Pitt is a top five team in the country and is expected to make a run for the Final Four. Its guard play is a big reason the team is expected to be such a success.

The Panthers starting guards are expected to be PG Ashton Gibbs and SG Brad Wanamaker. Gibbs is more of a shooting guard, but his ability to play the point allows the team to start Brad Wanamaker at the other guard spot.

Fox Sports rates Pitt's backcourt as sixth best in the nation...although calling Gilbert Brown a guard could have something to do with that:

Ashton Gibbs has established himself among the nation’s best guards, and Brad Wanamaker may be as underrated as anyone in the Big East. Toss in fifth-year senior wing Gilbert Brown and Travon Woodall, and Jamie Dixon is loaded with guards.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, Gary Parrish named Ashton Gibbs as one of the top ten combo guards in the country:

Gibbs is another great combo guard who, like Mack at Butler, was never supposed to be this good; he wasn't even a top 100 recruit. But Gibbs burst onto the scene and averaged 15.7 points last season. He was the main reason Pitt was able to endure the losses of Levance Fields, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair and make another NCAA tournament.

Ironically, he's right below freshman Brandon Knight (no, not Brandin Knight) of Kentucky.