Men’s basketball: Panthers head to New York City for matchup against Indiana

The Pitt men’s basketball team showed its inexperience with stretches of poor play against… The Pitt men’s basketball team showed its inexperience with stretches of poor play against Duquesne and New Hampshire.

But the Panthers might regain some of their experience when they face the Indiana Hoosiers at Madison Square Garden tonight at 9.

Jermaine Dixon, who has missed the entire season thus far with a broken right foot, might play against the Hoosiers.

“We’ll see where he’s at,” Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said. “And we’ll just go from there.”

Dixon warmed up against both Duquesne and New Hampshire but did not play.

Pitt (7-1) played its first eight games of the year without its lone returning starter, playing well defensively but struggling in the offensive end at times.

“They’re a young team,” New Hampshire coach Bill Herrion said. “They’re trying to find their way. When they get Dixon back … that’s going to add so much offensively to their basketball team.”

Dixon averaged 8.4 points per game last season for Pitt.

Jamie Dixon attributed some of Pitt’s problems this year, not to Jermaine Dixon’s injury, but to wear and tear on other players.

“Chase [Adams] has been banged up,” he said. “He’s had a groin injury. He hasn’t practiced. And Nasir [Robinson] is playing with a dislocated finger. He’s not comfortable out there right now.”

The game on Tuesday is the latter half of the 15th annual Jimmy V Classic, an annual doubleheader that raises funds for cancer research. With Dixon’s possible return, the Panthers might channel past success in the event. Pitt defeated Memphis 70-51 in the 2004 classic.

In fact, the Panthers have played well in Madison Square Garden — home of the Big East tournament — under Jamie Dixon. Pitt’s last regular-season game there ended in a 65-64 overtime thriller to beat undefeated Duke in 2007.

While the Panthers scored 47 points against New Hampshire, the Hoosiers (3-4) haven’t struggled to make shots this year, averaging 73.4 points per game.

Maurice Creek leads the Hoosiers attack, tallying 16.7 points per game. The freshman scored at least 14 points in every contest this season.

Another underclassman guard also supplies double-digit points for Indiana. Sophomore Verdell Jones chipped in 11.4 points per game.

Pitt guards, meanwhile, have more than chipped in this year.

Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker and Travon Woodall score 56 percent of the team’s points. Gibbs and Wanamaker both reached new career-high point totals against New Hampshire.

“We ran a lot of sets for them [against New Hampshire],” Jamie Dixon said. “They were very patient and waited for their shots.”

Down low, Indiana parks 6-foot-9 forward Christian Watford under the rim for 12.6 points per contest. Watford pulls down almost seven rebounds per game, as well.

The Indiana freshman will compete against Gary McGhee and Dante Taylor. Taylor continues to improve as the year continues, his coach said.

“He played better [against New Hampshire],” Dixon said. “He was on the glass, and we hit him in transition one time. Things are coming along just fine.”

Indiana entered the season chosen to finish No. 10 in the Big 10 by Sporting News. Defense has been an issue for the Hoosiers, who enter the classic off an 80-68 loss to Maryland.

Defense hasn’t been an issue for Pitt, though.

The Panthers have held their opponents to 60 or fewer points in every victory this year. Texas’ 78 points in its win against Pitt bumped the Panthers’ points against up to 55.6 per game.

Dixon said he sees the 15-7 first half against New Hampshire as a defensive accomplishment rather than an offensive debacle.

“I don’t remember the last time I was a part of a low-scoring first half like the one we had,” he said. “I’d like to think it was a credit to good defense.”

Indiana will be Pitt’s sixth game in 15 days. Though the schedule has taken Pitt to both Kansas City, Mo., and New York, Jamie Dixon refused to use fatigue as an excuse for problems against New Hampshire.

“I don’t know how many teams have had eight games at this time of the year,” Dixon said. “We have played a lot. There’s no question about that, but our guys were ready to go.”