Xavier – Pittsburgh: Tale of the Tape

by Paul Casey Gotham

Setting:  The TD Bank North Garden in Boston, Massachusetts is the scene for a Sweet Sixteen matchup between Sean Miller’s #4 seed Xavier Musketeers (27-7) and Jamie Dixon’s #1 seed Pittsburgh Panthers (30-4).

Plot:  Xavier looked ripe for the picking after limping to the finish line going 5-5 in the month prior to the NCAA Tournament.  A trip to Boise for the opening round seemed to destine the X-Men for an early round loss.  Since then the Musketeers  have regained their swagger with wins over Portland State (77-59) and Wisconsin (60-49). Xavier now has a neutral-court record of 6-2 and 23-2 when holding teams to 70 points or less.  

After losing in the opening round of the Big East soiree, the Panthers triumphed over East Tennessee State (72-62) and Oklahoma State (84-76).  Pitt is 27-2 when they outrebound opponents. 

Sub-plot:  Sean Miller knows a thing or two about Pittsburgh basketball.  After leading the Panthers to NCAA appearances in ’88, ’89, and ’91, Miller was named to the university’s All-Centennial Team.  Miller left campus number one all-time in assists (744).  He since been been surpassed by Brandon Knight (784).  Current Panther point guard, LeVance Fields, is third with 633.

Flashback:  Pittsburgh holds a 3-2 advantage in the all-time matchup.  The last time the two schools faced off Pitt took a 94-76 decision at the Puerto Rico Shootout during the 98-99 season.

The Muskies have earned berths in the NCAA tournament eight of the previous nine seasons.  The X-Men are one of only nine schools (North Carolina (3), UCLA (3), Kansas (3), Memphis(3), Xavier (2), Louisville (2), Texas (2), Florida (2) and Connecticut (2) ) to make multiple Elite Eight appearances in the last five years.  Xavier has now reached the 25-win plateau for the third consecutive year and 10th time in school history.

This is Pittsburgh’s 21st NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth Sweet Sixteen showing in the last eight years.  Only Duke and Kansas with six have been sweeter.  The Panthers have not advanced to the Elite Eight since the tournament expanded in ’79.    One more win for Dixon’s crew would tie them for a school record with 31.  Pitt advanced to the Elite Eight in ’74 and the national semi-finals in ’41.

Suspense: Xavier is ranked 200th in the country in assist/turnover ratio – .9.  A stat that must be driving Miller crazy.  Such is life while trying to groom a freshman point guard – Terrell Holloway and using sophomore, Dante Jackson, to soften the blow.  The two-headed point guard could be responsible for the times that the Xavier offense bogs down.

Good News!   Jackson and Holloway combined for 9 assists, 6 steals, and 3 turnovers in the first two rounds.

Fields will present a formidable task for the Xavier two.  The senior averages 7.6 assists per game with a paltry 2 miscues.  

Character to watch:  CJ Anderson – after amassing 13 double-digit point games Anderson made like an H.G. Wells protagonist and became rather invisble – 0 pts. vs. Temple, 3 and 4 vs. Dayton – for example.  The senior forward who Miller has referred to as the team’s glue returned to form with a 14 point performance against Portland State and 8 rebounds against the Badgers.  

Conflict:  The game will provide a host of great individual matchups.  Sam Young and Derrick Brown should be a battle of two titans.  Brown averaged 11 points in the first two games and is capable of going off on rebounds.  As a freshman he grabbed 16 boards in first-round match up with BYU.  

Young has 14 20 point games this season and is averaging 18 points and 6 boards per game.

Jason Love at 6’9″ and 255 lbs. will draw the daunting task of having to slow down 6’7″ 265 pound DeJuan Blair.  Love has only averged 6 ppg and 5 rpg, but Blair will have to respect this opponent.  Love is no Hasheem Thabeet that can be used like a rag doll to mop up the floor.  Love is active on the glass.  He doesn’t always pull down the board, but he keeps the ball alive for teammates.  Blair averages 15 points and 12 rebounds per game.

  At 6’3″, 195 pounds Pittsburgh’s Jermaine Dixon will have the task of neutralizing Xavier’s 6’6″ 226 pound B.J. Raymond.   Xavier will need Raymond to exploit his size advantage and deft-shooting touch.  Dixon will have his hands full with this match up.  

If Xavier has problems slowing down Fields or Young, don’t be surprised if Raymond draws the assignment in the second half.  Miller has used the senior as his glove for the opponent’s hot hand. 

Climax:  Xavier outrebounded Wisconsin 34-28.   No easy task.  Pitt relies on their board work to win games. Buckle up!  Turbulence ahead!  We could see a war in the paint tomorrow.

Resolution:  Pitt will not have an answer for Raymond.  The senior is capable of heroic levels – much like his 32 pt. showing at Auburn, 24 at Virginia, and 21 at LSU.  Xavier will win the war on the boards.  Raymond will hit from the outside.  Xavier will make consecutive trips to the Elite Eight.