Coach Jamie Dixon and senior forward Chevon Troutman offered diametrically opposing views in assessing the current state of the Pitt basketball team, which is riding a three-game losing streak for the first time in four years.
Dixon stopped short of downplaying the recent swoon, while Troutman clearly suggested that things are getting shaky for the 18th-ranked Panthers (18-7, 8-6 Big East), who face No. 3 Boston College (23-2, 11-2) tonight at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
"I don't like that word or phrase," Dixon said, when it was suggested that the Panthers are facing a sense of urgency. "We want to play better than we did (in Saturday's 73-64 home loss to Connecticut). Now, we have to come together in all areas against Boston College."
Troutman's spin was much different.
"There is a sense of urgency," he said, matter of factly. "We have to finish out the rest of these games. We have to do it any way possible."
Dixon and Troutman can agree to disagree, but this much is certain: The Panthers must pump up their win total to 20 to assure themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament. That means a win tonight and/or in the regular-season finale against Notre Dame on Saturday is crucial heading into the Big East Tournament, where they'd be forced to win at least two games if they lose to the Eagles and Irish.
"We have a lot of basketball games to play -- and a lot of games left to win," junior point guard Carl Krauser said.
Boston College is not what the basketball doctors would have prescribed to the ailing Panthers -- Where is Providence and Rutgers when you need them? The Eagles' two blemishes occurred at Notre Dame, 68-65, and at Villanova, 76-60, this past Monday. Other than that, they've been perfect, dispatching the likes of Connecticut, Syracuse, West Virginia twice (a team that beat Pitt twice) and UCLA during their swan song season in the Big East.
That's not to suggest that the Eagles have been pretty doing it -- 10 of their victories have come by six points or less -- but they usually find ways to win games, thanks to 6-foot-7 forwards Craig Smith (17.8 points, 8.5 rebounds) and Jared Dudley (16.5, 7.6).
The Panthers, on the other hand, have been finding ways to lose. They squandered a 10-point lead at home in the final five minutes vs. West Virginia last Wednesday, and blew a one-point advantage with 4:01 remaining against UConn on Saturday at Petersen Events Center.
They have been unreliable at the foul line, going 29 of 53 (54.7 percent) the past two games, and lethargic from behind the 3-point arc, going 11 of 46 (23.9) the past three outings. Moreover, guards Krauser, Antonio Graves and Ronald Ramon have struggled in generating perimeter offense. The trio is a combined 27 of 88 from the field (30.6 percent) and 10 of 42 (23.8) from 3-point range during the three-game swoon. They also have just 22 assists during the stretch.
Such numbers are not sufficient for a team that has hopes of equaling or surpassing its past three Sweet 16 finishes in the NCAA Tournament. According to Krauser, who is part of a lineup featuring two first-year starters and four reserves with little or no previous experience, some of his teammates have not mastered the concept of winning.
"I don't want to say they don't know how to win, but some people are young and they don't know how to close out games yet," he said. "Once you learn how to be a leader, you learn how to close out games. You have to keep talking and telling these young guys how important it is to close out big games ... In the future, we're going to close out big games and come together."
The future is tonight -- against the biggest surprise in college basketball, against a team that is 16-0 at home and a team that would shore up a No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament with a victory over the Panthers.
Dixon stopped short of downplaying the recent swoon, while Troutman clearly suggested that things are getting shaky for the 18th-ranked Panthers (18-7, 8-6 Big East), who face No. 3 Boston College (23-2, 11-2) tonight at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
"I don't like that word or phrase," Dixon said, when it was suggested that the Panthers are facing a sense of urgency. "We want to play better than we did (in Saturday's 73-64 home loss to Connecticut). Now, we have to come together in all areas against Boston College."
Troutman's spin was much different.
"There is a sense of urgency," he said, matter of factly. "We have to finish out the rest of these games. We have to do it any way possible."
Dixon and Troutman can agree to disagree, but this much is certain: The Panthers must pump up their win total to 20 to assure themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament. That means a win tonight and/or in the regular-season finale against Notre Dame on Saturday is crucial heading into the Big East Tournament, where they'd be forced to win at least two games if they lose to the Eagles and Irish.
"We have a lot of basketball games to play -- and a lot of games left to win," junior point guard Carl Krauser said.
Boston College is not what the basketball doctors would have prescribed to the ailing Panthers -- Where is Providence and Rutgers when you need them? The Eagles' two blemishes occurred at Notre Dame, 68-65, and at Villanova, 76-60, this past Monday. Other than that, they've been perfect, dispatching the likes of Connecticut, Syracuse, West Virginia twice (a team that beat Pitt twice) and UCLA during their swan song season in the Big East.
That's not to suggest that the Eagles have been pretty doing it -- 10 of their victories have come by six points or less -- but they usually find ways to win games, thanks to 6-foot-7 forwards Craig Smith (17.8 points, 8.5 rebounds) and Jared Dudley (16.5, 7.6).
The Panthers, on the other hand, have been finding ways to lose. They squandered a 10-point lead at home in the final five minutes vs. West Virginia last Wednesday, and blew a one-point advantage with 4:01 remaining against UConn on Saturday at Petersen Events Center.
They have been unreliable at the foul line, going 29 of 53 (54.7 percent) the past two games, and lethargic from behind the 3-point arc, going 11 of 46 (23.9) the past three outings. Moreover, guards Krauser, Antonio Graves and Ronald Ramon have struggled in generating perimeter offense. The trio is a combined 27 of 88 from the field (30.6 percent) and 10 of 42 (23.8) from 3-point range during the three-game swoon. They also have just 22 assists during the stretch.
Such numbers are not sufficient for a team that has hopes of equaling or surpassing its past three Sweet 16 finishes in the NCAA Tournament. According to Krauser, who is part of a lineup featuring two first-year starters and four reserves with little or no previous experience, some of his teammates have not mastered the concept of winning.
"I don't want to say they don't know how to win, but some people are young and they don't know how to close out games yet," he said. "Once you learn how to be a leader, you learn how to close out games. You have to keep talking and telling these young guys how important it is to close out big games ... In the future, we're going to close out big games and come together."
The future is tonight -- against the biggest surprise in college basketball, against a team that is 16-0 at home and a team that would shore up a No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament with a victory over the Panthers.
