4-1-Zoo: Possible Roadblocks For Pitt
PITTSBURGH — As I noted yesterday, Pitt's road to the Final Four might be the easiest of any No. 1 seed.
The No. 2-4 seeds in the Southeast are, collectively, the weakest of any other region. But that's not to say Pitt will cruise to the Final Four. There are some lower seeds that can definitely pose problems.
At first glance, Pitt appears to have a very challenging second-round opponent. The Panthers will play either Old Dominion or Butler, which have both put together impressive seasons.
Butler went 23-9 this season after being last year's National Runner-Up. The Bulldogs were 13-5 in the Horizon League and earned an impressive non-conference win against Florida State.
Butler is riding a nine-game winning streak while Pitt went 3-3 to end the season. Matt Howard is a legitimate scoring threat for the Bulldogs, averaging 16.7 points a game, and — at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds — can play inside and outside, shooting 44 percent from 3-point range.
Old Dominion is also on a nine-game winning streak, ending its season 27-6, 14-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Of the Monarch's six losses, just two came to non-tournament teams.
Just like with Howard at Butler, ODU has a scoring threat from one of its forwards. Frank Hassell stands at 6-foot-9, 255 pounds and averages 15 points and nine rebounds a game.
If Pitt survives the second round, Kansas State will likely be waiting in the Sweet 16.
A little over a week ago I was talking with friends about the potential surprise teams in this tournament and I said K-State is a team that can catch fire and make a run to the Final Four. They have the tools to beat Pitt if the two meet.
The scariest player for the Wildcats is Jacob Pullen, who averages 19.5 points per game. As we saw last year against Xavier, one player can destroy Pitt's hopes if he's on a tear.
Well, Pullen has been on an incredible run ever since K-State upset then-No.1 Kansas Feb. 14, 84-68. Pullen had 38 points in that game, and since has scored 17 or more in every game.
Kansas State is a potentially deadly team and, with wins in seven of its last eight games, appears to be playing its best basketball.
So while the top four seeds look rather tame, Pitt still has tough teams to deal with if it wants to make its first Final Four appearance in almost seven decades.
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Chris Gates | Area 4-1-Zoo Blog
Twitter.com/Chris_Gates
Chris.Gates@cbsradio.com
