When Pitt entered the low-rung College Basketball Invitational, coach Jamie Dixon did it with one eye toward the present and the other focused on the future.
He likes what he sees.
Pitt is getting increased minutes from its core players for next season and beyond, while rolling to a pair of CBI victories.
Sophomore forward Lamar Patterson has averaged a team-high 32.5 minutes per game in the CBI, an increase of nearly five minutes from the regular season and Big East Tournament. The 6-foot-5 small forward scored a career-high 19 points in 33 minutes in Pitt's 82-61 quarterfinal victory over Princeton on Monday.
"I thought Lamar was terrific again," Dixon said. "All of these minutes are good for him going forward."
Woodall, a junior point guard, is second on the Panthers (19-16) in the CBI at 31 minutes per game. Sophomore forward J.J. Moore (plus-4.0 mpg) and sophomore center/forward Talib Zanna (plus-1.6), who will play key roles as Pitt tries to return to the NCAA Tournament next season, also are averaging more minutes in the CBI than during the previous 33 games.
"It was good minutes for those guys," Dixon said. "We got a lot of minutes from Lamar. He needs that. He's going to be a guy who plays that kind of minutes next year.
"J.J. Moore (18 minutes), I should have gotten more minutes for him. Both times we subbed him in, he was waiting on the sidelines for awhile. Travon is probably as healthy as he's been getting back."
The youngsters figure to play another big role when the Panthers travel to play Butler (22-14) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in a rematch of last year's 71-70 Bulldogs victory over Pitt in the NCAA third-round game. The winner will play the Washington State-Oregon State survivor in a best-of-three finals starting March 26.
The extra time is coming at the expense of seniors Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson. Gibbs is averaging 28.5 (down six mpg from the regular season), and Robinson is down about four minutes per game, to 25.
Woodall and Patterson believe the two seniors need to play significant minutes, even as Pitt prepares for the upcoming season.
"It's important to play the same guys that we've been playing because we want to get better as a team," Woodall said. "But at the same time, we don't want to bury the (seniors) on the bench and start playing young guys. We want to have the same rotation."
Added Patterson, "We started with them, but just because our season hasn't been great, we should end with them also. They are our leaders."
Injuries and matchups limited the minutes of three freshmen ? guard John Johnson, center Malcolm Gilbert and redshirt Cameron Wright.
Johnson missed practice with back spasms, and Wright was bothered by a wrist injury. The 6-11 Gilbert would have been matched up on Princeton center Mack Darrow, who went 3 for 3 from 3-point range in the first half.
The youngsters also are jelling at practice, as Gibbs and Robinson work with the backups.
"When we're practicing, Ashton and Nasir are playing with the younger group (of reserves) a lot of the times together," Dixon said. "We are doing that."
He likes what he sees.
Pitt is getting increased minutes from its core players for next season and beyond, while rolling to a pair of CBI victories.
Sophomore forward Lamar Patterson has averaged a team-high 32.5 minutes per game in the CBI, an increase of nearly five minutes from the regular season and Big East Tournament. The 6-foot-5 small forward scored a career-high 19 points in 33 minutes in Pitt's 82-61 quarterfinal victory over Princeton on Monday.
"I thought Lamar was terrific again," Dixon said. "All of these minutes are good for him going forward."
Woodall, a junior point guard, is second on the Panthers (19-16) in the CBI at 31 minutes per game. Sophomore forward J.J. Moore (plus-4.0 mpg) and sophomore center/forward Talib Zanna (plus-1.6), who will play key roles as Pitt tries to return to the NCAA Tournament next season, also are averaging more minutes in the CBI than during the previous 33 games.
"It was good minutes for those guys," Dixon said. "We got a lot of minutes from Lamar. He needs that. He's going to be a guy who plays that kind of minutes next year.
"J.J. Moore (18 minutes), I should have gotten more minutes for him. Both times we subbed him in, he was waiting on the sidelines for awhile. Travon is probably as healthy as he's been getting back."
The youngsters figure to play another big role when the Panthers travel to play Butler (22-14) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in a rematch of last year's 71-70 Bulldogs victory over Pitt in the NCAA third-round game. The winner will play the Washington State-Oregon State survivor in a best-of-three finals starting March 26.
The extra time is coming at the expense of seniors Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson. Gibbs is averaging 28.5 (down six mpg from the regular season), and Robinson is down about four minutes per game, to 25.
Woodall and Patterson believe the two seniors need to play significant minutes, even as Pitt prepares for the upcoming season.
"It's important to play the same guys that we've been playing because we want to get better as a team," Woodall said. "But at the same time, we don't want to bury the (seniors) on the bench and start playing young guys. We want to have the same rotation."
Added Patterson, "We started with them, but just because our season hasn't been great, we should end with them also. They are our leaders."
Injuries and matchups limited the minutes of three freshmen ? guard John Johnson, center Malcolm Gilbert and redshirt Cameron Wright.
Johnson missed practice with back spasms, and Wright was bothered by a wrist injury. The 6-11 Gilbert would have been matched up on Princeton center Mack Darrow, who went 3 for 3 from 3-point range in the first half.
The youngsters also are jelling at practice, as Gibbs and Robinson work with the backups.
"When we're practicing, Ashton and Nasir are playing with the younger group (of reserves) a lot of the times together," Dixon said. "We are doing that."
