Pitt - Rhode Island Post-Game

Pitt hailed victorious in the first game of the season.

The Panthers defeated the Rhode Island Rams by a score of 83 - 75.

Going into the game many wondered why such a challenging game was scheduled to open the season. In the post-game news conference, Jamie Dixon joked about not having to answer any more questions playing URI to start off the season.

Defeating the Rams definitely leaves Pitt on an optimistic note

Not only does the team have a reputable non-conference team, but Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs have established themselves as the leaders of this team on and off the court; this was ever-more prevalent when in the final few minutes of the first half when the two helped lead the Panthers to nine consecutive point, and in the final few minutes of the second half when the two remained poised to help solidify the game.

Throughout the game, the Panthers should a relentless ability to drive to the hoop and obtain close-range shots; however, the Panthers missed nine lay-ups which kept the Panthers back in the first-half.

During the second-half, the team was more effective from the field as it finished more close-range buckets. The Panthers' ability to penetrate will be a driving force behind the success of the team throughout the season.

For the Rams, Delroy James was a stand-out player. His enthusiasm, versatility, and deep three point shooting under pressure helped keep the Rams in the game.

The Pitt defense held up well as URI was forced into mostly contested long range shoots. URI shot a surprisingly high percentage from the field despite being limited to the perimeter. This could be an extremely useful asset to fall back on in tough games if the team finds itself struggling in what will be a competitive A-10.

All in all, Pitt can take out a lot of positives from such a game. The only disappointing facet was the Jamie Dixon could not find an effective solution for containing a dynamic forward-guard like Delroy James which could be threatening in the Big East which is filled with mirror players such as Jimmy Butler (Marquette), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), D.J. Kennedy (St. John's), Corey Stokes (Villanova), and Kevin Jones (West Virginia). In the press-conference Dixon said that he expected everything he saw from James but that there wasn't anything in particular that he had immediately taken away in terms of guarding a player like James.