I think this win is very good for Pitt if the team is fully aware that they are going to get every team’s best shot. This is the year, everyone knows who they are and wants to be the one to take them down. This is the year, they have a chance to move into UConn/Syracuse territory. The marquee Big East team everyone else is circling on the schedule to see and measure against. They got that today. If they don’t learn that lesson, then it was just a win, but not much else.
Buffalo is a good team. They did lose badly to Evansville, but also took out Temple and Miami (FL) (who has beaten GT). The Bulls have gotten into the NIT and actually won there. The Buffalo players expected to win and were disappointed with falling short.
“It’s bitter,†Idbihi said. “We had a chance to beat the No. 2 team in the country. We have a feeling that we just gave it away.â€
Pitt led in the game for maybe 5 minutes. Of course, all that matters is leading at 00:00.
One thing that helped Pitt really comeback, was the fact that Buffalo took and missed so many 3s in the second half. They were only 1-11. That allowed Pitt to keep playing the deliberate style that keeps the tempo down the way they like.
Some of why Buffalo rushed shots had to do with fatigue. Their 5 starters logged 181 out of the possible 200 minutes. Pitt had the starters go only 153 minutes and 8 players had double-digit playing time.
Actually, I’m real excited about it but everyone is so wrapped up in basketball I feel like an intruder posting about the football team.
Lots to be happy about with BB though, to win a close game like that is needed early in the season to keep the egos in check. Watched some of the game the other day and was impressed with how the kids move around without the ball – which to me is how you can tell a real player from a ball hog.
Pitt got creamed yesterday in the category, “second chance points” although they were close in offensive rebounds. To what degree is second chance points related to a home team’s knowledge advantage of the rim and backboard?
I hope the pollsters see our effort to comeback yesterday and don’t drop us. I would not be surprised if we go from a 2 to a 3 or 4 in either poll. I think they will see our schedule ahead and then realize that we’ll either sink ourselves or we hold strong.
Believe me, Pitt played a team that was had luck and the refs completely on their sides AND was flawlessly making hoops and not turning it over, and they prevailed.
I agree, a good character game. It reminded me a lot of the loss to Bradley last year in the tourney, and I sat there on the couch thinking, oh, well, they’ll cut it to four or so a couple of times, but then fold, like the last few years. But this team came back. A true display of the character and experience this team has. I’m very happy about this win.
Granted he’s not a superstar, but he was being recruited by other big name programs (OSU included I believe) and still chose the Panthers even with a 6-6 season. Bodes well for other recruits to see that I think.
Probably Blades being named Big East D player of the year and 1st team all-american (by S.I.) helped with his decision. (Of course the coach that got Blades into that position just got canned…)
After the second half disappointment of 2006, any good news for the PITT program is welcome, and keeps hope alive that others are still optomistic and willing to come to the program.
