Pittsburgh Panthers NCAA College Basketball Futures Odds and Lines
Thursday, November 10, 2011
by Bodog Sportsbook
It’s not really fair to call the University of Pittsburgh one of the most underachieving marquee teams in college basketball, but it is puzzling that for all of Pitt’s regular-season success that it seems to always have a roadblock in reaching the Final Four? Will this be the year the Pittsburgh Panthers finally cut down the nets? Panthers is 28/1 on Bodog Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball futures odds to win the national title in 2011-12.
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Last season was a typical one for Pitt. The Panthers finished the season 28-6 and 15-3 in the stacked Big East (good for first place). But they flamed out in the conference tournament and then only won a game in the NCAA Tournament despite being a No. 1 seed – Pitt was knocked out in the Round of 32 by a Butler buzz-beater.
The Panthers got great news in May when star guard Ashton Gibbs pulled out of the NBA draft. Last season Gibbs was first-team All-Big East and an honorable mention All-American. He ranked third among NCAA Division I leaders in 3-point field goal percentage (49.0 percent) and fifth in 3-point field goals made per game (3.3). He also led the Panthers in scoring for the second straight season (16.8 ppg) and set a Pitt season record for 3-point field goals made (102).
But the only other holdovers to average 20-plus minutes per game are senior forward Nasir Robinson and junior guard Tray Woodall. Gone are three of Pitt’s top five scorers ( Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown and Gary McGhee ) and assists (Wanamaker) and rebounds (McGhee) leaders. Coach Jamie Dixon was able to land two elite big-man recruits in 6-foot-9 power forward Khem Birch and 6-foot-11 center Malcolm Gilbert.
Only Duke (average seed 1.9) and Kansas (2.1) have better seed averages than Pittsburgh’s 3.4 among programs reaching the NCAAs at least 10 times in a row, so one has to think the Panthers will break through sooner rather than later. Is this the year?
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ashton gibbs - brad wanamaker - final four - gary mcghee - gilbert brown - jamie dixon - khem birch - malcolm gilbert - nasir robinson - pittsburgh panthers
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