Panther of the Week: Cam Wright

If you are looking for some consistency during this particular injury-filled rough patch for Pitt, the source would be Cameron Wright. His hustle and heart alone would have made him a candidate for this week's player of the week. His statistics in an unexpected tough 2-0 week made sure we gave him the award without any questions.

Through a year where Talib Zanna and Lamar Patterson have dominated this weekly column, it is nice to see someone that has played with consistency all year win it this week. Wright picked up the Panthers while the two seniors have been dealing with some nagging injuries. The 6'4" guard scratched and clawed to give the Panthers two tough ACC wins, when many thought they would cruise. It is during these rough stretches, that a player like Wright can step up and shine...and shine he did.

The week started off with a great performance by Patterson in Miami during an overtime win, but Wright was right by his side during the four-point road victory. He finished one rebound short of a double-double, settling for 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and three steals. Despite the sloppy nature of the game, Cam only turned the ball over one time and stayed under control with two fouls. All of this while logging 41 minutes in the grueling win.

Still with Patterson's 25-point performance, the Panther of the Week was going to be a challenge for anyone else to bring home. Wright decided he would carry Pitt to a double-OT win over lowly Virginia Tech while Zanna and Patterson struggled with injuries. Topping his 41 minutes earlier in the week, Cam played 44 minutes yesterday and poured in 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and did not turn the ball over. The Cleveland, OH native did a good amount of his damage in the deciding second OT, while most other players struggled.

It wasn't pretty, but watching Wright will Pitt to two wins this past week was something that can get teams like them through a rough spot without completely falling into a tailspin. Could Pitt get back to the style they had been playing earlier in the year in time for the home stretch? In the words of several twitter posts this past week, "DAMN WRIGHT!"

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow the author and manager/editor of Cardiac Hill @BrunoPittsburgh