Preview
Picked fourth in the Big East pre-season poll and ranked as high as ninth, the last six weeks have been disastrous for the Pitt Panthers. Injuries and poor game performance led Pitt into an eight game losing streak, and the acrimonious transfer of freshman Khem Birch was emblematic of the distractions that befell a program that has been near the top of the conference for over a decade.
Wednesday's 86-74 win over Providence ended the streak and has given Pitt some strength it did not have for much of the last eight games; notably, the return of guard Tray Woodall and the subsequent benefit to guard Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs scored 14 of his 22 points Wednesday in a late first half run that put away the Friars, and both will be key as Pitt seeks a second win this week and its first over a Top 25 team this season.
Woodall missed 11 games this season and returned with a 17 point effort against Providence after a combined 0-10 in the two games prior. He is shooting 48 percent on the season and his 44 percent range from three point marks four consecutive years of improvement in the stat sheet from outside the arc. Woodall is especially valuable in setting up Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson, and at one point was averaging over seven assists per game. His ability to keep the game under control is Pitt's best chance of establishing its momentum in the game.
Senior guard Ashton Gibbs remains an All-Big East favorite even with his team's 1-7 conference mark, simply because he is so valuable to the team on both sides of the ball. Scoring in double figures in all but two games this season, Gibbs has picked up the three point shooting that the Panthers have lacked for much of the past month. Gibbs has connected on nine three in the past two games, more than he had in the four previous games combined. Gibbs will play 35+ minutes in the game and his output can be hot and cold, so consistent defense will be a key.
Sophomore Lamar Patterson has started 19 games this season and has had to step up during conference play, but his shooting remains inconsistent. Patterson's 11 rebounds versus Providence was a season high, and the panthers will need another good effort on the board and without fouls, where Robinson has bene prone to foul trouble this season. better numbers have come from senior forward Nasir Robinson, who has scored double figures in three of his last four games, but both forwards stand 6-5 and will have to fight for spacing with Georgetown's taller lineup. Center Talib Zanna has averaged eight points and six rebounds but needs to get more time on the court, as he has platooned with 6-9 Dante Taylor (3.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Taylor has struggled at times this season and needs a better effort against the Hoyas to reassert Pitt's interior defense.
Pitt's stats during the losing streak befit a team with poor shooting and weak defense, but Woodall's return tends to limit how much statistics can tell the story. While they are not back to being a Top 25 team, Pitt knows it must make an extended run to get back into post-season discussion, and a win over Georgetown would be a powerful step forward in that direction.
Keys to the game:
Rebounding Margin: Pitt owns an average margin of 5.1 more boards per game than its opponent.
Interior Defense: Despite its offensive weaponry, Pitt has been hurt by second half defense which has allowed opponents to take charge. Georgetown must be better prepared to play well early so they are in a position to work the interior late.
Henry Sims: Sims' shooting continues to be an under reported liability in games--in his last two games, Sims is shooting just 3-14 and must take better advantage of his size inside.
Bench Play: Pitt's bench is somewhat unheralded but has outscored opponents in 15 of 21 games this season. Georgetown's bench must show better scoring opportunities, particularly freshman Otto Porter, where his rebounding has been promising but his three point shooting has cratered in Big East play.
Jason Clark: Clark's defense has been effective on a number of Big East shooting guards this season and his ability to limit Gibbs under 20 points can give Georgetown the margin its needs to prevail.
Picked fourth in the Big East pre-season poll and ranked as high as ninth, the last six weeks have been disastrous for the Pitt Panthers. Injuries and poor game performance led Pitt into an eight game losing streak, and the acrimonious transfer of freshman Khem Birch was emblematic of the distractions that befell a program that has been near the top of the conference for over a decade.
Wednesday's 86-74 win over Providence ended the streak and has given Pitt some strength it did not have for much of the last eight games; notably, the return of guard Tray Woodall and the subsequent benefit to guard Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs scored 14 of his 22 points Wednesday in a late first half run that put away the Friars, and both will be key as Pitt seeks a second win this week and its first over a Top 25 team this season.
Woodall missed 11 games this season and returned with a 17 point effort against Providence after a combined 0-10 in the two games prior. He is shooting 48 percent on the season and his 44 percent range from three point marks four consecutive years of improvement in the stat sheet from outside the arc. Woodall is especially valuable in setting up Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson, and at one point was averaging over seven assists per game. His ability to keep the game under control is Pitt's best chance of establishing its momentum in the game.
Senior guard Ashton Gibbs remains an All-Big East favorite even with his team's 1-7 conference mark, simply because he is so valuable to the team on both sides of the ball. Scoring in double figures in all but two games this season, Gibbs has picked up the three point shooting that the Panthers have lacked for much of the past month. Gibbs has connected on nine three in the past two games, more than he had in the four previous games combined. Gibbs will play 35+ minutes in the game and his output can be hot and cold, so consistent defense will be a key.
Sophomore Lamar Patterson has started 19 games this season and has had to step up during conference play, but his shooting remains inconsistent. Patterson's 11 rebounds versus Providence was a season high, and the panthers will need another good effort on the board and without fouls, where Robinson has bene prone to foul trouble this season. better numbers have come from senior forward Nasir Robinson, who has scored double figures in three of his last four games, but both forwards stand 6-5 and will have to fight for spacing with Georgetown's taller lineup. Center Talib Zanna has averaged eight points and six rebounds but needs to get more time on the court, as he has platooned with 6-9 Dante Taylor (3.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Taylor has struggled at times this season and needs a better effort against the Hoyas to reassert Pitt's interior defense.
Pitt's stats during the losing streak befit a team with poor shooting and weak defense, but Woodall's return tends to limit how much statistics can tell the story. While they are not back to being a Top 25 team, Pitt knows it must make an extended run to get back into post-season discussion, and a win over Georgetown would be a powerful step forward in that direction.
Keys to the game:
Rebounding Margin: Pitt owns an average margin of 5.1 more boards per game than its opponent.
Interior Defense: Despite its offensive weaponry, Pitt has been hurt by second half defense which has allowed opponents to take charge. Georgetown must be better prepared to play well early so they are in a position to work the interior late.
Henry Sims: Sims' shooting continues to be an under reported liability in games--in his last two games, Sims is shooting just 3-14 and must take better advantage of his size inside.
Bench Play: Pitt's bench is somewhat unheralded but has outscored opponents in 15 of 21 games this season. Georgetown's bench must show better scoring opportunities, particularly freshman Otto Porter, where his rebounding has been promising but his three point shooting has cratered in Big East play.
Jason Clark: Clark's defense has been effective on a number of Big East shooting guards this season and his ability to limit Gibbs under 20 points can give Georgetown the margin its needs to prevail.
