Non-conference foes provide big test for Pitt

Basketball season tips off in less than two months. Sure, the ground is still soggy from… Basketball season tips off in less than two months. Sure, the ground is still soggy from summer showers, and the air still wraps its muggy paws around our skin, but it’s time to get excited for some ball.

Coming into the 2006-07 season, pundits around the country see Pitt as a major national championship contender — and with good reason.

Pitt center Aaron Gray returned for his senior year, and Big East analysts say he’s the front-runner for Big East Player of the Year.

Pitt appears to be headed for a top-five preseason ranking. And big names can’t expect big accolades without a tough slate of obstacles to overcome.

So how’d Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon create some obstacles for his team?

He changed his scheduling philosophy — at least this year Pitt will leave the Petersen Events Center more than once before Big East play.

Dixon added two preseason tournaments, one marquee tip-off at a neutral site and even agreed to host a potential powerhouse in mid-February in an out-of-conference contest.

On Pitt’s schedule, there are six possible Final Four contenders: Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Washington, Connecticut, Georgetown and Marquette. Add tough trips to Syracuse, Cincinnati, Villanova and Seton Hall, and suddenly Pitt’s strength of schedule into the country’s top tier.

Did I mention Pitt will be nationally televised 15 times?

The Panthers will travel to West Point, N.Y., to kick off their season, challenging Western Michigan in the first annual Maggie Dixon Memorial Classic. It will surely be a poignant and bittersweet moment for Dixon, who will be coaching the first of many games honoring and remembering his beloved younger sister.

Pitt returns home for a Tuesday night contest with Delaware State before hosting the Colonial Classic.

The Colonial Classic features Pitt, Florida State, Massachusetts, Northeastern, McNeese State, Oakland (Mich.), Illinois State and Southern Methodist. Games will be played Nov. 17 through 19 at the Petersen Events Center, and resume on Nov. 24.

Pitt’s games with Florida State and Massachusetts should prove interesting after Florida State showed promise toward the end of last season and Massachusetts put its program back in the mix.

The Panthers travel to Wisconsin on Dec. 16, playing the Badgers on ESPN at noon.

Oklahoma State hosts Pitt in the All-College Classic on Dec. 21 in Oklahoma City, where the Cowboys and Panthers will meet for the first time since John Lucas and company eliminated Pitt from the NCAA tournament three seasons ago.

This game replaces Pitt’s originally desired contest with South Carolina in New York City after South Carolina pulled out. The match-up would’ve preceded the Gonzaga-Duke night cap at Madison Square Garden.

Nonetheless, both Wisconsin and Oklahoma State are expected to be ranked coming into the season, with Wisconsin possibly climbing into the top 10.

At 2 p.m. on Feb. 17, the Washington Huskies will be at the Petersen Events Center. It will be the first meeting between the two teams as part of a two-year deal in which Pitt travels to Seattle next season for the second part of the series.

With a grueling conference schedule looming in the distance, Pitt must do well in its non-conference games. Losing too many non-conference contests could hurt the Panthers’ chances of higher seeding come NCAA tournament selection time.

If the Panthers can manage their difficult conference schedule and get through their non-conference schedule relatively unscathed, they will be in prime position for a top seed in March.

The schedule looks tough and jam-packed with blockbuster games. But Dixon wouldn’t schedule like this if he didn’t think his team had a shot to win every one of its games.