Bench makes its mark during Pitt’s lopsided win

One statistic made all of the difference in Pitt’s 89-69 victory over Cincinnati yesterday…. One statistic made all of the difference in Pitt’s 89-69 victory over Cincinnati yesterday.

Bench points: Pitt 33, Cincinnati 17.

The Pitt bench, which has given opponents headaches all year, ran wild against Cincinnati. Nine Panthers logged more than 12 minutes, and three reserves played 18 minutes apiece. In that time, the bench also out-rebounded the Bearcats 15-8.

Keith Benjamin led the way. The sophomore drained a career-high 16 points in just 18 minutes. He shot 5-for-7 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc – also a career high.

A key element of Pitt’s deep lineup, Benjamin said he knew that he would be called upon to make a difference.

“We [reserves] came into the game knowing we had a 10-man roster. Our starters would wear their starters down, then we’d bring in fresh guys.”

Benjamin scored six straight points for the Panthers in one second-half stretch, hitting two 3-pointers to stretch Pitt’s lead to a dozen, and then took a Sam Young block the other way and found Aaron Gray in the lane for a big running dunk and-one with 12:13 to play.

Head coach Jamie Dixon had nothing but praise for the play of his bench. Yet he made sure to mention that what happened on the court wasn’t what had impressed him most lately.

“They’ve been healthy, and they’ve had good practices lately,” Dixon said. “That’s where you get better.”

He pointed to the solid games of the reserves who logged fewer minutes – specifically Tyrell Biggs – as proof that up and down, Pitt has a solid lineup.

Conversely, Cincinnati’s depth chart has required some change since the team lost starting forward Armein Kirkland in the Bearcats’ game against Connecticut last month.

“It’s very difficult for us because we don’t have ‘Plan B,'” Kennedy said.

He added that the physical play of the Big East was nothing new to a Cincinnati program that prides itself on a tough game. However, he said that the current lineup struggles with foul trouble.

“We get fouls early, which is a problem because of our depth issues,” he continued.

Cincinnati’s bench did run five players deep during the game, but of that quintet, only two logged double digits in minutes. Chadd Moore tallied four assists in reserve, which tied James White for the team high. Beyond that, though, the Bearcat bench was quiet.

Although his bench thoroughly outplayed Cincinnati’s, Dixon complimented Kennedy on his ability to keep the depth problems from digging the Bearcats a hole they can’t get out of.

“They’ve had some injuries, so [Kennedy] has done a great job keeping them together.”

Dixon’s reserves – five of whom have played in all 21 games this year – have contributed immensely to a rotation that has become all but set over the course of the season. After taking criticism last year for changing his starting lineup too often, Dixon has established a solid starting five, but as opposing coaches have come to realize, the Panthers do not rely solely on those players to make the difference in the game.

“I think that [their depth] is much more important than individual play,” Kennedy said of Pitt.

The starters agree, and don’t show any signs of disappointment in being rotated out during the game, as the Pitt game plan thrives on keeping players fresh. And what’s more, starters like guard Carl Krauser don’t just appreciate what the bench brings to the team – they enjoy it.

“It makes the game easier, more fun,” he said. “It feels good, seeing your little brothers just rise and become great Big East players, great Division One players.”

He sees the bench players – who have outscored their opponents’ reserves in 18 of 23 games this year – as a major reason the Panthers are enjoying so much success.

“These guys come off with great energy, and that’s the type of look that’s going to help us have a good run this year.”

Dixon agreed with his leader’s assessment, and added that he feels comfortable with every player he puts on the floor.

“We’ll have a minute or two in the first half where that whole second group is in there,” he said. “We play them a lot, so we have to have confidence in them.”

And as the bench plays a major role in game after game, Dixon’s confidence can do nothing but grow.