Where has our defense gone? We could always count on a stop before this year, now Im not so sure.

We’ll get the stop, just not the rebound. Even when Graves blocked Curry’s shot at the end of regulation they still got the ball and almost tipped it in.

Benjamin plays much bigger than 6’2″. I don’t think we will be too small with him out there at small forward. Young plays much bigger than 6’6″ as well. Very few teams have legitimate size in college basketball anyway. Kendall should be the backup center if he continues his atrocious play.

I agree with Omar, Benjamin plays much bigger than 6’2″. He is a tremendous leeper and has able to anticapate rebounds. Plus, he can be an offensive force, or at least a factor on offense.
One question, What the blank was Kendall thinking shooting threes at a critical part of the game?
surely there were better options.

Kendall has played good DEFENSE this year as the backup center. Maybe that’s a good fit for him. I’ve also seen the past two teams pulling Gray out of the paint on defense and leaving us incapable of getting a rebound. Could a matchup zone work, where Gray would play man to man in the paint and not leave?

If we hit our FT’s in the first OT, we win. OSU hit theirs and we did not. We need a player like Krauser who “wants” to be on that foul line with the game on the line. We don’t have one. It killed me to watch a big lumbering C/F bury his FT’s with the game on the line, while our Point Guard was bonking them off of the front rim.

So there is not backup for Cook at SF. So what, we go with three guards. How would this be any different than last season?

One positive thing about Kendall, Fraschilla highlighted a play where he did one of the smartest things I have seen this season. Gray was doubled in the post and could have made a pass to Kendall on the baseline where he was somewhat open. Kendall saw that Ramon was wide open on the wing. He pointed to Ramon so Gray would see him and then set a pick so Ramon’s man could not get to him. It wasn’t a designed play. Ramon buried the three. Kendall didn’t get an assist or rebound, but he made the play happen. Perhaps he does these types of things all game and gets Gray and the other guys open shots. Something to consider.

Omar, that’s a pretty good observation – and bears watching some more before I criticize Kendall again – but from just the little I watched I was not impressed, although that just means that I probably need to watch more PITT BBall.

It also reminds me of something that happened about 25 years ago. I played BB from the time I could basically walk through my high school and some college years – a real city gym rat type – and thought I knew everything about the game. I went to see Larry Bird play in person one time and did nothing but watch him the whole game – he ended up scoring less about 15 points, had a few assists and rebounds, but all in all a sub-par performance as far as stats go. But, I came out of the arena thinking that I had just seen the best BB player alive because he was always in the right position to make something happen on every possession, on both offense & defense. It was uncanny how he just seemed to know what would happen with the flow of the game and he had some sort of influence continually on the play.

Point being: I need to remember that good BB players don’t always put up the most points or grab the most rebounds, and there might be other reasons the coach keeps the player in the line-up.

I’m torn on Kendall. I know he does a lot of the little things, but his defense and rebounding have not been good the last few weeks. I am almost positive that Dixon will not bench him anyway. Hopefully he just had a couple of bad games and plays better the rest of the year. The best thing Dixon can do is just get more minutes for Young at power forward.

Reed you are so right. There are some players that just know how to play. Jaron Brown was like that. Not the most talented, but he was always in the right place at the right time. Some guys just seem to know how the ball will bounce. I play rec. league still and you can tell that a few guys just know how to play.

hey omar, you still not impressed with Florida and UCLA? Sorry, couldn’t resist….couple of statement games today.

Not overwhelmed by either team. However, Greg Oden is really, really good. I will concede that if Florida shoots the ball the way they did today (just like Pitt against FSU), then they will be tough to beat. The problem is that they will not shoot that well every game. UCLA was playing Michigan. Auburn would give Michigan a hard time.

that’s funny, I had the exact opposite reaction. I expected to be more impressed with Oden — the way I was with Ewing or Olajuwon back in the day — guys that absolutely changed the game the minute they walked on the court. Oden is definitely physically the most imposing force the college game has seen in a while, but it’s nothing earth-shaking. When Horford bulled him over a couple times, I knew he hadn’t seen comp like that before. Florida didn’t win by 20-30 because they shot well (though it helps), they won because they rarely take a bad shot and everyone on their squad knows their role. Somehow or another, Donovan put together a squad of studs who are willing to sublimate their games to fit a total scheme. They have a PG, a SG, a wingman, a PF and an unusual center who can run. They fit together into a total package. And you’re right, Michigan is bad, but what was noticeable was that UCLA plays the kind of tough D that Pitt used to play. They’re in your face and you know you’re going to have to figh to score 50 pts. Pitt doesn’t play that way anymore, unfortunately.

I really disagree about Florida’s guard play. I am not impressed with Green or Humphrey at all. They can hit an open three, but they don’t do much else. Oden changed the game on the defensive end, but his offense needs work. Remember that the some of the players on Florida’s squad weren’t all that highly recruited. I think Noah was the 75th ranked player coming out of high school and didn’t get off the bench as a freshman. He is an animal now, but it wasn’t always like that. Sam Young was a more sought after high school player. Horford is a stud. Florida is a good team, but I honestly think Pitt can play with them. The problem with our defense is our guards just aren’t that quick. Fields is getting better, but Ramon is just too slow to be anything but an average defender and that is why are defense isn’t as good as the Brandin Knight years. Graves just doesn’t have the right instincts. Cook played much better defense today and that was encouraging. Dixon needs to recruit a few quicker perimeter players. I really think the key to this season is finding more minutes for Young. He changes the game with his athleticism and energy. Not to mention a better looking jump shot.

disagree about Fla’s guards (Green penetrated all day against OSU), but agree that Young playing more and learning to play intelligently is key for Pitt. he’s always taken bad fouls and i hope they’re working with him on that and i hope his knees and back get better. pitt’s not an athletic squad without him. we differ on ramon, too. though he’s under 6 ft, he’s pitt’s best on-ball defender. definitely not a point guard, though….even in a backup capacity. there’s a difference between being quick to the rack on O and being able to slide on defense. ramon plays textbook D…he was obviously coached well somewhere. pitt will need him to play major minutes when they’re facing talented penetrating guards that Fields can’t handle.

i’m never caught up in how highly somebody was recruited. it’s an art, not a science. look at Biggs….he was a top recruit and now we know he’d have to play D2 to be a force inside. what impresses me about Fla is how well-coached that team is…..no bad shots, every pass is crisp, everybody knows their roles, etc. etc. when they do something wrong (like today Brewer took a couple bad shots), it stands out because the rest of their game is so fundamental.

One comment on Oden. He is naturally right handed. He still has not been able to shoot with his right hand (shoots foul shots lefty). Once this guy gets completely healthy, he will be unreal.

Regarding Ramon, I love him as a player, but he is too slow laterally to be anything but an average defender. His foot speed just isn’t where it needs to be. That is why he gives so many fouls. He is constantly gets beat off teh dribble and then swats at the ball. I really love his game, but he will never be anything more than a role player. He has a ton of guts and he is a heck of a shooter, but he is well below average athletically and that holds him back. However he needs to be out there at the end of close games because he has demonstrated an ability to hit big shots (Rutgers his freshman year, Notre Dame last year).

We disagree on Biggs too. I think he is going to be a really good player for Pitt. Maybe not this year but next year or in 2008 he will be a solid contributor. He may not be a force inside, but he is tough and has a sweet jumper. Plus he works hard and has a good attitude. I expect good things from him.

You seem to really like Florida. No bad shots, you’re crazy. How about when Green pulled up from 30 ft. away. I know he is a good shooter and is making 50% on threes (and said shot went in), but are you telling me that is the best shot they can get with 3 seconds gone off the shot clock? Come on. Every shot looked great on Saturday because they all went in. You get that team in a halfcourt game and you win running away. They don’t run a good half court offense. Why play zone against OSU? Florida has enough athletes and Oden is playing with one arm. It means that their guards are slow and you can penetrate on them. Lot of weaknesses on that team, just as many as Pitt.