Shades of Gray
PITTSBURGH — This is Carl Krauser's team. Has been for most of the last two seasons. At least he talks as if this is his team, and the Pittsburgh point guard says he is the player most responsible for the No. 15 Panthers winning or losing.
But when the all-Big East team was released Monday, it was 7-foot junior center Aaron Gray, not Krauser — the three-year starter — who was on the first team. Krauser was on the second team for the third consecutive season.
That selection affirmed what has seemed apparent since the Panthers (21-6, 10-6) began Big East play in January: while Krauser may be Pitt's most visible and most accomplished player, it is Gray who might be their most valuable player.
And how far the Panthers advance in the Big East and NCAA tournaments, where they lasted only a game apiece last season, may depend mostly on how well — or poorly — Gray plays. Pitt has a difficult Big East tournament opener against Louisville (18-11, 6-10) tonight in Madison Square Garden, then would play a third game in a month against West Virginia (20-9, 11-5) Thursday if it wins.
"Depending on how he plays, the team sort of follows," forward Levon Kendall said of Gray, the only Big East player to average in double figures in points (14.0) and rebounds (10.4). "He did a great job. We expected it coming into this year. He's worked real hard and deserves everything he's gotten. We're looking to ride him the rest of the way."
Pitt couldn't find its way in the tournaments last year after winning only 10 of its final 19 regular-season games. After a more promising 15-0 start this season, the Panthers have faded again, losing their last two games last week and six of their last 12.
"But it's another season now," said Gray, of Emmaus, Pa. "We know where we stand. You lose and you're done. We think it's going to be a great challenge, a great test."
One problem: Krauser is Pitt's leading scorer with a 15.3 average, but has been their top scorer only once in the last five games.
The 24-year-old senior, who announced last spring he was leaving the team but decided later to return, also is coming off perhaps his two worst games all season. He was only 3-of-16 shooting while being limited to 10 points in a 67-62 loss at West Virginia on Feb. 27, then had only nine points and two field goals — none in the first 26 minutes — in the 65-61 loss to Seton Hall on Friday.
Still, these Panthers are younger and have looked more resilient at times than last year's team. That team, led by senior forward Chevon Troutman, Krauser and last year's starting center, Chris Taft, was Pitt's first in four years to not reach the NCAA round of 16.
"We started to fade a bit, started to lose focus the last couple of weeks," Kendall said of these Panthers. "We talked about tightening up, taking care of the little details and just sort of refocus and regroup."
Coach Jamie Dixon said the Panthers responded to the Seton Hall loss with some of their best practices all season, though they backed off Tuesday to keep their game legs for what they hope will be four games in four days in New York.
They last played that many in 2001, winning three in a row to get to the Big East final before losing to Boston College in the championship game.
"I believe we can," Dixon said of winning the tournament, "and I know the players believe they can. But we have to worry about the next one. You want to think one game at a time. You get to talking about two games down the line, and that's not even a consideration."
