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Pitt has gotten off to a slow start in Tampa against the South Florida Bulls, trailing 27-23. The Panthers were down only one late, but USF drilled a three-pointer as time expired in the first half to extend their lead.
Poor shooting has been the main culprit as the Panthers have made only about 35 percent of their shots. Conversely, South Florida has been hot, hitting at a clip of nearly 58 percent.
Pitt has also been plagued by sloppy play and several turnovers. And if you’re in need of another reason for the struggles, look no further than the scoreless performances thus far from seniors Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson – the duo is 0-of-6 from the field.
The good news for the Panthers is that they are only down four. The team has looked about as bad as they have all season and still find themselves in the game.
For more on the game and Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation’s Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill.
Seeking a fifth straight win, the Panthers may have more of a test at South Florida than they want.
After a down year in 2010-11, the Bulls are a somewhat surprising 13-10 on the season and already have six Big East wins to their name. Even more impressive is that South Florida has been nearly perfect at home, losing only one game all season - a narrow three-point defeat at the hands of UConn.
The good news for Pitt is that the Bulls may not be quite as good as their record indicates. While they have 13 wins, they haven't beaten anyone of great consequence this season. Their best win is probably a 17-point road win against Villanova ... and the Wildcats have a losing record.
South Florida is just now getting into the meat of their schedule and in their last eight games, they'll face Pitt twice, Syracuse, Louisville, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Villanova, and Providence. A losing season is still very much a possibility for the Bulls even with a record three games over .500.
The man to watch for the Bulls is senior forward/center Augustus Gilchrist. The six-foot-ten inch Gilchrist hasn't had a great season, making only 39% of his shots. He's also averaging fewer points and rebounds than he did last year. But his size could become a factor against Pitt's fairly thin frontcourt. And at approximately 250 pounds, he could be a handful for the slightly shorter, thinner Zanna.
After Gilchrist, South Florida doesn't have any stars. But what they do have is plenty of depth and balance, with ten players averaging more than 15 minutes a game. Seven of those players average more than five points as well. The point is that even if Pitt can contain Gilchrist, the Bulls have other players capable of stepping up and contributing.
Still, if Pitt plays its game and doesn't look past South Florida, they should be able to come out on top.
For more on the game and Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation's Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill.
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Pitt Vs. South Florida: Panthers' Hot Streak Ends In Defeat
Pitt took some big steps forward recently with its four-game winning streak, but a huge one backwards following a loss to South Florida on the road, 63-51.
The box score will show that Pitt was done in by poor shooting and turnovers, but the Bulls’ defense had a lot to do with it. On the night, Pitt’s offense never got off the ground, and the team had another sub-40 percent shooting night from the field.
Just as the Panthers shot poorly, USF was hot from the field throughout the game, making just under 60 percent of their shots. In particular, Pitt had no answer for South Florida guard Hugh Robertson, who was 7-of-7 from the field and finished with 18 points.
The Panthers’ backcourt struggled all night long. The team’s leading scorer, Ashton Gibbs, was a dismal 2-of-9 from the field and had only four points. And a career-high 29 points against Villanova, Tray Woodall had only 11 tonight. Ashton Gibbs was held scoreless at the half, missing all of his four shots.
Where Pitt goes from here is anybody’s guess. Just as four straight wins didn’t guarantee the team an NCAA bid, one loss won’t kill all hope. But with only six games left, the Panthers can’t afford many more losses, unless they make a huge run in the Big East tournament.
The Panthers will continue their road trip with a trip to Seton Hall on Sunday.
For more on the game and Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation blog, Cardiac Hill.
Feb 08 9:13p by Anson Whaley