Dream Team

Zack Graber, Brandon Freeman, John Fowler, Rashad Jones-Jennings, Jake Yancey. We win the SBC. Of course, we didn't have them all at the same time.

can do vs. will do

What teams should be able to accomplish is quite different from what they do accomplish. Some teams underachieve. Some overachieve. Good recruiting leads to potential, but potential often underachieves. Good coaches, good discipline, quality individuals - that leads to overachieving. Overachieving is a lot of fun.

Go with your strengths

When you have a player who is exceptionally good at one facet of the game, you want him on the floor a lot, even if he is not outstanding at other points. John Fowler’s defense, Rashad Jones-Jennings’ rebounding, Zack Graber’s running the point. Not that all of them weren’t good at other aspects, but they were really outstanding in one area. When a player is that good at something, you need him playing. As long as he plays hard in the other areas, you can put up with it if he is not a world-beater there.

How good up front?

We pretty much know what we have on the perimeter, depending upon which of the new guards take hold in support roles. What we don't know is how the logjam at the 4 and 5 positions will work out. We will have far more bulk up front than any other SBC team, which could work to our advantage IF we know how to use it.

teamwork

Any Steve Shields team is going to rely heavily on team play. Thus any player who is an irritant in the locker room is going to be a problem, perhaps more so than on some other teams.

Early key

If we are better than 1-4 after the first four games, look for some good things from this team.

schedule

The schedule is out, and although it isn't perfect, it is a good one, I think. Two non-D1 games, which no one likes. Still, with Ole Miss, Tulsa, Creighton, Memphis and Wright State, we have plenty of opportunity to make a splash if we want can get it done. Now, can we get it done? Stay tuned.

Why I like Pittsburgh

(from ESPN)
What separates the Panthers, what makes them more than just an intriguing team as this season unfolds, is their bread-and-butter, backbone defense.

It's as reliable as an old pair of sneakers, the foundation on which coach Jamie Dixon has built his program. Unintentionally, Dixon has modeled his team on the city it calls home. Pittsburgh citizens wear just one sort of collar -- down-and-dirty blue. Their hometown team likes its basketball just the same.

And because the defense is indoctrinated like another strand of DNA upon arrival freshman year, it doesn't go away and doesn't take nights off. It's in your face, unforgiving, downright nasty, and because of it, on nights when shots don't fall, neither necessarily will Pittsburgh.