Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Ashton Gibbs and the Pittsburgh Panthers were able to do what no other team has done this season.
Beat Syracuse.
Gibbs drained 6 of 9 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points to lead Pitt to an 82-72 win over the No. 5 Orange at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse had been the Big East’s highest-ranked and most impressive team, routing Cal and defending NCAA champ North Carolina, and also beating Florida.
Many, including myself, believed this might be a down year for Pitt, which lost Levance Fields, Tyrell Biggs, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair to the pros.
But Jamie Dixon’s team has now won five straight and five of six against Top 5 teams.
Also, Pitt (12-2, 2-0 Big East) has now beaten Syracuse (13-1, 1-1) the last four times it has visited the Carrier Dome.
Pitt is the Big East’s top defensive team at 55.9 points per game.
With the return of Jermaine Dixon (21 points), Pitt has some more experience in the backcourt, allowing redshirt freshman Travon Woodall to come off the bench.
Meanwhile, Gibbs, a sophomore out of Seton Hall Prep, is quietly emerging as one of the best shooters in the Big East, along with Jeremy Hazell and Jamel Jackson of Seton Hall, Andy Rautins of Syracuse and Mike Rosario of Rutgers.
(AP contributed)
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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Ashton Gibbs and the Pittsburgh Panthers were able to do what no other team has done this season.
Beat Syracuse.
Gibbs drained 6 of 9 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points to lead Pitt to an 82-72 win over the No. 5 Orange at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse had been the Big East’s highest-ranked and most impressive team, routing Cal and defending NCAA champ North Carolina, and also beating Florida.
Many, including myself, believed this might be a down year for Pitt, which lost Levance Fields, Tyrell Biggs, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair to the pros.
But Jamie Dixon’s team has now won five straight and five of six against Top 5 teams.
Also, Pitt (12-2, 2-0 Big East) has now beaten Syracuse (13-1, 1-1) the last four times it has visited the Carrier Dome.
Pitt is the Big East’s top defensive team at 55.9 points per game.
With the return of Jermaine Dixon (21 points), Pitt has some more experience in the backcourt, allowing redshirt freshman Travon Woodall to come off the bench.
Meanwhile, Gibbs, a sophomore out of Seton Hall Prep, is quietly emerging as one of the best shooters in the Big East, along with Jeremy Hazell and Jamel Jackson of Seton Hall, Andy Rautins of Syracuse and Mike Rosario of Rutgers.
(AP contributed)
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