The only drama in Pitt's exhibition game yesterday afternoon was whether its opponent would reach double digits on the scoreboard. The Division II Coker College Cobras did, but that did not happen until less than 15 minutes remained in the game.

The only other important statistic is that Coker did not make a field goal until 3:56 remained in the first half. It's hard to figure out exactly what Pitt coach Jamie Dixon gleaned from the 83-40 final score, but one thing seems certain: The Panthers won't have an easier time with an opponent the rest of this season.

The score was 41-6 at halftime. At one point in the second half, Coker was shooting 24 percent from the field, which wasn't good, but was still better than its 21-percent performance from the free-throw line at the same moment.

It's nearly impossible to determine what any of the events that transpired yesterday will mean when the regular season opens in five days against Wofford at the Petersen Events Center, but Dixon was happy with the improvement his team showed after a lackluster victory against Slippery Rock in the first exhibition game last week.

"We talked about Sunday to Sunday, and our guys responded in a big way," Dixon said. "That was a challenge we gave to our players. We improved throughout the week. You could see it in practice. We really set a goal, set a time frame and our guys responded. It was a good week for us."

Dixon started the same players for the second consecutive game and appears comfortable with that lineup heading into the opener.

Travon Woodall and Ashton Gibbs were the starting guards, Brad Wanamaker the starting small forward with Nasir Robinson at power forward and Gary McGhee at center.

It is highly doubtful that senior Jermaine Dixon, the only returning starter, who is rehabilitating from foot surgery in September, will be ready for Friday. Dixon, who was still in a walking boot yesterday, will get another X-ray today to determine how well the fractured bone is healing.

Dixon lost another starter for most of yesterday's contest when Robinson left after dislocating a finger on his left hand early in the first half. Dixon said Robinson probably could have gone back in the game if it was the regular season and said he should be ready to play Friday.

Woodall led all scorers with 21 points and McGhee added 13. Dante Taylor, the McDonald's All-American who scored 27 points last week, finished with eight points. He and guard Chase Adams were the first two players off the bench. Adams also finished with eight points.

Woodall was 8 for 10 from the field and had three assists and one turnover in 22 minutes in a game that probably cemented his status as a starter for the opener.

"I feel real confident," said Woodall, a redshirt freshman from Brooklyn, N.Y. "I worked real hard this summer, so hopefully it will pay off this season."

McGhee, who struggled against Slippery Rock, was 4 for 5 from the field and posted two rebounds in 17 minutes. After averaging only seven minutes per game last season, McGhee will have a much larger role this season.

"He's a better player, no question," Dixon said. "He's improved. He's a hard worker, always has been. He's a kid who is seizing the opportunity and improving. We've had a history of guys improving. Gary has improved. You can see it clearly out there. He runs the floor better, defends better, rebounds better and is finishing better."

After committing 15 turnovers last week, the Panthers turned the ball over just nine times yesterday. They also made better decisions on shot selection and played more aggressively on defense.

"It was a good effort for us," Dixon said. "It was a good sign of improvement. That's what's going to determine this team, how good we'll be. I really think these guys have bought into improving every time out."

Paul Zeise's "Pitt Stop" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.