MPM: Ronald Ramon, Levance Fields, and Sam Young each played almost the entire game last night. With Pitt in the NCAA tournament, should Jamie Dixon consider reducing their minutes the rest of the Big East tournament to save them for the NCAA tournament? They need those three players to be fresh to make any kind of run in the tournament and it doesn't seem worth wearing them down the rest of the way in the Big East tournament.

Ray Fittipaldo: Dixon will not rest his players at the Big East tournament for the sake of the NCAA tournament. You're here to win it, that's basically his philosophy. Dixon and Ben Howland before him always put great emphasis on this tournament. That's obvious by looking at the Panthers' record here the past few years.

BuseysTwoMeatballSubs: I keep reading about a demise happening in Pitt basketball in the not-too-distant future. I can't comprehend it as in two years Pitt could boast a lineup of Travon Woodall (So.), Jeremiah Dixon (Sr.), Gilbert Brown (Jr.), DeJuan Blair (Jr.) and McGhee (Jr.) at center. Depth would include Ashton Gibbs, Darnell Dodson, Nasir Robinson, Dwight Miller, Lamar Patterson and possibly other big-bodied recruits. That doesn't look program-ending to me.

Ray Fittipaldo: A lot of those names you mentioned are unknown commodities. Before his junior year, people didn't have any idea that Aaron Gray would develop into the player he would become. The same could be said for Sam Young. One, two, three of those players will have to make a leap forward like Gray and Young did for Pitt to maintain its current standing. I don't think there's an end in sight as long as Dixon is the coach. He has proven that he knows how to win games. I think the administration has to step up and start spending more money on the basketball team to help him bring the Panthers to the next level.

Scuba_Steve: I always argue that Pitt BB has a lot of fans, but when I see two people in a chat the day after winning a big east tournament game and heading into selection Sunday, I start to wonder if I'm wrong.

Ray Fittipaldo: Maybe they're all watching the Villanova-Georgetown game.

Scuba_Steve: How do you feel the administration should spend more money? What are they not doing that some of the top programs do?

Ray Fittipaldo: Pitt is still flying commercial for some away games. They flew commercial to New York this week, were delayed for three hours at Pittsburgh. If you asked Jim Boeheim or Jim Calhoun to fly commercial they would have a fit. Teams like Syracuse and Connecticut charter planes for every road trip. They spend money to make money. I'm not saying Pitt has to spend every dime of its athletic department budget on men's basketball, but money should be put back into the program instead of cutting corners. I think Steve Pederson is working to change some things. We'll see what transpires.

Matt: I guess that, after last night's game when our guards could not even make free-throws, we are not too optimistic about tonight's game?

Ray Fittipaldo: After watching Pitt play here the past few years I'll never say it's impossible to win a game. The Panthers have done too well up here for me or anyone else to write them off. That being said, it's going to be a tall order against the Cardinals. David Padgett had his way with DeJuan Blair when these two teams met a few weeks ago. Edgar Sosa had his way with any Pitt guard that attempted to guard him. The Panthers are going to need some big games from Young, Blair and Fields if they're going to pull the upset.

Matt: Are they cutting back money on recruiting as well?

Ray Fittipaldo: It's not that the athletic department is cutting back. More money needs to be raised. They're spending every dime they have. They need more dimes.

BuseysTwoMeatballSubs: How is Pitt cheap with its hoops program? Where is the money not being spend? Fancier hotels? Cereal for dinner? Pitt is known to screw up a good thing. Hopefully it isn't with the hoops program.

Ray Fittipaldo: The team stays at nice hotels and no corners are cut other than with the charter situation. Pitt actually chartered to a few more games this season than seasons past. Things are getting better. The difference is the big-name schools charter everywhere they go.

Matt: Well, after last night, Blair is well rested and due!

Ray Fittipaldo: I think Blair will respond. He hasn't had many bad games back-to-back. He needs to play well defensively more than anything. Padgett can't score 21 points like he did the last game.

Matt: As you wrote in this morning's paper, considering our Big East Tournament record years ago (one and done), we cannot complain about Pitt even if they bow out tonight.

Ray Fittipaldo: I believe Ron Cook might have touched on how the Panthers were one-and-done in the years before Howland/Dixon. And it's true. Fans should not take Pitt's tournament success for granted. Lousiville is a really good team. Pitt would pull off a nice upset if the Panthers could win tonight.

Matt: That said, considering how Blair played last night, he is due for a big game, so maybe we can beat Louisville!

Ray Fittipaldo: It would be nice if Blair put up 20 and 16 as he did against Duke in this building a few months ago. That would help.

jeff_kish: Blair certainly needs to step up his game to very high level tonight but it was a surprise to see Sam help out on the D last night. We need that and more this evening.

Ray Fittipaldo: All of those blocks were huge plays. Sam proved he can do it, now he has to do it on a consistent basis.

Matt: Yes, it would be a big win for the Panthers! Truth be known, they have won four of the last five and two wins in THE Tournament, considering the injuries, would be a very successful year. Agree?

Ray Fittipaldo: Yes, it's been a nice year no matter what happens tonight and the NCAA tournament. This team has overcome a lot and it still has high hopes for the NCAA tournament.

BuseysTwoMeatballSubs: Has Herb Pope's name been mentioned by the players or coaches outside of when a game is going on?

Ray Fittipaldo: Not to my knowledge. I know Blair knows him for AAU ball, but I've never spoken to Pitt players about him.

jeff_kish: I know we all get frustrated but it seems Dixon has a system that is successful and he does not seem to deviate from that system. This may be one of his best, if not the best coaching job he has accomplished at Pitt. What is your take?

Ray Fittipaldo: He's done a nice job. I'm having a hard time figuring out why the defense is not up to the standards of previous teams. The injuries shouldn't have affected the defense that much.

Matt: Do you think that Pederson will be more focused on football than basketball? What was his priority before?

Ray Fittipaldo: Football comes first at every major BCS school. That's just the way it is. There's more money to be made through football. Basketball is a nice moneymaker for Pitt as well. I do know that Dixon was happy when Pederson was hired the second time around. They have a good relationship.

Matt: As you have said many times before, it all depends on the draw.

Ray Fittipaldo: Yes it does, although any draw will be tough if Pitt is a No. 8 or 9 seed.

Ray Fittipaldo: Thanks for the great questions this week. We'll do it next week from an NCAA first-round site to be determined.