Panthers in Transition
Pitt aims for elusive Final Four
By Ray Mernagh

The word transition is thrown around frequently in the hoops world. It can describe a multitude of things depending on how you're using it. For example, Missouri is a transition team, meaning their coach Mike Anderson's philosophy is to get up and down the court, quickly. You'll also hear it with programs coming out of scandals like Indiana post-Kelvin Sampson. Indiana's program is in transition under Tom Crean. The 2008-09 Pitt Panthers have been the picture of transition if you really study them. There are several examples of the transitions encapsulating this program, but let's focus on three to start, before concluding with a fourth.

The first example is the way this team has pushed the ball in transition. This team both looks for, and takes advantage of, every opportunity to run. Pitt runs off of missed shots, considered the most traditional way, but they also find the trailer on the secondary break. Numerous times this season I've witnessed Jermaine Dixon under the hoop when DeJuan Blair rebounds the ball and throws an outlet pass to Levance Fields up the court. Instead of jogging or just watching the play develop, Dixon sprints to the other end. If Fields doesn't have anyone open filling the lanes he'll pull up on the dribble as if he's about to get Pitt into a half court set. Suddenly, Dixon will come sprinting into the picture and Fields will hit him with a pass as he heads right to the rim. The defense is caught on their heels after initially sprinting back to defend the fast-break. Just as they've relaxed a little bit, Dixon is flying, with the ball, to the rack. The result is often a layup by Dixon, sometime with the added benefit of a foul. Pitt "ran" on 33 percent of their first-half possessions during their 76-68 Big Monday win at UConn.

Staying on the offensive end of the court, a transition in itself when discussing keys to Panther basketball, you have to be impressed with this team's efficiency in the half court. Jay Bilas of ESPN sure is.

"This is the most efficient offensive team they've had," says Bilas. "A big part of that is the low turnover rate and the high offensive rebound percentage. Both of those measures lead to more shot attempts and free throws attempted."

Bilas is right about this team's efficiency and the execution is unmatched as well. It's far superior to past Pitt teams.

How many times in the past has Pitt's offense become bogged down, the point guard dribbling out top as the shot clock runs down? Every lead guard has taken heat for this, when really, it was a team/talent problem. This season, if Fields is dribbling out front as the clock gets low, more times than not it's because they're purposely running clock, not because they can't get anything out of the sets they're running. I'll use the UConn win again because UConn guards so well - they actually did a great job on Fields the entire game until he hit those two daggers from deep late in the contest. Despite the UConn defense, Pitt got open looks off their offensive action all night long. Sam Young was feasting on the Huskies in the half-court, while Blair was getting deep position in the post. Those two things happen because Young and Blair are elite players, but it's the looks that others got that exemplifies how well Pitt is running offense. Brad Wanamaker, Dixon, Tyrell Biggs and Ashton Gibbs all had wide-open opportunities for scoring in rhythm. If Wanamaker, Gibbs and Dixon had shot to their normal level, the game would've been an 18-point win instead of eight. And those three guys exemplify my next to last example of the transitioning nature of the Pitt program - the talent Dixon and staff have recruited and developed.

The play of the entire rotation this season should really stop the questioning of Dixon's recruiting/evaluation acumen in its tracks, while any inquiries about he and his staff's ability to develop that talent once it gets on campus must also now be muted. The perception of Pitt in year's past has been one of a tough team that lacked the top-flight talent to compete at a final four level. As recently as a year ago you could've argued that perception - you would've been wrong, but there was enough evidence there to argue it. It's not an argument anymore - this team has enough talent. Both Young and Blair will be playing in the NBA next season, while Fields is the most effective point guard outside of Ty Lawson in the country. Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said the trio are, "the best players at their positions in the conference," after Pitt beat his Bearcats 85-69.

Fields agrees that he has more weapons.

"Sam and DeJuan are go-to-guys," said Fields, "plus Jermaine Dixon is a slasher who's hitting big shots. Brad Wanamaker, Ashton Gibbs and Tyrell Biggs have been hitting shots all year, playing with confidence. Gilbert Brown gives us an athlete on the glass who runs the court, finishes plays and Nas Robinson will hurt you if you lose him, especially on the glass. This is by far the deepest team, especially offensively, that we've had since I've been here." Fields mentioned eight players. Add Fields to that rotation and I count seven guys that have confidence shooting the ball.

My editor and I agreed that this wasn't going to be another "Can Pitt get past the Sweet 16?" piece. The fact is that this team is a Final Four team. I've long argued that March Madness is a crap-shoot predicated on match ups. But I just can't find a match up type that Pitt would struggle against. The caveat being any game where Blair has foul trouble - see the Louisville and Villanova losses.

Pitt's late February loss at Providence added another caveat. When the Panthers turn the ball over 18 times and don't appear very interested until the 8:00 mark of the second half, a team fighting to get off the bubble can beat them.

Despite the loss, the proof is in Pitt's body of work. I'm writing this 18 days before Selection Sunday. Pitt is not only a projected No. 1 seed but in the mix for the projected overall No. 1 seed. The win at UConn was their fifth against a Top 25 RPI team. No other team in the country has five Top 25 wins. Also, Siena, which Pitt beat Dec. 17, is knocking on the top 25's door at No. 28. The win at UConn is arguably the best win of the season by any team. Only BC's win at North Carolina approaches it in terms of value.

Speaking of value, Jamie Dixon's has never been higher. Programs with unlimited resources will be calling this spring. Arizona, and possibly the University of Nike-aka Oregon-will be among those making strong runs at him. Coaches almost always stay too long at one program. Gary Williams cleaned up Maryland's mess, won a National Championship as recently as 2002, and the boosters in College Park would gladly pay for a plane if he'd just agree to fly away. In 2005, Mark Gottfried was the first hoop's coach at Alabama to make more than the football coach. Gottfried was fired midway through this season.

If Pitt makes the Final Four Dixon probably returns-with a huge raise-to continue building Pitt to elite status, secure that he can win a championship(s) in Oakland.

If Pitt loses early I think Dixon bolts.

Talk about transitions.

Ray Mernagh is the Basketball Editor at The Pittsburgh Sports Report and has written for Basketball Times since 2003. His first book, 1 Chance 2 Dance: A Season Inside Mid-Major Hoops in Mid-America focuses on 18 months of MAC basketball and is available for purchase at www.hoopwise.com and in stores.