Men’s basketball: Panthers look for first win at Bradley Center when they take on Marquette

In the preseason Big East basketball coaches’ poll released in October, Pitt was picked to… In the preseason Big East basketball coaches’ poll released in October, Pitt was picked to finish ninth out of 16 teams. The Marquette Golden Eagles were voted to place 12th.

In February, both teams are greatly exceeding expectations. The Panthers are tied for third in the Big East while the Golden Eagles are tied for fifth in the conference standings.

On Thursday, the Panthers (19-6, 8-4 Big East) will travel to the Bradley Center, where Pitt is 0-3 since Marquette joined the Big East, to face the Golden Eagles (16-8, 7-5).

Marquette, like Pitt, was expected to finish lower this season because of departing key players from a year ago.

In 2008-09, the superstar trio of Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Dominic James accounted for 63 percent of the team’s scoring and led the Golden Eagles to the second round of the NCAA tournament. McNeal and Matthews were named to the all-Big East first and second teams, respectively.

The new-look Panthers of 2009-10 had to deal with losing all-Big East first team performers Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, and all-Big East third team player LeVance Fields. The trio combined almost 46 points per contest a year ago, giving Pitt its first ever No. 1 ranking and an appearance in the Elite Eight.

Both teams have more than compensated for losses in scoring. Later today, the two teams will be fighting for post-season seeding, when many thought they would be battling for an appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Pitt redshirt freshman guard Travon Woodall sees similarities in the two teams competing on Thursday.

“To be where we are now, it shows that we’re both willing to fight after losing key components of our teams,” Woodall said. “I think we both have guys with similar attitudes and guys with a lot of heart.”

Marquette started 2-5 in conference play but enter Thursday’s contest with a five-game Big East winning streak.

Despite compiling a 0-4 record against the top three teams in the Big East, the Golden Eagles’ largest conference defeat was a five-point loss at Syracuse. Their other losses include two two-point losses to Villanova and a one-point loss at West Virginia.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said Marquette has the talent to compete with any team in the Big East.

“Marquette is a very good team. They shoot the ball very well,” Dixon said. “They have a lot of experience on that team and they are playing very well.”

Dixon acknowledges that a guard-oriented team with experience across the roster will be a challenging opponent.

“They get a lot of production out of their guards,” Dixon said. “These guards might not be as physical as the ones in the past, but they can shoot it better. Everyone on their roster has played a lot of minutes. They’re very experienced.”

Pitt sophomore forward Nasir Robinson also thinks the Golden Eagles display a dynamic offensive threat.

“They have a lot of people that can penetrate the ball and kick it out,” said Robinson. “Their guards really spread out the offense.”

The Panthers should expect a close contest from a team that hasn’t lost a game by more than nine points all season.

That fact shouldn’t faze a young Pitt team, however, which came off a triple-overtime triumph over rival West Virginia on Friday. The Panthers are now 3-0 this season when tied after regulation.

Robinson believes that this team won’t panic if it finds itself in another close game at the Bradley Center.

“We just have to go out and not let up until the clock reaches double-zeros,” he said. “If we’re down 10 or five with a couple minutes left, we’re going to keep fighting.”

Woodall thinks that Dixon has imposed a mentality upon the players that tells them to never quit.

“The coaches do a great job with the players on the floor. They motivate us to keep pushing and have a never-die attitude,” Woodall said. “They tell us we’re going to win this game. And that’s what we do.”