CBS College Basketball Analyst Seth Davis: Pitt Needs To Beat Duke

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan)- CBS college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined The Cook and Poni Show on Monday prior to Pitt hosting Duke at the Pete.

Davis says the reality with Pitt is that they played a weak non-conference schedule early and admits that he did not have him in his Top 25.

However, he says despite the loss to Syracuse, they passed the eye test for him and he now has them in the Top 25.

This will be a huge game for Pitt tonight.

"Duke wants to win. Pitt has to win," Davis said.

He says this is a must-win situation for Pitt on their home court to prove to everyone that they are for real. They have to take advantage of this opportunity to have a Top 25 team with the mystique of Duke on your home court in front of your fans.

"If they don't win you have the right to question if they are a legit national contender," Davis said.

He points out to the guys that the beauty of this game is that both of these teams will still have a shot at winning a national championship if they lose tonight.

Davis says he would not discount either of the two remaining undefeated teams: Arizona and Syracuse as being the best team in the country right now.

Davis tells the guys he is a huge fan of Jamie Dixon and he thinks his time in a Final Four and a National Championship will come. He said it's just a matter of breaking through and points out how long it took Coach K and John Wooden to win titles.

"if there were no Scottie Reynolds, we are having a completely different conversation about Jamie," Davis said. "All you can ask for as a Pitt fan is to have a coach who gives you a chance to compete every year. Jamie does that. It's only a matter of time for him."

Davis is the author of "WOODEN: A Coach's Life" a clear-eyed, provocative and definitive biography of the sports legend. This quintessentially American tale spans nearly a century and ranges from that farm in Centerton to the bright lights of Pauley Pavilion at UCLA where Wooden enjoyed unparalleled success as a coach and mentor. He won respect with his players' superior conditioning and his tenets of team basketball. He gained notoriety with his awe-inspiring fast break, his brutal press, and the discipline he demanded from his players. He became a legend when the championships came.

Davis lends perspective to the life of an icon usually elevated to the level of his vaunted mystique. But Wooden wasn't perfect. He had blind spots and inconsistencies. He could be rigid and unyielding at times. He could be insecure and he spent a career shying from high expectations, yet often refused to cede or share the spotlight. He was an enigma for decades who revealed himself little by little and mostly after his coaching days were over.

"Everyone views him as a sweet old guy, but you don't win 10 national championships by being sweet," Davis added.

Listen to the full interview here:

Listen to the Cook and Poni Show weekdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan.

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