New rules, new depth could prove beneficial for Pitt basketball
Although there wasn?t much to learn about Pitt?s ability to compete in the ACC by watching the Panthers roll past Division II Gannon, 80-50, in an exhibition game Friday night at Petersen Events Center, it did give a good glimpse of what the rotation may look like when the regular season begins.
It also gave a glimpse of what the game will look like this season with the new rules and new points of emphasis on fouls.
The game was played with the 30-second shot clock and while the Panthers seemed adjusted to it ? they had been using a 24-second clock at practices in the preseason to emphasize getting into their offense quicker ? Gannon had three shot-clock violations in the first half.
?The 30-second clock ? there?s a difference,? Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. ?I think it?s a good thing. I don?t think it?s going to improve the scoring as much as many people think, but it?s a good thing for the game.
?I think you?ve just got to be on the attack constantly offensively, and I think that?s a good thing for people watching it.?
The arc in the lane, which is now 1 foot further from the basket and makes it tougher for defenders to establish position under the basket to take charges, was another tangible difference and there was only one charge called.
Also, Dixon said the Panthers already have been adjusting to the way games will be officiated this year but he knows it will still take some adjusting and he said they didn?t do a good job of avoiding fouls Friday.
?I thought our defense was good early and that had something to do with it,? Dixon said. ?I think we?re going to be a really good defensive team. We had way too many fouls. It was interesting; in the scrimmage [against Georgetown] we didn?t have as many fouls as I anticipated.
?I thought we would?ve had more, but [Friday] we had too many. We put them at the line too much, but we have to get used to that and we?re doing some things differently because of it.?
Of course, the new rules on fouling affect both teams in a game and while the Panthers did foul more than Dixon?s liking, they were also able to get to the free-throw line a bunch because of the Golden Knights? inability to avoid fouls.
Pitt took 39 free throws in the game and made 29, which means they outscored Gannon (which was 10 of 18) by 19 points at the line and that is, according to Dixon, a big part of his formula for winning games.
He said that the Panthers need to continue to be aggressive and take advantage of the rules so that they can create that free-throw advantage every game.
?I think we have a better free-throw shooting team this year, but the main thing is getting to the foul line,? Dixon said. ?That was what I was encouraged about. We have to get to the line more. That?s something that?s always been a big part of our program ? getting more free throws than the opponent.
?That was something we saw in the exhibition, we saw it in our scrimmage and we?re continuing to emphasize that.?
Along with adjusting to the rules changes and the ways fouls are called, Dixon is also working on a rotation that makes sense, plays to the team?s strengths and addresses the depth issues that affected Pitt last year.
Friday it was clear that Alonzo Nelson-Ododa is the center who has progressed the most and is most ready to play, as Rafael Maia is still out of shape because of an offseason of injuries and Dixon announced that Rozelle Nix will redshirt.
That probably means Michael Young will still have to play some center, at least early this year, but Sheldon Jeter and Ryan Luther can play at Young?s power forward spot, so the frontcourt depth is clearly going to be better.
Dixon said the improved depth is easy to see and will make the Panthers a much better defensive team than they were last season as he will have fresh legs on the court at all times.
?We?ve got a lot of guys, there are four wings, Sterling [Smith], and I feel really comfortable with that rotation,? Dixon said. ?They will all be playing and it?s going to be a strength of ours. They?re challenging each other, they?re pushing each other and they?re all going to make each other better.
?It?s an interesting group. We have good size, not great size, we don?t have any 7-footers out there, but they all bring something to the table, and with the rotation, I think we can wear some teams down.?
^^post-gazette
Although there wasn?t much to learn about Pitt?s ability to compete in the ACC by watching the Panthers roll past Division II Gannon, 80-50, in an exhibition game Friday night at Petersen Events Center, it did give a good glimpse of what the rotation may look like when the regular season begins.
It also gave a glimpse of what the game will look like this season with the new rules and new points of emphasis on fouls.
The game was played with the 30-second shot clock and while the Panthers seemed adjusted to it ? they had been using a 24-second clock at practices in the preseason to emphasize getting into their offense quicker ? Gannon had three shot-clock violations in the first half.
?The 30-second clock ? there?s a difference,? Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. ?I think it?s a good thing. I don?t think it?s going to improve the scoring as much as many people think, but it?s a good thing for the game.
?I think you?ve just got to be on the attack constantly offensively, and I think that?s a good thing for people watching it.?
The arc in the lane, which is now 1 foot further from the basket and makes it tougher for defenders to establish position under the basket to take charges, was another tangible difference and there was only one charge called.
Also, Dixon said the Panthers already have been adjusting to the way games will be officiated this year but he knows it will still take some adjusting and he said they didn?t do a good job of avoiding fouls Friday.
?I thought our defense was good early and that had something to do with it,? Dixon said. ?I think we?re going to be a really good defensive team. We had way too many fouls. It was interesting; in the scrimmage [against Georgetown] we didn?t have as many fouls as I anticipated.
?I thought we would?ve had more, but [Friday] we had too many. We put them at the line too much, but we have to get used to that and we?re doing some things differently because of it.?
Of course, the new rules on fouling affect both teams in a game and while the Panthers did foul more than Dixon?s liking, they were also able to get to the free-throw line a bunch because of the Golden Knights? inability to avoid fouls.
Pitt took 39 free throws in the game and made 29, which means they outscored Gannon (which was 10 of 18) by 19 points at the line and that is, according to Dixon, a big part of his formula for winning games.
He said that the Panthers need to continue to be aggressive and take advantage of the rules so that they can create that free-throw advantage every game.
?I think we have a better free-throw shooting team this year, but the main thing is getting to the foul line,? Dixon said. ?That was what I was encouraged about. We have to get to the line more. That?s something that?s always been a big part of our program ? getting more free throws than the opponent.
?That was something we saw in the exhibition, we saw it in our scrimmage and we?re continuing to emphasize that.?
Along with adjusting to the rules changes and the ways fouls are called, Dixon is also working on a rotation that makes sense, plays to the team?s strengths and addresses the depth issues that affected Pitt last year.
Friday it was clear that Alonzo Nelson-Ododa is the center who has progressed the most and is most ready to play, as Rafael Maia is still out of shape because of an offseason of injuries and Dixon announced that Rozelle Nix will redshirt.
That probably means Michael Young will still have to play some center, at least early this year, but Sheldon Jeter and Ryan Luther can play at Young?s power forward spot, so the frontcourt depth is clearly going to be better.
Dixon said the improved depth is easy to see and will make the Panthers a much better defensive team than they were last season as he will have fresh legs on the court at all times.
?We?ve got a lot of guys, there are four wings, Sterling [Smith], and I feel really comfortable with that rotation,? Dixon said. ?They will all be playing and it?s going to be a strength of ours. They?re challenging each other, they?re pushing each other and they?re all going to make each other better.
?It?s an interesting group. We have good size, not great size, we don?t have any 7-footers out there, but they all bring something to the table, and with the rotation, I think we can wear some teams down.?
^^post-gazette
