Mike DeCourcy: Using Mold Of Recent Champs Could Be Costly For Pitt

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) -- Sporting News college basketball writer and Pittsburgh's own Mike DeCourcy joined The Fan Morning Show on Thursday to explore the college hoops landscape and how Pitt figures into it.

He said he likes how the Panthers' offense has developed with freshman point guard James Robinson running the show.

"They don't have the kind of speed at the point guard spot that you'd ordinarily love to have, but I love James Robinson. He has such a great grasp of the game, and for a freshman he makes such good decisions," DeCourcy said.

"You can't be sure because their offense comes and goes a bit, but it is efficient," he said. "If you look at their numbers offensively and defensively from an efficiency standpoint, they're really amazing."

He likes the Panthers' chances to make an impact in the NCAA tournament, but says they have to do things differently than many championship teams have if they're going to go far.

"I like who they are. I think they play hard, they've got depth up front, they've got a lot of different answers on the perimeter, but they're going to have to stay focused and they're going to have to execute," DeCourcy said. "They can't just throw the ball to somebody and say, 'Okay, go get us five baskets to win us this game.' It's not really who they are... they can't be knocked out of their rhythm."

The interview can be heard here: