Thanks to everyone who are leaving their impressions of the game. I have to admit feeling frustrated talking about the team’s performance when I’ve yet to actually see them. Happily that changes this weekend. I’m coming to Pittsburgh to see the Penn State game. Extra bonus is that my dad’s meeting me in Pittsburgh to see the game. All through Thanksgiving I had to hear him talk about Penn State and the BCS. There was really nothing I could say or do. The Backyard Brawl just made things more painful. This game won’t erase the annoyance, but it should be something of a balm, though, like most Penn State alum he seems totally resigned to the fact that they have a pathetic men’s basketball program and that won’t be changing.

Here’s the full box score and play-by-play. One of the things that shows the tough spot Duquesne was in was just the depth. Pitt had 10 players play at least 11 minutes, but only 3 players exceeded 20 minutes of playing time. Duquesne had a total of 9 players just playing with 6 logging more than 20 minutes each. That is a huge advantage for simply wearing down a team and allowing Pitt to play a tight defense.

In the game, Pitt got off to something of a slow start with some misses and sloppy ball handling. Carl Krauser, though, took control for Pitt early. He accounted for I believe 13 of Pitt’s first 18 points. He also was draining his free throws, going 7-8. Considering he was below 60% going into the game at the stripe, he needed that. The team needed him.

“I just wanted to make a couple of plays to let the young guys know that it’s OK,” Krauser said. “We’re on the road, but, at the same time, you have a senior leader here that’s ready to take over the game and ready to provide whatever they need.”

It was the first road game for Pitt after two exhibition games and five regular-season contests at home to open the year.

“We were facing a big challenge on the road and the young guys didn’t know what to expect,” Krauser said. “I think they did well. I didn’t see anybody nervous. I saw everybody just anxious to play.”

Now, I wouldn’t go overboard with the “road” talk. Pitt was only a couple miles down the street and it sounded as if about half of Palumbo Center was comprised of Pitt fans.

Aaron Gray got off to a slow start but ended up with a pretty decent night.

Center Aaron Gray celebrated his 21st birthday in style, with 14 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. It was his fourth double-double in six games.
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While Krauser dominated from the perimeter, Gray was just as forceful in the interior. He scored eight points in the first five minutes of the second half, when the Panthers rebuilt their double-digit lead.

“We wanted to get the ball inside to Aaron,” Krauser said. “He’s doing a great job. We just wanted that inside presence and to feed off him.”

Without starting center Kieron Achara, who learned this week that he is out for the season with a torn labrum, the Dukes had no answer for Gray inside. He was 5 for 9 from the field and had five offensive rebounds.

“Gray is much improved,” Nee said. “He’s very good. He is going to be a force. Everyone is going to have trouble with that size.”

Duquesne, though, is just not a very good team, not a lot of depth and did not shoot the ball well.

“We’ve got to shoot better if we’re going to be competitive or have a chance to win,” Duquesne coach Danny Nee said. “We had a lot of makeable shots and Pitt’s defense a lot of times got us to hurry and take some poor shots.”

Duquesne shot 8 of 29 from the field and 2 of 7 from the free-throw line in the first half, when it trailed 32-23 at the break.

Pitt senior guard Carl Krauser shot 7 of 14 from the field and scored 13 of his 23 points in the first half.

“We kept going on scoring droughts,” McAllister said. “We’d call the play out and somebody would forget the play. Our offense would break down and now we’ve got to scramble. It kind of forces us into a bad shot. A lot of it is that mentally we have to be tougher in running our sets and do it correctly so we get the shot that we want.”

Duquesne (1-4) led 10-7 early in the game but went on a drought in which it scored one field goal — shooting 1 of 18 from the field — in a 9:59 span. DeVario Hudson made a 3-pointer for a 10-7 lead with 14:27 to play in the first half. But by the time McAllister scored on a jumper with 4:28 to play, Pitt (6-0) held a 25-16 lead. Duquesne trailed by at least six points the rest of the way.

To be fair to the Dukes, they shot better from the field and were 13-15 on free throws in the second half.

In a column, Gene Collier blasts at the ineptitude of the Duquesne basketball program.

UPDATE: A comment on Gray not seeing the ball often in the game deserves a response.

The number of shots Gray took is a little deceiving. He got to the FT line for 9 attempts. They came because he was hacked trying to shoot. Gray’s shot attempts also have to do with how aggressive he plays.

He was missing his FTs, especially early, so it made going inside to him less productive. Gray also started 0-2 shooting. Pitt was sloppier in the 1st half, with 9 turnovers — meaning some missed opportunities on plays. Gray’s 1st half line: 4 points (2-4 FG, 0-3 FT), 1 TO and 8 Rebounds in 16 minutes.

In the second half, Gray played more aggressive and was hitting his shots. 2nd half split: 10 points (3-5 FT, 4-6 FT), 1 TO, 9 Rebounds in only 13 minutes.

Pitt has a lot of scoring options. Yes they should go inside more, but his presence also frees up other players for shots.