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There were a lot of fans of the Pittsburgh Panthers that were extremely excited about this season. While the expectations for the program might not have been as high as in past years, there were a lot of potential possibilities with this young team going into the season.
Junior guard Durand Johnson was supposed to be one of the few constants. He isn't the best facilitator by any means, but he does possess a decent outside shot and has quite a bit of experience. With his suspension coming before Pitt played Niagara last Friday, the team didn't get to enjoy Johnson's presence for even one game.
Personally, I don't think this is a huge loss, but it is a hit to the depth chart for sure. Once senior guard Cameron Wright returns, the team will be able to send sophomore guard Chris Jones back to the bench. Johnson is indeed a confident player that is willing to take shots from the outside, but he isn't exactly a marksman. In 16 games last season, Johnson only connected a little more than 40% of his attempts, and a little less than 34% of this three-point attempts. Again, those aren't stellar figures.
Still, it's unrealistic to think that the Panthers will enjoy as much success without Johnson as they would have with him. But, perhaps you think otherwise. Let us know in this week's poll.
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