Jamie Dixon once again constructs an embarrassing schedule

[NAHSTE]

Let me know when the next nationally-televised Pitt non-conference game is. Thanks.

I am told their upcoming tilt with the mighty Hornets of Delaware State will be show live Fox Sports Delaware, available with the SPORTS:PLUS[(EXTRA) Elite] package from your local cable provider.

If you miss that one, there's always the Kennesaw State match up, which should draw huge numbers.

[Senser81]

I am told their upcoming tilt with the mighty Hornets of Delaware State will be show live Fox Sports Delaware, available with the SPORTS:PLUS[(EXTRA) Elite] package from your local cable provider.

If you miss that one, there's always the Kennesaw State match up, which should draw huge numbers.

Thanks. I heard the Big10 and the SEC are in a bidding war for Delaware State. Both conferences want to get a piece of that Fox Sports Delaware media market.

[Pitty]

Damn, guess I'll just have to wait until the Big East starts at the end of this month to see Pitt on National Television for 80% of their games.

[Senser81]

Damn, guess I'll just have to wait until the Big East starts at the end of this month to see Pitt on National Television for 80% of their games.

But don't you want to see your team when they are winning?

[Pitty]

But don't you want to see your team when they are winning?

Uh, it's called ESPN 3, and Pitt has had every game streaming live from ESPN thus far, and I don't know why you think they'll be bad, their efficiency ratings are top 10 and they were a few boneheaded shots from beating Michigan.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I keep coming back to this thread in hopes that Pitty has typed the following sentence: "Dixon sure does construct horrible schedules, pretty frustrating as a fan, oh well."

Instead, now he's touting Pitt's EFFICIENCY RATING. My god.

[Pitty]

Oh it's a bad schedule, but I don't think it's going to hold the team back. We live in an age where I can still watch them, and it will help with the freshmen trying to get into a rhythm. All I'm saying is Dixon knows what he's doing, and it would've been equal to most other power schedules if they weren't kicked from the BE-SEC and a few other games because of the conference pull out.

[Senser81]

All I'm saying is Dixon knows what he's doing, and it would've been equal to most other power schedules if they weren't kicked from the BE-SEC and a few other games because of the conference pull out.

I guess one of my issues with Dixon's scheduling is that these smaller schools aren't even decent small schools...they are terrible in their own division. Bethune-Cookman? North Florida? Come on. It has nothing to do with conference pull out. Dixon proactively chose these schools to eliminate any chance of losing. North Florida was actually tied at 27 with Pitt late in the first half of their game...but do you think there is ANY chance of North Florida beating Pitt when they aren't awarded a single free throw? Can you imagine North Florida beating Pitt in spite of Pitt getting 21 'bonus' points on free throws? Not only does North Florida need to be better than Pitt, they also have to overcome the 21-point lead the refs have spotted Pitt.

Its a farce.

[Pitty]

I guess one of my issues with Dixon's scheduling is that these smaller schools aren't even decent small schools...they are terrible in their own division. Bethune-Cookman? North Florida? Come on. It has nothing to do with conference pull out. Dixon proactively chose these schools to eliminate any chance of losing. North Florida was actually tied at 27 with Pitt late in the first half of their game...but do you think there is ANY chance of North Florida beating Pitt when they aren't awarded a single free throw? Can you imagine North Florida beating Pitt in spite of Pitt getting 21 'bonus' points on free throws? Not only does North Florida need to be better than Pitt, they also have to overcome the 21-point lead the refs have spotted Pitt.

Its a farce.

Oh yes, there's a huge NCAA conspiracy to keep North Florida down, that's why they gave Pitt 21 free points. It had nothing to do with Pitt having better athletes, better fundamentals, and better coaching. Could it be that their tallest player is 6'8"? Nah, it's that Jamie Dixon flashed the refs a Franklin before the game so Pitt would have a chance against powerhouse North Florida.

News flash, just because a team is tied in the closing moments of the second half doesn't mean jack squat. Pitt plays a wear you down style and it's pretty obvious North Florida doesn't have a single thoroughbred on their roster.

[Hasselbeck]

Can't wait for Dixon to try to schedule ITT Tech and DeVry next season.

[Senser81]

Pitt continues to dominate the MEAC conference, destroying both Bethune-Cookman and Delaware State. I think if Pitt abandons the Big East, perhaps the MEAC would be a natural fit for them, both academically and athletically.

[Senser81]

Pitt somehow sneaks into the top 25, then immediately loses their first conference game at home and are now in last place in the Big East.

Whodathunkit??

[Woy]

0-2 in the Big East after falling to a young Rutgers squad this afternoon.

Next up, a trip to Georgetown on Tuesday. This ain't the MEAC anymore, Jamie!

[FirstTimer]

Lol Pitt

[Mogriffjr]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/week-barometer-good-pitt-results-weren-t-promising-184914097--ncaab.html

=When Pittsburgh rolled to an 12-1 start against a cupcake-heavy non-conference slate, it was hard to tell whether the Panthers' gaudy record and top 25 ranking was a product of improvement or a soft schedule.

The answer is clearer one week into Big East play, and it's not flattering for Jamie Dixon's team.

Pittsburgh lost 67-62 at Rutgers on Saturday, not a great loss even on the road considering the Scarlet Knights are likely to finish in the bottom third of the Big East. The Panthers now have dropped two straight after also losing their Big East opener at home against Cincinnati on Monday.

An 0-2 Big East record certainly isn't enough evidence to write off Pittsburgh as an NCAA tournament contender, but it is a poor start with the potential to snowball considering what lies ahead for the Panthers. Up next is a visit to 15th-ranked Georgetown and a home game against Marquette, with games against UConn, Louisville and Syracuse looming in the following three weeks.

[Related: Carter helps Rutgers knock off No. 24 Pittsburgh]

The key for Pittsburgh will be preventing this season from following a similar arc to last year when the Panthers started 11-1 but crumbled as the schedule stiffened, dropping their first seven Big East games and staggering to a 5-13 league record. This year's Panthers are both more healthy and more talented than last year's version, yet they're also in jeopardy of digging themselves an early Big East hole.

What went wrong against Rutgers isn't tough to diagnose: Pittsburgh's offense was stagnant for long stretches, it was beaten on the glass and it struggled to keep Rutgers' speedy guards out of the lane.

Rutgers guard Eli Carter lit up the Panthers for 23 points, doing most of his damage either in the lane or from the free throw line. Pittsburgh shot only 37.5 percent, no surprise considering the Panthers relied mostly on a perimeter-oriented attack and received little spark from anyone besides J.J. Moore (14 points, 3 of 6 3-point shooting).

Were it not for Rutgers' generosity to start the second half, the Panthers may not have even been within striking distance late. Six of the Scarlet Knights' first seven possessions of the second half ended in turnovers and they scored only six points in the opening 12 minutes after halftime, enabling Pittsburgh to methodically whittle a 39-25 halftime deficit to three.

Nonetheless, Pittsburgh will head to Georgetown still in search of its first Big East win and still in search of its first resume win of the season.

The good news is plenty of opportunities for marquee wins loom on the schedule. The bad news is the Panthers will have to improve in all facets to take advantage.