DePaul next to test unbeaten Panthers

The Pitt men’s basketball team entered the rocky waters of Big East conference play last… The Pitt men’s basketball team entered the rocky waters of Big East conference play last Wednesday and barely managed to keep their sea legs against Notre Dame.

Now standing steadier, head coach Jamie Dixon and the still undefeated Panthers appear on national television for the first time this year as they host their second conference opponent, the DePaul Blue Demons at the Petersen Events Center tonight.

Pitt (12-0 overall, 1-0 Big East) and DePaul (8-5, 1-1) have only met one other time in the history of the two programs. The Blue Demons joined the Big East this year. However, that doesn’t mean the new conference adversaries are completely unfamiliar with each other.

“We know all their guys from recruiting them, so we’re familiar with their personnel,” Dixon said. “Over the last couple years we’ve talked about scheduling [each other] and it’s been talked about so long it almost feels like they’ve been in the league for three years.”

Meanwhile, DePaul head coach Jerry Wainwright will coach in the Petersen Events Center for the second year in a row. Wainwright lost a decision to the Panthers last year as coach of the Richmond Spiders before leaving in the offseason for DePaul.

But merely knowing the Blue Demons won’t win the game for the Panthers.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge for us guarding guys on the perimeter, and they have some pretty athletic big men as well,” junior forward Levon Kendall said.

DePaul’s athleticism and position flexibility across the board also caught Dixon’s eye.

“They have a lot of guys that can handle the ball and they’re a very versatile group-and they’re almost interchangeable,” Dixon said.

If anyone can handle such competition, it’s Pitt. With Villanova’s loss to West Virginia last weekend, the Panthers remain one of only three undefeated teams in the country, the other two being No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Florida. Pitt is currently ranked No. 11 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll and No. 12 in the AP Poll.

Despite the national recognition, Dixon and the Panthers still believe in constant improvement.

“We have to forget about the distractions and the rankings and keep playing the way we’ve been,” sophomore guard Ronald Ramon said.

“I don’t think [being undefeated] changes you as a team and I don’t think it changes you as a person,” Dixon said. “We’ve got a long way to go.”

One of the aspects of the Panthers’ game that could definitely use improvement is foul shooting. Pitt shot 65 percent from the line against Notre Dame, including some crucial misses in the final minutes of regulation that, if made, could have put the Irish away and negated Chris Quinn’s Superman impression.

“I think it seems surprising for how well we shoot the ball from the field,” Kendall said. “It’s hard to say what the one problem is.”

However, Dixon is exceptionally optimistic.

“We have improved throughout the year. I think this is going to be the best free throw-shooting team since I’ve been here.”

DePaul is one of four new teams to join the Big East in 2005-06. Along with Louisville, Marquette and South Florida, the Blue Demons expanded the conference to 16 teams, making it the largest in Division I-A men’s basketball.

But even with the new arrivals, the Big East’s tough and physical reputation is as solid as ever.

“The Big East has always been known for its aggressiveness and pretty tough play and there’s a lot of that still going on,” Kendall said.

The Panthers’ toughness will undoubtedly be tested the next few weeks. After tonight’s game, Pitt goes on a three-game road trip beginning at Louisville on Sunday.

Although grueling, the upcoming schedule could turn out to be beneficial.

“It’s going to be tough because we’re going to be missing a lot of school. It’s going to show a lot of character and help us out down the road,” Kendall said. “It’s fun seeing all these teams and just thinking, ‘This is going to be fun.'”

Tonight’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. eastern.