Dixon not surprised by Troutman’s consistency

Men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon has said more than a thousand times that “Chevy is Chevy,… Men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon has said more than a thousand times that “Chevy is Chevy, and that’s what he does.”

Fittingly, Chevon Troutman now has a point for every time Dixon has said that, as he scored the 1,000th point of his Pitt career last weekend.

On Saturday, the senior forward became the 32nd player in Pitt history to reach this milestone when he scored 10 points in the Panthers’ 66-63 overtime victory at Rutgers. His 10 points gave him 1,005 total for his career.

“I don’t know which bucket it was,” Troutman said unselfishly after the game. “I don’t know, just glad to get the win.”

The bucket that did not stick out in his mind was a simple layup in the first half, when teammate Ronald Ramon bounced a pass down to Troutman at the low post. Troutman dribbled, spun and laid it in over a defender.

Troutman also pulled down 13 rebounds in the game for his ninth career double-double, and his fifth this year.

On the season, Troutman is averaging 12.7 points per game. He also leads the team in rebounding with 112 total boards, an average of 8.6 per game.

Both of those season averages are higher than his career average of 8.8 points and five rebounds a game. Troutman, in his three years of playing, has been more productive during Big East play, and if that trend continues, he could finish as one of the top three scorers on the team.

The Williamsport, Pa. native is not just known for his scoring, he’s known for what he does to opposing offenses. Listed at 6 feet 7 inches and 240 pounds, Troutman takes up a lot of space in the paint, and his athleticism allows him to cause trouble not only for big men on opposing teams, but quicker, smaller guards.

Against Rutgers, he was forced into a position where he had to cover smaller guards.

“They went with four guards at times,” Dixon explained, “So he was guarding guards at times, and he was also guarding big guys and battling inside.”

Because of his size, NFL teams have considered drafting Troutman as a tight end. The recent development of the San Diego Chargers’ Antonio Gates, who originally played basketball at Kent State and was a key factor in Pitt’s Sweet 16 loss three years ago, has brought more interest into developing Troutman for the NFL.

Troutman, however, is focused on basketball at this time, because it is on the hardwood that he is making the clutch plays, like he did against Rutgers.

“He made big plays,” Dixon said of Troutman’s performance, “Like he always does, and he’s a winner.”

In fact, Troutman is a big winner. He is a member of one of the most successful senior classes in Pitt history. He, along with seniors Yuri Demetris and Mark McCarroll, has a record of 99-18. The only senior class above them is last year’s class of Julius Page, Jaron Brown and Toree Morris, who went 107-30 in their careers.

He’ll look to get win No. 100 this Saturday at the Petersen Events Center when the Panthers look for revenge on Big East foe Seton Hall, a team that has welcomed the Panthers into its home and beaten them twice in the past two years, including last year’s 68-67 double-overtime Pirate victory.