Much has been made of the depth that Jamie Dixon’s Pitt Panthers currently have and with the news of Trey Zeigler’s suspension, that depth will be tested immediately.
However the loss of Zeigler may not be felt as badly as some people may believe.
Dixon has consistently been playing 10 guys and it’s fair to think that number would shrink anyway once Big East Conference play begins.
Zeigler, a former top 30 recruit, has been Dixon’s first guard off the bench in most games, but has received only 17 minutes of playing time per game. He has been able to average 6.2 points off the bench in limited minutes as Zeigler is a guy that is supposed to add instant offense off the bench, especially considering he averaged over 16 points per game last season at Central Michigan.
Considering Zeigler has yet to knock down a shot from behind the arc and hasn’t shown a total commitment on the defensive end of the floor, it will be hard to foresee the junior transfer carving out a bigger role when and if he returns to the team.
While it’s nice for Dixon to have a guard with Zeigler’s size and ability coming off the bench, he is certainly replaceable.
The good thing is that Dixon has options.
First of which is likely Durand Johnson.
Johnson is a guy who Dixon has been trying to find more minutes for to begin with. His play has been surprisingly good as he has averaged 5.8 points per game in only 12.4 minutes. Primarily a small forward, the redshirt freshman out of Baltimore is athletic enough to slide over to the 2. He’s a terrific shooter with NBA-range and can score in bunches if given the opportunity.
This is the perfect opportunity for Johnson to be given a bigger role and he should be able to replace the scoring left by Zeigler.
If Dixon elects to keep Johnson’s minutes the same, Zeigler’s minutes will likely go to redshirt sophomore Cameron Wright.
Wright is currently averaging 4.4 points per game in only 10.6 minutes of action. He’s a shooter that can knock down both the mid-range and long-range jumper and is more of a complete and physical guard that fits into Dixon’s system, especially on the defensive end.
All things considered, with the Panthers’ depth, Pitt will be just fine without Zeigler, especially in the short-term.
With the Panthers having seven consecutive games against lower competition, it’s a good time for Dixon to work both Johnson and Wright into bigger roles, as together; the duo should easily be able to replace what Zeigler brought to the table.
One thing the Panthers can’t have now is an injury or another distraction. If they can avoid that, Pitt will be just fine
Photo Credit: Associated Press
