I will re-post my comment from the previous article. Shouldn’t Dixon consider using 6’8 Dwight Miller? Please consider …

1) he has been practicing with the team
2) there was no large body, other than McGhee, to defend or rebound when Blair and Biggs were in foul trouble, and it is naive to think it won’t happen again … and by all accounts, Miller is much more athletic than Mchee; he outplayed Mcghee in the summer league
3) what is the value of redshirting Miller when this team has a chance to go far and needs all the frontcourt depth plus the fact there are 3 big bodies coming in next year

I’m not implying that Miller will be real effective, but there well may be a game in late March when they will need a key rebund or two, or more inside defense when Blair and/or Biggs have to sit

I would agree that maybe it would be worth it to blow Millers redshirt but it would have to be a really important game. I dont think this game qualifies.

that is my point — it would be foolish not to be prepared if the scenario would present itself in the NCAA tourney and they need a large, athletic body since this is a year where they could reach the Final 4. And the officiating in the tourney is usually less forgiving than in the BE (even with J Burr.)

Sure, I would prefer Miller keeping his redshirt as opposed wo what happened to Lucas Nix this year or Dorin Dickerson 2 years ago, BUT again this may be the year and they have no frontcourt depth …. plues they are likely to have an ample number of talent front court personnel 3 years from now

yeah. let’s blow the redshirt to play a true freshman with no experience in a big game. that will turn out real well. it might have made sense to let the kid play at the beginning of the year, but at this point he will not be a factor either way.

It is a shame that McGee isn’t showing anything. I was hoping for more from him this year. We really could use more depth with the big men.

does anyone agree that Dixon sometimes lets the momentum get away by pulling Blair and/or Dixon when that get 3 fouls and the other team is starting a run. Villanova was a perfect example. They got on a small run, the students got into the game, Blair gets his third foul sits down and by the time he is put back in Villanova was so pumped they were in the “zone” and Blair can minimize easy runs second shots from the other team. He is not a game changer who can come in and steal the game back. My point is to take the risk and reinsert starters in foul trouble when the momentum has swung, instead of hoping it doesn’t get out of hand before tehy are put back in with no time to stop the bleeding.
Basketball is a game of momentum. Dixon also sometimes replaces his starters too early when they breakout early as in the Villinova game. After eight minutes they believed they were over matched and the Pitt starters were in the “zone.” Poung the nail further and break their spirit.

Omar, this is why I want Miller to see action right now — don’t want to throw him in cold. Do you really think that the scenario that happened the other night will not happen again, and not in the NCAA tourney? And for the unpteenth time, even if its for one game that Miller may contribute, if it means getting to the Final 4, it is woorth it.

Believe me, if this was like most other Pitt teams with little chance of getting past the Sweet 16, I wouldn’t be suggesting this … but this year, I believe you should leave no stone unturned.

I for one cringe everytime I see McGhee in the game. It looks like he is completely clueless as to what he is suppose to do.

I think that McGhee moves well for someone his size. He is a lot quicker than Gray ever was at Pitt. Not every player is a “star”. I don’t think anyone ever saw him as such. His job is to come in and give a break to Blair. He is a role player…Seems kind of harsh to constantly bash a guy whose only real job is to eat up space until Blair or Biggs return to the game. For the record, I think he is only a sophmore and may just be a very valuable 6th man type by the time he is a senior. Coach Dixon has a way of getting below average players to average or above average over a four or five year span of time at Pitt.

HbgFrank, but what good is that doing for this year’s team? a team that can make the Final 4 with the only apparent weakness is that it has no frontcourt depth.

McGhee did not contribute in the 2nd half, and Pitt was forced to use a frontcourt of 6’6, 6’6 and 6’5 down the stretch

I don’t know…I’m thinking that maybe Miller is no better than McGhee at this point, and is slightly smaller, so it may not make sense to use him. I’m sure if he was ready, they wouldn’t hold him out just to hold him out.

If his job is to eat up space, then I guess he’s doing his job.

Dennis, at times I’ve thought the extra same thing you’ve mentioned. There are occasions when I believe Dixon breaks our own momentum with his early substitutions. I believe Nova would have been forced to call a timeout early in the game if Dixon haven’t substituted. When Blair had three fouls, I would have liked him back in the game earlier. Dixon put him in around the twelve or thirteen minute mark, and I believe that was too late. Maybe I’m crazy, but I really don’t want Blair in the game late unless a rebound is needed, because he’s a liability on the foul line. That gave him about nine or ten minutes to play with two fouls in the Nova game. Keep in mind, Blair never did foul out of that game. Not to be too critical of Dixon, but on occasions, I believe he gets too caught up in his player rotation and the minutes he plans for each player. It’s hard to fault his formula for success, but no ones perfect. Omar, believe it or not, I would have actually liked to have seen Wannamaker get more playing time early in this particular game. While Jermaine Dixon was off most of the game, Wannamaker was just the opposite most of the time.

I didn’t see any of this bad play out of McGhee…he blocked a shot cleanly, and got an awful call on him. He tried to pull down a board and there’s now a famous picture of him having both his arms grabbed and a leg across his body, which they actually called.

I’m not sure what you people want from a backup center…he’s shown he’s learned some post moves, and he’s further along than Gray was at this point – considering this is his second year and Gray already would have had 1 RS and 2 playing years.

Leave the kid alone…what our players need to do is learn to finish shots when getting decked, cause more often than not you’re not going to get the call if your jersey says “Pitt”…

Hey, we are here at the Super Bowl and a few weeks back you guys posted a sports bar where you would be watching the Pitt ND game, could you tell me again where to go? Thanks

I can’t believe that I am going to agree with Stuart. But he and Hbg Frank are dead on. I have given McGhee the nick name of “Mr. Foul” but the kid is trying hard and he needs a little more playing time.

As for second guessing Jamie Dixon… All of you can Shut the F–K up right now!

Next I will be reading that we need a Pittsburgh guy to coach this team?!?!?!??!

Coach Dixon could get another job in a minute. He’s taken this team to where it is nationally and he has done this with players that other top 20 schools didn’t want.

He is has done a flat out great job as a coach.

Come on Tony, I can’t imagine anyone who posts on this site that is not appreciative of Coach Dixon, and we would greatly disappointed if he were to bolt to Arizona or anywhere else.

Nonetheless, blogs like these are for us coaching wannabes, and it because we are all passionate fans of the Panthers … and I personally believe there are some legitimate constructive criticisms that are posted here.

An example — anyone who has followed Pitt sports blog over the past few years knew that the criticism of fb def coordinator Paul Rhoads passive style of defense, from 2003 thru the embarassing Navy game of last year, where his teams gave up rushing yards in spades. I, for one, detested how all the LBs lined up 5 yards from the line of scrimmage and tey and the DL barely ever made penetration to disrupt the offense. All of sudden last year 07, Pitt starts blitzing and begins attacking resulting in Wanny’s 1st win against a ranked opponent (Cincy), and that defense has done very well ever since (except Rutgers 08) … and I read that one of the reasons Wanny picked Bennett last ear for DC was his aggressive defensive style

w bill, you have a great point. I just think if Dixon thought he could contribute, then he would have put played him already. The key against Villanova and Louisville was not just Blair was in foul trouble, but Biggs was too. It really is difficult to play when your two big men are unable to play because of fouls.

ltl sometimes Dixon does substitute, or call a timeout, when Pitt is on a run. It does tend to kill some momentum. I guess he feels like it is a good time to steal some minutes for the starters or that it is better to throw the subs in with a lead or the momentum. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. You can’t argue with Dixon’s results.

Wannamaker played great on Wednesday and deserved more minutes. The guy who has been a complete disappointment so far is Gil Brown. He isn’t even the sixth man anymore, Wannamaker is. Brown needs to step up for Pitt big time. We need his energy and athleticism. Hopefully he does today.

I don’t disagree with any of the opinions posted here — all have solid reasoning. My main issue with playing D Miller is that this team has a realgood chance of going far, so Coach should use every asset available …. especially when our frontcourt depth in the foreseeable future promises to be better than currently.

Gil Brown can jump with the best of them … but he is a thin 6’6 who is not suited for playing the 4 or 5. McGhee is a solid 6’10 but unathletic and frequently uneffective. Robinson is 6’5. Miller is 6’8, 230 lbs, and the last two things I read about him in the Post-Gazette over the past month is how Dixon loves his ahleticism.

i also have to side with the guys that think if the team would be better with miller, Dixon would play him. Anyway, if blair leaves we better hope McGhee improves, although I am doubtful that he will ever be an impact player.

anyway this is a huge game today. if we lose we may drop out of the top ten. nd’s backs are against the wall. they are in danger of a free fall. I have been waiting to see blair vs harangody with great anticipation. i hope the big fella has a statement game. LETS GO PITT!

This is going to be a long day if ND keeps sinking 3’s. Might have to put Brown in to defend but ND can shoot 3’s from anywhere.

Ugly early….have to hope ND starts missing or this will be a long day. A desperate ND team
Pitt better start playing like it…

What a crock. Why does ND even need a coach?

“Just go down and hock threes all day, boys!”

That’s not basketball.

If we play our game, we’ll be fine. Need to get to the FT line and that’s scary for obvious reasons.

Ugh, is there any way that Big East officials could be any worse at their job? Total inconsistency. It’s really inexcusable.

You have to like how hard the bench guys are playing today.

And geez Sam…

Sam missing that dunk is a five point swing. Lay it up, doofus.

Feeling a zone d in our very near future! Our shooting is awful..

The fact that Pitt is even in this game is something to feel good about. ND’s shooting is ridiculous, and it can’t possibly keep up this way.

New thread up

Sam Young is realling pressing…playing some selfish and stupid BBall….let him watch from the bench a while…

[…] adjustment. Frankly, it’s been the successful game plan for most teams facing Notre Dame, as I noted yesterday. The scouting report is simple. You stay one-on-one with Harangody — he’s going to get his […]