Despite an off game by DeJuan Blair in Thursday’s first round, his Pittsburgh teammates are sure it won’t continue for long.
Blair finished with eight points in the NCAA Tournament opening win Thursday against Summit League champs Oral Roberts. The 6-foot-7 freshman center also pulled in 10 rebounds and had three assists.
But building up to four fouls early in the second half put him in reserve for most of the second half, when the game was already in hand.
“He just has to realize we’re outside the Big East Conference now,” senior guard Keith Benjamin said today. “A couple of plays that you could bang on inside our conference, you can’t do that in these tournaments. You get different refs from all over the country.”
Blair picked up his second foul 1:14 into the second half, and his third just 41 seconds later.
He was pulled for a short spell, but 40 seconds after checking back in, he was called for his fourth foul going for an offensive rebound. The Panthers were leading by 19 points, so that made sitting for a seven-minute stretch less of a stress on the team.
Blair has started every game, led the team in rebounding (9.2) and steals (60) and was second in scoring (11.5). He fouled out just twice.
“I don’t think we worry about DeJuan. He’s a good player, especially a team player,” senior guard Ronald Ramon said. “He knows when the team needs him, he’s gonna show up.”
Rested. After coming off four games in four days to win the Big East Tournament, having an early game Thursday and then an afternoon game Saturday was all the break Pitt needs.
“We had 24 hours and sometimes less” to get ready, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said of the run through the Big East Tournament. “I think we’ve gotten a lot done, and actually playing an early game and then a late game, I think we have probably a little bit more preparation and rest than what normally might be the case.”
Mixed up. The biggest concern for Pitt in preparing its defense is learning all the things Michigan State can throw at them. Many include guard Drew Neitzel. Ramon has drawn the assignment on the Spartans senior.
“He’s a player that comes off the screen, creating for guys, a lot of screens,” Ramon said.
Added Benjamin: “They screen very well for their guards. They have a lot of sets, and that’s going to be the hardest thing to get down.”
David Krause: dkrause@denverpost.com or 303-954-1893
