Panthers turn ball over less

Many experts picked Pitt to win the Big East this season predominantly because of the… Many experts picked Pitt to win the Big East this season predominantly because of the Panthers’ size. Saturday’s win over St. John’s showed that, in many ways, the Panthers are better served going with a smaller lineup.

Rather than banging it out with the Red Storm down low, Pitt countered with a quicker lineup, shuffling its guards in and out of the game like a deck of cards. Between starting point guard Levance Fields and reserve guard Ronald Ramon, Pitt finally shook its recent turnover problem, quickly seizing control of a bout with a St. John’s team that had won two straight games.

“I was very pleased that our shooting improved as the game went on,” Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said of his team’s offense. “You also saw a lot of unselfishness from our guys, and to have a team playing like that is something the fans can be proud of.”

The Panthers finally looked like the team that has boasted the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the nation for much of the season. Pitt handed out 23 assists to only seven turnovers on the day, breaking a streak of three consecutive games that contributed to a shrinking ratio.

“I think we’ve handled the ball pretty well all season,” Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said afterwards. “It was a bit of a problem the last few games, but most of them were wins, so it’s hard to complain.”

Two of those were, in fact, victories.

Exactly two weeks prior to Saturday’s beatdown of the Red Storm, the Panthers registered 22 assists to seven turnovers in a 74-69 win over Georgetown. Three days later, though, Pitt committed a season-high 18 turnovers to go along with 13 assists against UConn. The Huskies, who fell to 13-7 overall and 2-5 in the Big East over the weekend, simply lacked the firepower to make Pitt pay for its mistakes.

The Panthers weren’t so fortunate later that week, though, when they ran into a Marquette team savvy enough to turn turnovers into points.

Pitt turned the ball over another 18 times, dishing out only 17 assists, to help the Eagles build a big lead. Although the Panthers would rally to force overtime, eventually taking the lead in the extra session, a costly Pitt turnover on the team’s last meaningful offensive possession paved the way for a 77-74 Marquette win.

“I think some of that was that we came out a little bit anxious,” Pitt guard Antonio Graves said after the loss to Marquette. “They knew some of our plays and where the pass headed, but that kind of stuff happens. We have ways of dealing with that and still being effective. We just have to focus more.”

That didn’t seem to happen three nights later when the Panthers traveled to Cincinnati, though. Despite shooting a torrid 12-for-19 from outside the 3-point arc, Pitt still wound up with more turnovers (15) than assists (13) on the night. It marked the third straight game with more turnovers than assists, a far cry from the 10-game string of handing out more helpers than hurters that preceded the three-game skid.

Saturday, though, appeared to be a return to normalcy for the Panthers.

Fields gave out six assists while Ramon and Mike Cook each gave out four. In fact, of the 12 Panthers who saw action on Saturday, only Doyle Hudson didn’t give out at least one assist.

“We have guys at every position that pass well for their position, especially our big men, so that it’s not uncommon to see a turnover total that low,” Dixon said of the team’s passing.

Perhaps even more noticeable, though, was the team’s calm nature of offense. Coupled with a smaller lineup, the relaxed feel of the Pitt offense frustrated St. John’s and led to better shots and fewer turnovers.

“Holding onto the ball is something we stressed in practice all week,” Cook said. “We wanted to stop being so nonchalant with the ball, both in passing and driving to the rim. Coach wanted us to get back into the mentality of making the smart play and taking the extra pass when it’s there.”

Pitt had an easier time holding onto the ball with the guard-oriented lineup, keeping the ball in the hands of Fields or Ramon for most of the game. This two-headed point guard attack worked well for Pitt all afternoon, creating quality shots all over the floor.

“It’s great when we have two point guards out there,” Cook said. “Both Ronald and Levance are so versatile that they can pass and score and even make plays for the other. Again it just goes back to being able, as a team, to take what the other team gives you, and if their team goes small, then we certainly have the weapons and the ability to play that way.”