Pittsburgh Panthers (29-7) vs UCLA Bruins (28-5) Preview
Posted on | March 22, 2007 | No Comments
This promises to be one of the most interesting match-ups of the entire Sweet 16. It features two very good friends squaring off as Ben Howland, coach of Bruins, and Jamie Dixon, coach of the Panthers, lead their teams into battle.
A few years ago many fans in the Big East secretly celebrated when Ben Howland left to coach UCLA. Howland had built a basketball team that was both hard-nosed and hard to beat. So, with his departure fans of all the other teams in the BIg East hoped Pitt would lose its edge.
It’s didn’t happen.
Howland’s assistant and good friend, Dixon, took over the program and Pitt never missed a beat. They are still just as hard-nosed and just as tough to beat.
Howland and Dixon actually spent about 4 months living together when Howland was first hired as the Pitt coach. They and their families are very close.
But don’t expect any warm hugs while the basketball game is being played. Both of these coaches are tough as nails during the game. Afterward, no doubt, there will be an embrace a sincere wish of luck from the loser to the winner, but during the game it will be business as usual.
Both of these have a philosophy of defense first. THe both play very tough and gritty defense. They will get in an opponets face and stay there for 40 minutes. Ocassionally Pitt will drop back into a zone defense but UCLA will play man-to-man throughout.
These teams run similar systems on offense but they each cater to their won players’ strengths.
UCLA has great outside play with Arron Afflalo, Josh Shipp, and Darren Collison.
Much of Pitt’s offense revolves around their seven foot center Aaron Gray. Gray can pass the ball of take it to the hoop. He will also stepout and hit the ocassional three pointer.
The cool thing about this game is that each teams knows each other so well. The teams play on opposite sides of the country put their systems are very similar. The familiarity should make for the type of basketball game that is rarely seen.
In the end this game will probably come down to talent. UCLA appears to have the advantage there. However, if Pitt gets hot from the outside and drains some threes, the game may tip in their favor.
Related posts:
- UCLA Bruins (29-5) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (33-4) Preview
- UCLA Bruins (30-5) vs. Florida Gators (33-5) Preview
- NCAA: Looking at the East Region
- The Elite Eight
- March Madness 2007
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