College basketball exhibition games are generally played before sub-1,000 crowds, and they don’t entail much excitement. One attraction to exhibition games, however, is that teams will reveal some type of their starting lineup.
In Pitt’s 72-58 win over IUP Friday at the Petersen Events Center, coach Jamie Dixon sent out a starting five that may have come as a surprise to some Pitt fans.
With Durand Johnson just recently cleared for practice and Cameron Wright out several weeks with a broken left foot, Dixon started redshirt sophomore Chris Jones at wing, sophomore Jamel Artis at small forward and junior Joseph Uchebo at center.
James Robinson returned to his role as the Panthers’ starting point guard, and sophomore Michael Young was given the nod at power forward.
Young registered 24 points and seven rebounds.
But the lineup is not solidified. After the game, Dixon classified his starting lineup as a work in progress.
Senior Derrick Randall was the first player off the bench for the Panthers. Josh Newkirk entered next, and Sheldon Jeter, Durand Johnson, Ryan Luther and Cameron Johnson followed in order.
Junior transfer Tyrone Haughton did not play.
“He’s just way behind some guys,” Dixon said of Haughton, a center. “We have a lot of guys [at] that spot right now.”
Dixon also wasn’t ready to reveal any redshirts.
“This thing is wide open,” he said.
Pitt returns to the Petersen Events Center next Friday at 7 p.m. to conclude its preseason against Philadelphia.
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