Panthers plagued by missed layups

SAN JOSE, Calif. – In 1986, the NCAA officially established the 3-point line as 19 feet, 9… SAN JOSE, Calif. – In 1986, the NCAA officially established the 3-point line as 19 feet, 9 inches.

From that point on, experts uttered the same phrase every time a guard-dominated team rolled around – “Live by the 3, die by the 3.” But hoops fans rarely hear “Live by the layup, die by the layup.”

Until Thursday night, that is.

All season, the scouting report on Pitt spoke to the necessity of Panther guards hitting their jump shots. After all, the easy baskets were spoken for, what with 7-foot center Aaron Gray floating near the basket.

But in Thursday night’s debacle – a firestorm of poorly played basketball that ended with UCLA winning, 64-55 – it was missing layups that killed Pitt’s postseason hopes.

Late in the second half, Gray hung his head and lumbered toward the far end of the bench.

It was the story of the night.

“We missed a lot of shots that we’re accustomed to making,” Gray said.

The Panthers shot just 10 of 30 in the second half and 36 percent for the game, including a deadly eight-minute drought after two early baskets in the second period that allowed UCLA to distance itself enough to ensure victory.

“I can’t remember a game where we missed that many easy looks,” fifth-year senior Levon Kendall said. “I don’t know what it was. It was just one of those nights.”

UCLA head coach Ben Howland credited his team’s stifling defense for Pitt’s struggles.

“Our defense was spectacular tonight,” Howland said. “It had to be, or we weren’t going to win this game.”

Gray pointed to the Bruins’ defense and its ability to keep Pitt from getting into its sets and running an efficient offense.

“They’re a very good defensive team obviously,” Gray said. “They did a great job of forcing us out of our stuff.”

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, UCLA’s 146 points conceded in the first three games of the NCAA Tournament are the lowest since Georgetown allowed just 142 in its opening three games in 1985.

Familiar Foes

There was plenty of drama surrounding mentor Ben Howland, UCLA’s fourth-year coach, and his protege, Dixon.

The duo competed against each other for the first time in their young coaching careers Thursday night.

They promised they’d never play one another unless the NCAA Tournament forced them to. And in San Jose, an awkward sight appeared in front of Pitt fans. Howland was screaming at players and stomping on the sideline while wearing a UCLA blazer.

After the game, Howland reminisced about coaching the Panthers and how strange it was for him seeing his former star point guard Brandin Knight in a suit before the game. Knight is the video coordinator on Dixon’s staff.

Then Howland mentioned Julius Page and Jaron Brown. Then his voice cracked.

He looked down at his stat sheet, avoiding eye contact with the media in the press conference. He took a sip of his water and cleared his throat.

Then the coach, who started resuscitating Pitt basketball in 1999, told a story.

“I remembered that [Pitt trainer] Tony Salesi would wait until everyone left the locker room for the game, and then he’d shower,” Howland said. “And when I was at Pitt, I’d always sit in the locker room and talk to Tony while I battled the huge knots in my stomach. [Thursday], I wandered over to [Pitt’s] locker room with the same knots in my stomach and just sat in there. Sure enough, Tony was in the shower.

“It was just like old times.”

But as much as it was a trip spending time with familiar faces, Howland struggled with beating his old team, coaches and friends.

“I hope we never have to play again,” Howland said.

Adolph Rupp isn’t walking through that door

In the wake of the Panthers’ defeat from the NCAA Tournament, Dixon’s second loss in the Sweet 16 in four seasons, Kentucky’s head coach Tubby Smith accepted a contract offer from Minnesota, effectively leaving a vacancy at one of the top programs in college basketball.

Big East coaches Tom Crean (Marquette) and Jay Wright (Villanova) are listed as potential replacements for Smith. Could Dixon be included on a short list that features numerous young stars in the coaching world?

Dixon flirted with Arizona State and Missouri last off-season before inking a seven-year extension with Pitt. The 41-year-old coach makes between $800,000 and $900,000 per year.