Matt Freed, Post-Gazette
	Pitt?s Chris Taft dunks in front of Coppin State?s Raheem Scott and Nicholas King in the first half of Saturday night?s game. Up next What: Richmond vs. Pitt. Where: Petersen Events Center. When: 7 p.m. Thursday. TV/Radio: ESPN2/WPGB-FM (104.5).

Chris Taft is the reigning Big East rookie of the year and was a preseason first-team all-Big East selection. He is being touted as one of the top centers in the country and is being projected as an NBA lottery pick.

With credentials like that, the expectations are high. Fans and media look for numbers -- big numbers. Taft is aware of the chatter surrounding his game. He would like to live up to everyone's lofty goals. He just thinks that it's going to be hard to do in Pitt's team concept offense.

"After the year I had last year everyone expects me to get 20 or 25 night in and night out," Taft said following Pitt's 73-42 victory against Coppin State Saturday night. "To be honest with you I would love to do that. I'm going to try and rebound so crazy that I can have 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds], but it's going to be hard. We have more than one person who can score. You have me, Chevy [Troutman], Carl [Krauser], Antonio [Graves], Yuri [Demetris]. We try to balance it out."

Under Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon, Pitt has only had one player average more than 18 points per game in a season. That was Ricardo Greer in 1999-2000, and he averaged 18.1 per game. Balance has been Pitt's trademark.

The Panthers have four players averaging in double figures. They're all within less than five points of one another.

"People don't understand the way Pittsburgh plays," Taft said. "They just go by the name and I have a big name right now. They never really watch Pittsburgh play. They just ask, 'Why isn't he doing this or that?' "

Taft had one of his best games of the season against Coppin State. He had 18 points and 11 rebounds -- his second double-double in three games. His production this season has been quiet, within the framework of the offense.

Taft, who is 6 feet 10 and 260 pounds, is averaging 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as a freshman last season. Putting those numbers in better perspective, Taft is doing it in 22.6 minutes a game, three minutes fewer than he played last season. That's due mostly to the lack of competitive games so far.

Taft is sixth on the team in minutes played. He is playing less than freshman guard Ronald Ramon. And yet, he is one big game away from becoming the leading scorer and leading rebounder.

Still, Taft went into the Coppin State game with a challenge for himself. He wasn't so much frustrated with his role in the offense as much as he was dissatisfied with his effort.

Taft only had five rebounds against Penn State last Saturday. The Panthers were outrebounded for the first and only time this season. That should never happen, Taft said. He believes he can average 10-plus rebounds a game.

"I wasn't rebounding as well as I could," he said. "The games when I only have 12 or 14 points, I'm trying to get 15 or 16 rebounds. That's basically what I'm focusing on.

"From now on no matter who we're playing whether it's Coppin State or Connecticut, I'm going to go out there and get every rebound, do all of the hustle things to help this team win. I'm challenging myself."

And no matter what people think, Taft is not going to change his unselfish play. Taft enjoys getting an assist as much as he does a field goal. In the end, his numbers might not stack up to the other elite talents in the game, but he is comfortable knowing that he will be judged on his team's victories and the way he plays the game.

"I'd love to have 40 [points] and 20 [rebounds]," Taft said. "But if a guy's open I'm going to throw them the ball. My teammates know that, everyone knows that. But at the same time, if someone is playing me one-on-one, I'm going to look to score."