When Pitt was embarrassed more than a week ago by Rutgers it was relatively easy for coach Jamie Dixon to fix the problems that arose in that game -- rebounding and defense, issues that could be cured through cracking the whip.
In their next game, the Panthers responded with one of their best defensive performances of the season.
Fixing problems on offense are much more delicate. A coach cannot will his team to shoot better.
That is the problem Dixon faces tomorrow when the Panthers play host to West Virginia. He will be trying to coax more offense from a group that has lost its magic touch.
Pitt, which scored 70 points or more in 10 of the first 13 games, has reached 70 just once in the past six games. The Panthers have scored 64 or fewer in three of their past four and scored a season-low 53 points in a loss Saturday at Connecticut.
"Defense just requires effort and knowing where to be at the right times," senior guard Keith Benjamin said. "There's nothing you can do when your offense is not clicking. When you're not making shots, you can go to the gym every night and you can practice hard, but sometimes you just go through things as a team. We've happen to hit that right now."
Pitt's scoring slump has coincided with personal slumps for some of the top scorers. Sam Young has made just 16 of 50 shots in the past three games. Benjamin is 9 for 30 and Ron Ramon for 5 for 14 in the same span. Those players are taking the majority of the outside shots.
Dixon said there are a few factors involved in the slump. He said the Panthers have faced some tougher defensive teams recently and the players are playing increased minutes because of injuries.
Those things are out of Dixon's control. Shot selection is not, and it is something he has stressed to his players in the wake of the Connecticut loss.
"We were shooting so well for a stretch there," Dixon said. "Our percentages were off the charts from 3-point range and the field. [The slump] is more because of the shot selection we've had.
"It's been something we've stressed. The last couple of games our shooting percentage wasn't as good as it had been. That really sticks out in our minds. That's something we have to continue to improve on. We have to make better decisions. We seem to have some times when we don't make good decisions and don't take as good of shots."
After shooting 45 percent or more in four of the first six Big East games, the Panthers have shot 38.6 percent, 42.6 percent and 32 percent in the past three games. Against Connecticut, the Panthers did not make a field goal in the final 7:32 of the first half.
"You just have to continue to make the extra pass and stuff like that," Benjamin said. "The shots will start falling again. We're just going through a cold streak as a team right now. We take some bad shots. That starts to affect everybody. You have to start the game off by taking good shots. Hopefully, they'll fall and the rest will fall after that."
The Panthers need to snap out of their slump by the time the Mountaineers come to town. Pitt, West Virginia and Seton Hall are tied for seventh place in the conference standings.
"I think we're going to bounce out of it," Benjamin said. "Our offense is looking better at practice. Our offense hadn't been looking very good in practice the past few weeks. When it looks good in practice it usually looks good in games."
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NOTES -- Dixon said junior point guard Levance Fields, who is rehabilitating a fractured left foot, has begun to take set shots on the court. Dixon said Fields went through yesterday's shooting session without pain. Fields is not allowed to put pressure on the foot yet. ... Benjamin, who has been playing with a bad cut on his right hand for the past four games, said the hand is 90 percent and is as best as it has felt since he injured against Cincinnati Jan. 19.
In their next game, the Panthers responded with one of their best defensive performances of the season.
Fixing problems on offense are much more delicate. A coach cannot will his team to shoot better.
That is the problem Dixon faces tomorrow when the Panthers play host to West Virginia. He will be trying to coax more offense from a group that has lost its magic touch.
Pitt, which scored 70 points or more in 10 of the first 13 games, has reached 70 just once in the past six games. The Panthers have scored 64 or fewer in three of their past four and scored a season-low 53 points in a loss Saturday at Connecticut.
"Defense just requires effort and knowing where to be at the right times," senior guard Keith Benjamin said. "There's nothing you can do when your offense is not clicking. When you're not making shots, you can go to the gym every night and you can practice hard, but sometimes you just go through things as a team. We've happen to hit that right now."
Pitt's scoring slump has coincided with personal slumps for some of the top scorers. Sam Young has made just 16 of 50 shots in the past three games. Benjamin is 9 for 30 and Ron Ramon for 5 for 14 in the same span. Those players are taking the majority of the outside shots.
Dixon said there are a few factors involved in the slump. He said the Panthers have faced some tougher defensive teams recently and the players are playing increased minutes because of injuries.
Those things are out of Dixon's control. Shot selection is not, and it is something he has stressed to his players in the wake of the Connecticut loss.
"We were shooting so well for a stretch there," Dixon said. "Our percentages were off the charts from 3-point range and the field. [The slump] is more because of the shot selection we've had.
"It's been something we've stressed. The last couple of games our shooting percentage wasn't as good as it had been. That really sticks out in our minds. That's something we have to continue to improve on. We have to make better decisions. We seem to have some times when we don't make good decisions and don't take as good of shots."
After shooting 45 percent or more in four of the first six Big East games, the Panthers have shot 38.6 percent, 42.6 percent and 32 percent in the past three games. Against Connecticut, the Panthers did not make a field goal in the final 7:32 of the first half.
"You just have to continue to make the extra pass and stuff like that," Benjamin said. "The shots will start falling again. We're just going through a cold streak as a team right now. We take some bad shots. That starts to affect everybody. You have to start the game off by taking good shots. Hopefully, they'll fall and the rest will fall after that."
The Panthers need to snap out of their slump by the time the Mountaineers come to town. Pitt, West Virginia and Seton Hall are tied for seventh place in the conference standings.
"I think we're going to bounce out of it," Benjamin said. "Our offense is looking better at practice. Our offense hadn't been looking very good in practice the past few weeks. When it looks good in practice it usually looks good in games."
?
NOTES -- Dixon said junior point guard Levance Fields, who is rehabilitating a fractured left foot, has begun to take set shots on the court. Dixon said Fields went through yesterday's shooting session without pain. Fields is not allowed to put pressure on the foot yet. ... Benjamin, who has been playing with a bad cut on his right hand for the past four games, said the hand is 90 percent and is as best as it has felt since he injured against Cincinnati Jan. 19.
