Big East Appears to Be More Competitive, Says Chipman

University of Pittsburgh Coach Roy Chipman says the Big East Conference will be more competitive this basketball season with the departure of Pat Ewing of Georgetown and Chris Mullin of St. John’s.

Chipman’s team returns nearly intact from the 1984-85 season, when the Panthers finished 17-12 and lost to Louisiana Tech 78-54 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“There are going to be four or five teams fighting for the top. I don’t think you’ll see anyone go through the year with just one or two losses. The league has changed,” Chipman said.

Pitt returns with conference freshman of the year Charles Smith, who averaged 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots per game. Also back are starting center Keith Armstrong, guards Joey David, Curtis Aiken and Demetreus Gore and forward Darryl Shepherd.

The Panthers also recruited center Tico Cooper from Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Community College and guards Mike Goodson from Elizabeth, N.J., and Jerome Lane from Akron, Ohio. Lane was a Parade Magazine All-American after averaging 27 points per game as a high school senior.

Chipman said Pitt probably will be favored to win most of its home games, unlike previous Big East seasons.

“In the past, teams came into Fitzgerald Fieldhouse knowing they could not be at their best and still beat us,” Chipman said. “This year, we’ll be in a position that when a team comes into the field house, they will know they will have to play a great, great game to beat us. We want them to fear coming here.”

Pitt finished fifth in the league last season with an 8-8 record and has never advanced past the first round of the conference tournament in its three Big East seasons.