Jovenitti: 10 basketball teams the Panthers should play in nonconference

Pitt men’s basketball head coach Jamie Dixon does a great job scheduling tough nonconference… Pitt men’s basketball head coach Jamie Dixon does a great job scheduling tough nonconference teams. Pitt’s RPI rating, which measures teams’ strength-of-schedule and success against said schedule, is consistently near the top of the NCAA.

Even the so-called “cupcake” teams that Pitt plays — such as Illinois-Chicago — are generally the best in their respective conferences.

In the past two years, the Panthers have had some exciting nonconference games, including Texas and Indiana last year, and Maryland, Rhode Island and Tennessee this year. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t teams that I would like to see Pitt play in coming years. So for my top 10 this week, I bring you the top 10 teams I would like to see Pitt basketball play.

10. Temple. The Owls’ basketball program has a rich history and frequently competes for the Atlantic-10 conference title. Temple could be a natural rival for the Panthers, since the school is located in Philadelphia. If it were a home-and-home series, the game could be played at the historic Palestra — or “The Cathedral of College Basketball.”

9. Michigan State. The Spartans knocked Pitt out of the NCAA Tournament in 2008. And Michigan State is pretty much the “Pitt of the Big Ten” — or maybe it’s the other way around. MSU is known for its basketball program, though until this year, its football team had recently been struggling for respect — a situation much like Pitt’s. Not to mention the fact that Tom Izzo is one of college basketball’s best coaches. 8. Xavier. The Musketeers and the Panthers have developed a postseason rivalry over the past two years. Pitt ended Xavier’s season in 2009 in the Sweet 16, and the Musketeers eliminated the Panthers in 2010 in the second round of the tournament. Both teams play a physical, defense-first style of basketball, and it would make for a great match-up.

7. Hawaii. Sure, the Warriors don’t have a great basketball program, but wouldn’t it be nice to travel to Hawaii to cheer on the Panthers?

6. Boston College.  Can you imagine the hype surrounding this game? Boston College bailed on the Big East in 2005, and now the Eagles are pretty competitive in the ACC. This game would be built up as much as the Pitt vs. Miami football game was, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be as big of a let-down.

5. Butler. The Bulldogs captivated America last season with their incredible run to the National Championship Game — which just so happened be held in their hometown of Indianapolis. Even though Gordon Hayward’s last-second desperation shot clanked off the rim, and David couldn’t quite beat Goliath (Duke), Butler remains a quality basketball team, thanks to head coach Brad Stevens.

4. North Carolina. As much as I hate the fact that North Carolina and Duke dominate the college basketball world, it would still be fun for the Panthers to face off against the Tar Heels. The match-up almost occurred in 2009 when Pitt came within one basket of the Final Four. Pitt’s defensive style would clash excitingly with UNC’s scoring prowess.

3. Kentucky. John Calipari coaches the Wildcats, and really that’s reason enough to schedule a game against Kentucky.

2. Penn State. Pitt’s best intrastate rivalry is officially dead on the football field, but there’s no reason it can’t be resurrected on the hardwood. Penn State has been the laughingstock of the college basketball world, but the Nittany Lions recently found some success. They won the NIT in 2009. The women’s teams play each other every year, why can’t the men?

1. Duke. Don’t tell Duke fans this, but the Blue Devils are pretty much the same program as North Carolina. Sure, they hate each other, but both Duke and UNC have multiple (and recent) titles, and they rely on excellent shooting and a fast-paced offense to win championships.

The only reason Duke is at the top of this list is because Pitt had an incredibly memorable nonconference game against the Blue Devils in 2007 at Madison Square Garden. After the Panthers battled back from a 16-point first-half deficit, Levance Fields hit a step-back three-pointer near the end of overtime to give Pitt the win. Imagine if this game could be played at Cameron Indoor Stadium or the Petersen Events Center.