Christmas Wish List: Can Pittsburgh finally get some national recognition?
Dec 21, 2012, 9:35 PM EDT
AP Over the course of the next two weeks, College Basketball Talk will be detailing what some of the country’s best, most intriguing, and thoroughly enigmatic teams need. It’s the spirit of the holidays. We’re in a giving mood.
What do other teams have on their Christmas Wish Lists? Click here to find out.
Gotta have it list-topper: Some national recognition
Really. This team is 11-1, with its only loss coming against the now-No. 2 Michigan by just five points. Even with that, the Panthers were kept out of both Top 25 polls. They should finally change this week, but one can only hope.
Jamie Dixon’s team has one of the best backcourt combinations in the country, with senior Tray Woodall and freshman James Robinson together averaging close to 11 assists and just 2.7 turnovers per game. Woodall has now fully stepped out of the shadow of the now-graduated Ashton Gibbs and his likely successor, Robinson, has been one of the most reliable freshmen in the country.
Talib Zanna has also developed into the more well-rounded forward that Dixon recruited him to be. He has more than doubled his scoring output since last season and slightly increased his rebounding numbers.
Stocking stuffer: Consistency from freshman Steven Adams
When Steven Adams stepped on campus at Pittsburgh, it was known that his ceiling was high, but his game was raw. There have been times when he was good (16 points, 10 rebounds vs. Bethune-Cookman) and times when he has looked like a freshman (0 points in 10 minutes vs. Michigan). If Adams can have more games like the latter and less like the former, Zanna would have more of a complement in the frontcourt. Time is the key.
Planning on re-gifting: Stretch of late January/early February
Once Pittsburgh hits conference play, the Panther will play a stretch of four ranked teams in six games from Jan. 28 to Feb. 18. Pitt meets Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame, with Seton Hall and Marquette in between. That’s typical for the Big East’s conference schedule, but if the Panthers find some momentum early in the month, they’ll have that group of games to grind through.
Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_
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Steve Alford’s tenure at UCLA is not off to a rousing start
May 20, 2013, 11:44 AM EDT
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When Steve Alford was hired at UCLA almost two months ago, my initial reaction was one of optimism. Alford had turned New Mexico into the dominant program in a very good Mountain West. Regardless of the post season flameouts that he’s had — he hasn’t made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA…
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How did Bill Self learn about Andrew Wiggins’ commitment? Twitter
May 20, 2013, 10:23 AM EDT
Last Tuesday, Andrew Wiggins ended one of the most intriguing recruitments that college hoops has ever seen. Let’s get past the fact that Wiggins is the kind of talent that can change the course of a team’s season. We’re talking about a guy that’s talented enough to do what Kevin Durant did for Texas in…
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It’s official now: Zay Jackson will be returning to the Murray State basketball team next season. That’s according to Andy Katz, who reported on Monday morning that Jackson had practiced with the Racers and earned a 2.75 GPA after spending 49 days in jail. If you’ve forgotten, Jackson was locked up for an incident in…
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MaxPreps.com
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AP
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New logos represent ‘new beginning’ for Sun Belt Conference
May 19, 2013, 7:26 PM EDT
Sun Belt Conference
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Report: Former Charlotte forward Darion Clark transferring to USC
May 19, 2013, 6:21 PM EDT
AP
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Duke signee Semi Ojeleye named Parade Magazine Player of the Year
May 19, 2013, 5:06 PM EDT
247Sports.com
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Fellow student and fraternity brother charged with disorderly conduct in assault of Brown guard Joseph Sharkey
May 19, 2013, 3:04 PM EDT
brownbears.com
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Boston College nears completion of 2013-14 non-conference schedule
May 19, 2013, 1:47 PM EDT
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Steve Donahue and the Boston College Eagles nearly have their non-conference schedule for the upcoming season set in stone. It was recently reported by BC Interruption that Toledo, Sacred Heart, and Philadelphia University were added to the home slate. Not exactly three teams to get overly excited about, especially with Philadelphia U being a sub-Division…
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Getty Images
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gohatters.com
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Providence’s Ed Cooley joins staff for USA Basketball Men’s Under-19 World Championship team
May 19, 2013, 10:09 AM EDT
AP
Yesterday, news broke that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was in discussions to return as the USA Olympic men’s basketball coach through the Rio 2016 Olympics. On a smaller scale, earlier last week the Providence Journal reported that Providence head coach Ed Cooley will join Marquette head coach Buzz Williams and Tim Ryan, head coach from the College of Central…
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VIDEO: Shaka Smart throws a strike, gets his own bobblehead
May 18, 2013, 9:00 PM EDT
photo courtesy of the Richmond Flying Squirrels
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AP
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Report: Baylor coach told Griner not to talk about her sexuality
May 18, 2013, 5:20 PM EDT
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AP
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Since he led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics in London, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has maintained that it would, in fact, be his last run at the head of the USA Basketball program. That may be changing, however. According to a report from Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, Coach…
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Adreian Payne, Lacey Holsworth attended Dick Vitale’s gala on Friday
May 18, 2013, 2:32 PM EDT
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Georgetown forward Brandon Bolden transfers to Kansas State
May 18, 2013, 1:15 PM EDT
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