Greer is here to answer all your hoops Qs

I waited until the very last minute to compile this Q’A session. Not because procrastination… I waited until the very last minute to compile this Q’A session. Not because procrastination is one of my roommates, but because I needed to see Pitt play at South Florida last night to answer a lot of questions.

It was quite a shocking winter break for Pitt hoops fans, wasn’t it? We all went home salivating over Pitt’s fast-approaching showdown with Duke at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

I missed dinner with my visiting aunt to watch the game. I almost put my head through the roof when Levance Fields drained a stepback, fadeaway 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left to help Pitt win its biggest non-conference game ever.

I lost some sleep over Mike Cook’s possible career-ending knee injury. Not only was it disgusting to see, but Cook is a great guy and a good basketball player. He was a valuable perimeter player for a team that looked like it was a Final Four contender after toppling Duke.

Cook’s injury was just a couple tiles falling through the roof. Nine days later, the whole ceiling came down on us. Fields suffered a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot and will miss eight to 12 weeks.

Suddenly, Pitt is playing without two starters, starting a rookie and playing two freshmen significantly more than originally planned.

But all is not lost. We saw this newly configured team handle its business against Lafayette, lose a game it should’ve won at Villanova and paste vastly improved South Florida last night.

Before I take these questions, I think something needs to be addressed. In my Q’A mailbox – jag59@pitt.edu – I’m getting more questions asked by my Campus Watch blog readers from The Sporting News’ Web site than I am from Pitt students. It’s cool and all, but I was hoping this could be a Q’A session for the Pitt student by the Pitt student, so let’s get those questions e-mailed in.

Q: Is it really as bad as people are saying it is?

A: I’ll assume that this question pertains to Pitt’s injuries and not to my shower singing. Look, I’ll be brutally honest. It’s bad. It’s not terrible, but it’s bad.

I like the core of players still playing. We’ve already seen Keith Benjamin emerge into the offensive threat he was expected to be. He can light it up if given the minutes and patience.

He’s actually been very efficient with his shots, making 21 of his 30 attempts since joining the starting lineup. Prior to his insertion at the shooting guard position, Benjamin was just 28 of 69 from the field. Also, Tyrell Biggs has been invaluable off the bench. Because Pitt has to focus more on its inside play with a thinned perimeter, Biggs sees the ball a bit more. He averaged just more than nine points and five rebounds a game in the past three contests.

Q: When can we really expect Levance Fields back?

A: No one recovers from a broken metatarsal that easily. It’s an injury that can “heal,” but it’s an injury that will nag Fields, especially with the pressure and stress he’ll put on his feet once he returns to playing hoops.

Still, he will be an important player if he can return in time for the Big East tournament. Don’t expect him to be rushed back if an NCAA Tournament bid is all but secured or all but out of the question. Pitt can’t afford to not have Fields back for his senior year, a year in which the Panthers could be one of the top five teams in the nation.

Q: There are some landmine games coming up, aren’t there?

A: There are landmine games every day in the Big East. West Virginia basically annihilated No. 16 Marquette this past week.

Tomorrow’s game against Seton Hall should be a fun test for Pitt. South Florida and Seton Hall are two teams that have improved a lot since last season, and Seton Hall almost beat Pitt last year.

Once Georgetown comes through town on Monday night, though, Pitt has three winnable games. Games at Cincinnati and St. John’s are never easy, but if all goes according to plan, Pitt should win them both.

Q: I really wish you started blogging and updating Pitt’s status on The Pitt News website. I can’t get a fresh copy every week to read Q’A and basketball updates.

A: I wish, too. That’s why starting next week, I’ll be posting as many updates and analyses as I can on our revamped website – www.pittnews.com. I’ll start blogging regularly from games and media opportunities, so start e-mailing your questions now.

A big advantage of being at the Petersen Events Center at the media opportunities is chatting with the other Pitt basketball writers and media-relations people. Aside from interviews with players and Jamie Dixon, I get a lot of fresh information from just being up there. It’s can’t-miss stuff for a big Pitt hoops fan.

E-mail Jeff Greer your questions at jag59@pitt.edu.