March Madness: Point-counterpoint: Panthers should make yet another Sweet 16 appearance

Defense wins championships. It has been said a million times, but the integral piece of a… Defense wins championships. It has been said a million times, but the integral piece of a championship team is a defense.

The Pitt men’s basketball team displays one of the premier defenses in the nation and has been the key to the team’s success all year.

The Panthers, however, simply don’t have the scoring capabilities to complement their defensive prowess, which will ultimately leave them short of a title this year.

But, the Panthers’ superb defense will carry them to at least another Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Solid defense is the trademark for a Jamie Dixon-coached Pitt team over his seven seasons leading the Panthers.

The Pitt defense ranked second in the Big East this season, giving up only 65.9 points per contest. Panthers guard Jermaine Dixon is widely considered one of the best shutdown defenders in the nation, while junior forward Gary McGhee has established himself as a defensive force on the low post.

The Panthers held explosive offenses like Syracuse, Villanova, Marquette and Providence to well below their season scoring averages.

Scoring, however, remains a concern for the Panthers, especially after a season-low 45-point output against Notre Dame in the Big East tournament.

The Panthers have been able to make up for their lack of offensive firepower by making teams defend long offensive possessions and not letting teams open up the floor.

Another reason Pitt is equipped to make an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen is the team’s success in close games this season.

The Panthers thrived in close games all season, showing poise when trailing late in games and pulling out several seemingly impossible victories.

Early in the season, Pitt trailed Duquesne by 16 before storming back and eventually reining victorious in two overtimes.

The Panthers trailed Louisville by five with just more than a minute remaining in the game, before forcing overtime and pulling out the victory in the extra period.

Against West Virginia, Pitt was down seven with 1:16 left on the clock. The Panthers won that game in an epic three overtimes.

Most recently, down by one with 1.3 seconds left, Ashton Gibbs heaved a long three-pointer to beat Providence as time expired.

Pitt showed throughout this season that it won’t fold under pressure, and possesses players who want the ball in their hands when the game is on the line.

Pitt’s experience and success in close games will prove vital when playing in the NCAA Tournament.

While the Panthers will be projected to win their first round matchup, Pitt could find itself facing a No. 5 seed in the second round, and in a close game.

The last time Pitt was a No. 4 seed was in 2007, when it lost its second round game to No. 5 seed Michigan State.

That game, however, came after the Panthers made a run to win the Big East tournament, and the players admitted after the loss they had little left to give.

This year, Pitt will be rested after an early exit from the conference tournament. The Panthers also lost their first Big East tournament game a year ago, and the players acknowledged that the time off was key in their push to the Elite Eight.

However, defense can only carry the Panthers so far. Pitt will need huge offensive outputs from Big East Most Improved Player Ashton Gibbs and Gilbert Brown if it wants to go further.

Both Gibbs and Brown have been electric at times, but also inconsistent. The lack of a reliable source of offense has doomed the Panthers in most losses this year.

While defense helps win championships, defense alone cannot propel a team to a national title. A team needs a consistent offense to complement its defense in order to win a championship.

Pitt’s teams over the years have displayed exemplary defensive skills, but for the most part have struggled offensively.

This year’s team is no different.

Unless Pitt finds more ways to score, the Panthers will have to be content hanging another Sweet Sixteen banner from the rafters next season.