Jamie Dixon: Season-Opening 'Half A Win' Counts For Something
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Pitt men's basketball head coach Jamie Dixon joined "The Fan Morning Show" on Friday with his team sitting at 2-0 after three games.
Yes, you read that right.
Pitt's season has become somewhat of an anomaly due to their season-opening matchup against Gonzaga in Okinawa, Japan. The game was called at halftime due to unsafe court conditions, making Pitt's most visible and intriguing game to date one that didn't even count.
The irony of that isn't lost on Dixon, but he's trying to embrace the positive side of it.
"Obviously, there wasn't a result," Dixon said. "But, everybody in the country was watching, and probably watched it moreso because of how things turned out."
Even though the game wasn't official, Dixon liked that his team was able to show what it can do with so many people watching.
"They saw us with a lead at halftime," Dixon said. "They saw a team that played hard. I don't know that we played great, but we played hard. We played unselfish...we played with great energy...I know we've got a lot of work to do, and we know we've got some things to improve on."
In the wake of this game, some have questioned the wisdom in sending college teams overseas for events like the Armed Forces Classic, due to logistical concerns such as scheduling, travel, and court conditions.
But, Dixon wasn't focused on that.
"What an unbelievable experience," Dixon said. "As far as representing the university and the city, and everybody watching the game, and seeing the Marines...unbelievable."
And with that in mind, Dixon doesn't view the event as a failure.
"Even with half a win, it was a great experience and a trip that I wish every team could go and be a part of," Dixon said.
The interview can be heard here: