Starkey: Pitt can do better than latter-day Dixon

The defeatist portion of the Pitt fan base is shivering right now. Freaking out. From what I can tell, its default position in the wake of losing Jamie Dixon to TCU goes something like this ...

We're never going to the NCAA Tournament again.

Be careful what you wish for.

We're headed back to the Ralph Willard days.

Listen, Dixon had an excellent 13-year run. I don't say that flippantly. He was a fine representative of the university and the city. He cared about his players. He cared about the fans. He won a ton of games. But the program slipped. That is undeniable.

You could see it in the Pete's empty seats of late — even for a big game against Louisville this season.

You could see it in Pitt missing the NCAA Tournament twice in the past four years and nearly again this season (if not for an unlikely escape against pitiful Wake Forest).

You could see it in the conference record over the past five years: 45-45.

You could see it in the conference tournament record over the past five years: 4-5.

You could see it in the NCAA Tournament record over the past five years: 1-3.

So let me ask the national pundits, those sounding ominous warnings on the future of Pitt basketball now that King Jamie is gone: What's so great about going 1-3 in the NCAA Tournament over a not-so-small sampling of FIVE YEARS?

Do you realize Pitt is 7-23 in its past 30 games against ranked opponents?

Dixon is a good basketball coach. He's not a miracle worker. Contrary to popular belief, this is not an impossible place to win. Others have taken Pitt to multiple NCAA Tournaments. Paul Evans got there five times in his first seven years in a smaller field. Ben Howland went twice in a row and was headed for many more when he bolted for UCLA.

Somebody coming in here to follow the early Dixon would have an incredibly tough act to follow. The latter-day Dixon? Not so much.

The new guy will be a disappointment if he mimics Dixon over the next five years by going .500 in-conference, posting a losing record in the conference tournament and winning one NCAA Tournament game.

Pitt basketball used to be a hot ticket. A major event in an event-driven town. People don't like reruns, though, and that is largely what Pitt became. Its performances in recent NCAA Tournaments have been pathetic — 45 points against Florida, 43 points against Wisconsin, a no-show against Wichita State.

Ben Howland, with Dixon's help, did the heavy lifting to bring this program back from the abyss. Dixon kept it relevant. He won many high-profile games early in his tenure. He took Pitt to the Elite Eight in 2009, which seems like a long, long time ago.

Athletic director Scott Barnes mentioned the attendance slippage. He said it's a problem across college basketball. But he also wondered, “What ways can we move the needle?” which was a tacit acknowledgement that the needle needs to be moved.

“A fresh start, a fresh face, a fresh vision can do that,” Barnes said. “We've seen that in football. I promise you'll see it in basketball.”

Change could benefit both parties here. Dixon had become increasingly tense and defensive in recent years. He didn't like anybody encroaching on his power or questioning his methods.

He took a shot at his critics — real and imagined — after the win over Duke by saying “Everybody laughed at me” when he insisted his team was improving despite a late-season swoon.

As it turned out, he was wrong. Pitt lost eight of its final 12 games.

I can think of a dozen coaches who could liven up the place. Some of them aren't even named “Miller,” although a call to Sean Miller is one half-court heave Barnes should attempt.

This is a good job. First, it pays well. Dixon was the 21st-highest paid coach in the country this season and third in the ACC at close to $3 million. Barnes is determined to make a splash and has the cash.

John Calipari wanted the Pitt job when Howland left. There will be excellent candidates this time, too.

Don't be surprised if one of them outdoes the latter-day Dixon.

Joe Starkey co-hosts a show 2 to 6 p.m. weekdays on 93.7 FM. Reach him at jraystarkey@gmail.com.