For a while Jamie Dixon’s Pitt Panthers basketball team experienced a bit of a holiday hangover, going 10 days in between games. But Pitt eventually figured things out en route to a 58-46 victory over Albany in the Panthers final non-conference game before beginning ACC play. Pitt (12-1) struggled big time shooting the basketball in the first half, going 0-for-7 from behind the arc and 0-6 from the free-throw line. But while Pitt couldn’t get a jump shot to go until Cameron Wright canned a ... Read More
Lamar Patterson’s career game pushes Pitt past Cal Poly
After suffering their first loss of the season against Cincinnati, Pitt’s Lamar Patterson made sure it wouldn’t be two in a row for the Panthers. Patterson scored a career-high 30 points, carrying the Panthers on his back for most of the afternoon as Pitt improved to 11-1 on the season with a 73-56 victory over Cal Poly Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center. “Good performance I thought,” said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon. “We have to get better obviously, but it was nice to see ... Read More
Is Pitt ready for the ACC?
Monday night's loss to Cincinnati should have served as a wakeup call to Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon. It also should serve as a reminder of why the Panthers need to do a better job with their out of conference schedule. Don't get me wrong, there has been plenty to like about Pitt's first 10 wins of the season. There's also no shame in losing to a team like Cincinnati, although the Bearcats could be a bubble team at best in this year's NCAA Tournament field. On a night where the Panthers ... Read More
Panthers scratch and claw their way to victory over Penn State
It wasn't as easy as Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon may have liked, but eventually the size and depth of the Panthers wore down visiting Penn State as Pitt improved to 8-0 on the season with a 78-69 victory in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. But the Panthers had their hands full with the Nittany Lions all night long. Penn State took a 30-28 lead at the half thanks to the fact that the Panthers could not buy a bucket. "Not a good first half," said Dixon. "I spent halftime emphasizing the amount ... Read More
Pitt’s Cameron Wright poised for breakout season
One of the big keys to success coming into the season for Jamie Dixon's Pitt Panthers was whether or not junior guard Cameron Wright could handle the increased role as a starter. After averaging only 3.3 points per game off the Panthers bench during the first two years of his career, Wright has done his best to answer any questions about whether or not he was up to the challenge as the Panthers are off to a 7-0 start to the season. Coming off the best game of his career in which Wright scored ... Read More
Pitt uses strong second half to beat Duquesne in City Game
Throughout the years, the Pitt Men's Basketball team has dominated the Duquesne Dukes. Though the two campuses are separated by only a couple of miles, the success of their respective basketball programs make the two schools seem worlds apart. Pitt entered Saturday's City Game not only 6-0 on the season, but winners of 31-of the last 34 matchups against the Dukes. And it hasn't been close as the Panthers have won each of the last 12 matchups by an average margin of 15.8 points per ... Read More
Is this Jamie Dixon’s best shooting team ever?
One thing has always been missing from Jamie Dixon's Pitt basketball teams in the past and that's been the ability to shoot the ball consistently from the perimeter. Sure there have been some snipers that have wore a Panthers uniform in the past, but never has Dixon had a team that has the potential to be as lethal as this Pitt team can be from the outside. Through six games, all wins, Pitt is shooting the three ball at a 40.7 percent clip (44-for-108). That number also includes a program ... Read More
Pitt lands 6-11 center Shaquille Doorson from the Netherlands
After a slow start in recruiting for the Class of 2014, Jamie Dixon landed his third recruit, this time getting an international surprise. Shaquille Doorson, a 6-foot-11, 265-pound center from the Netherlands, signed with the Panthers on Friday. Doorson is 19 and announced his decision on the website of The Canarias Basketball Academy in Spain. CBA is playing in the National Prep Showcase this weekend in New Haven, Conn., and Dixon is expected to be there to see him play. Doorson could remind ... Read More
Can Lamar Patterson step up as Pitt’s go to guy?
Despite the lack of quality competition, it has been a nice start to the 2013-14 season for Jamie Dixon's Pitt Panthers. Through three games Dixon has done a good job of getting all his youngsters valuable playing experience as almost everyone on the roster has played a role in Pitt's three wins. The scoring has been fairly balanced with nine different players averaging five or more points per game and six different players averaging at least 8.7 per contest. However when the ... Read More
Pitt improves to 3-0 with record setting performance vs. Howard
Pitt senior Lamar Patterson spent the greater portion of the Panthers first two games playing facilitator, setting a career-high with seven assists in the each of the Panthers two opening wins. But Sunday night against the Howard Bison, Patterson reminded the nation that he can fill it up when needed as well. The senior connected on all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, scoring 16 of his team-high 20 points as Pitt improved to 3-0 on the season, cruising to a 84-52 ... Read More