Benjamin and crew shining in spotlight

Be sure to check out Photo Editor Pete Madia’s slideshow of the big win over Georgetown…. Be sure to check out Photo Editor Pete Madia’s slideshow of the big win over Georgetown.

There was a bad feeling around Pittsburgh the day after Dayton annihilated Pitt, 80-55, on Dec. 29.

It felt a lot like the day after you break up with a long-time girlfriend or crash your car. You feel kind of empty. You can’t believe what has just happened.

It’s a terrible feeling, isn’t it?

The Panthers weren’t just handed their first loss of the season. They also lost their vocal floor leader and offensive creator Levance Fields for at least eight weeks. It was insult to the first injury, a devastating torn ACL suffered by starting senior Mike Cook.

Everyone, including me, worried that the season was headed down a dismal path.

But Pitt recovered – kind of – when it returned home to host Lafayette. Not exactly the world’s toughest challenge, the Panthers cruised to a 96-75 win. It may not have been a season-saving victory, but there were three statistics that jumped off the box score: Keith Benjamin 20 points, Tyrell Biggs 19 points and Ronald Ramon 10 assists.

And since that 21-point win, Pitt is 3-1, including a rather dominating win over No. 5 Georgetown. But the Panthers have done something no one thought they would be able to do – score the basketball – and they’ve done it with ease.

After a 0-for-8 shooting performance at Dayton, Ramon slid over to the starting point guard position to replace Fields. In his five starts since, the 6-foot-1 guard has averaged 10.2 points and 6.4 assists a game. He has handled the offense with ease, averting foul and turnover trouble. He has taken open shots and caught fire. And he’s done all of that while nursing shoulder injuries.

Biggs has emerged as a lethal jump shooter from the right and left elbows. He finds space in the zone, catches, turns and pops. It’s that simple. The 6-foot-9 junior surprises the big guys in the paint with his touch and high release. He has averaged 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds a contest in the past five games as the first man off the bench.

No one has surprised more folks than Benjamin. Not that anyone doubted he was talented and had potential, but the 6-2 senior really seemed to rush his shots and force things prior to the injuries. The main reason for that – at least to the audience – was that he just didn’t get enough minutes to find a rhythm.

He gets minutes now, and the kid has contributed more than anyone could’ve asked for. He has emerged as a lethal shooting threat, taking smarter, open shots.

With stars Sam Young and DeJuan Blair basically just continuing what they had been doing all season, Pitt really needed two or three guys to step in and produce not only the points, rebounds and assists needed to counter key injuries, but also to replace the heart and soul of the team.

Benjamin, Biggs and Ramon have done all of that and a little more.

It was a mistake to jump to conclusions. The 69-60 win over Georgetown on Monday night filled that empty feeling here on campus. It just felt different Tuesday morning, didn’t it?

It’s still a long season, but the quick turnaround after the devastating injuries has given Pitt a bounce in its step.

Let’s get to the rapid fire:

– You know, when it gets this icy outside, something tells me sanding or salting the sidewalks might go over well with Pitt students, faculty and staff. Just a crazy thought.

– Senioritis is a dangerous, airborne virus that will strike each and every senior. But don’t bother going to Student Health – smarter decisions have been made.

TRIVIA: I’ll give you a hearty pat on the back, Roc, if you can tell me the two Pitt greats who are currently in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – the basketball Hall of Fame – in Springfield, Mass.?

Georgetown’s offense seems to restrict what its players are capable of. You’re telling me running an amended Princeton offense with a 7-foot-2 All-American, a lights-out 3-point shooter and some extremely talented wings is the best way to win? I don’t know, Roc, sounds fishy to me.

DeJuan Blair is a man. Did you see him elevate his game against 7-2 center Roy Hibbert on Monday night, Roc?

I actually feel bad for Britney Spears.

Editor’s note: I don’t.

Will the writers please come back to Hollywood? Please? The only thing I like on TV now is “Gladiators.”

I want someday to be a video coordinator.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Doc Carlson and Charley Hyatt were both elected into the Hall in 1959. Hyatt was a three-time All-American, one of only 18 players to ever earn those honors. Carlson won 367 games in 31 years as Pitt’s coach.

Oh yeah, one more thing: Pacman Jones just doesn’t quit, does he? He keeps gobbling up news coverage. Eh? Eh? OK, sorry, see you next week.