is why Pitt has had success.
Michael Young: A
Artis is not the lone reason why the Panthers have succeeded this season, Young has done his part. He leads the team at 17.1 points per game, while hitting 56.9% of his shots so far. His post scoring and passing looks vastly improved from last season.
Rafael Maia: C
His numbers are far from impressive at 2.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game out of the starting center spot. However, he has played strong in paint on defense, which is why Dixon moved him into the starting lineup. He struggles to score and that hurts the Panthers on the offensive end.
Sheldon Jeter: B+
When Dixon goes to his small lineup it is Jeter who has to play out of position in the five spot. He has used athleticism and desire to compete on the glass. As well, his movement without the ball and running the floor has been an invaluable asset to the team. If only he could improve his range, 18.2% from beyond the arch.
Chris Jones: D
Jones was expected to start in the preseason, but graduate transfer Smith stole the starting shooting guard spot from him. That probably has to do with the fact that even though Jones is supposed to be a shooter he is not efficient at it. His 30.2% from three is just awful and what makes matters worse is that he does not provide any noticeable contributions elsewhere.
Cameron Johnson: C+
The Pittsburgh native has done a nice job of coming off the bench and hitting threes when he has been called upon. At 41.5% from deep he shows solid potential, Johnson still needs to put on muscle and improve defense before he can be counted on consistently.
Damon Wilson: C
The biggest recruit Dixon landed for this offseason was Wilson and so far much is left up to the imagination. He has shown quickness, but has been reluctant to attack when he gets in the game. Still with a lack of point guard depth he will be counted on more as the season progresses.
Ryan Luther: C-
When Luther gets into the game he hustles, but that does not make up for some of his deficiencies. Defensively he cannot defend in the low post due to his lack of size and on the perimeter he is too slow to take on guards. While on offense his lack of shooting ability, 0-6 on threes, makes it hard to justify playing him as a stretch four.
Alonzo Nelson-Ododa: F
Through the first five games he was the starter, but quickly fell out of favor with Dixon. That has a lot to do with the fact that he is a fouling machine, averaging 1.5 fouls in just nine minutes a game. Add that in with his ineptitude on offense and it has just been a brutal season for the Richmond transfer.
Team Grades
Offensive Grade: B-
The way this season started made it look like Dixon was finally adjusting to the new era of basketball where grind it out defensive battles are dying. They were putting up around 85 points per game and shooting the ball from all areas of the court. However, after the losses to Louisville and NC State the offense looks like a mirage. From a distance their number look great 81.4 points per game, 48.4% from the field, 37.3% from three, and 77.8% at the free throw line. But when you look closer at the season as a whole those numbers are boasted due to poor competition. In their three losses Purdue, NC State, and Louisville they shot below 40% from the field and 30% from three. Each of those teams was athletic enough on defense to expose the Panther offense as a lot of smoke and mirrors without much substance. The only reason the offense does not receive a lower grade, is because that side of the court has been why they have had any success so far.
Defensive Grade: C-
Much like the offense the defensive numbers look better due to poor strength of schedule. Once the team hit ACC play their deficiencies became more noticeable. For one thing it seems like every game Pitt plays a good scorer, said scorer goes off for a career day. Adam Smith of Georgia Tech started the trend off, and then Demetrius Jackson of Notre Dame, Eli Carter of Boston College and NC State’s Kat Barber continued the trend. This inability to slow down scorers points to the fact that the Panthers do not have high-level defenders on the perimeter. The same could actually be said for their interior defense. Neither Maia nor Alonzo are a match to guard any of the elite big men of the ACC. One thing is for certain this is not the Pitt defense that made Dixon famous.
Coaching Grade: B-
Dixon’s coaching has not been bad by any means this season. He seems to be trying to adjust his style with the way college basketball is played these days, in favor of more scoring. However, his weak out of conference schedule did little to prepare his team for ACC play. As well, not landing center in recruiting is taking its’ toll on the Panthers. Dixon relied on graduate transfers to do what he used to recruit guys for and the strategy has not met with the success of the past. Finally, with his transition into a more offense minded team he needs to develop the offense further. Too often it looks like Pitt players pass the ball around the perimeter without attacking.
Overall Grade: C+
It is hard to give this team as a whole too high of a grade. On the one hand they are 15-3 in solid position to make the NCAA Tournament. While on the other with these last two losses Pitt’s stock is definitely trending down. At this rate they should make the tournament due to Michael Young and Jamel Artis, but they will be around a seven to ten seed.