If you have ESPN Full Court, you’ll find it there. If you are checking your regional provider — MSG, Fox Sports Pittsburgh, MASN, Comcast SportsNet (West) have the game live.
8:10: Pitt trails 9-4, 15:12. Shots are not falling. I mean they are good looks, and some of them look like they are halfway down before coming out. Lovely. Shooting woes continue.
Why is Sam Young settling for jumpers? It’s not like Seton Hall has anyone taking space in the middle. They are giving so much space, they are begging Pitt to take jumpers, though.
8:22: Pitt down 16-10, 11:10 in the half. Starting to drive a little more — barely. It’s hard to resist taking those open jumpers. Even when they are not falling. The thing is, Pitt has such a depth advantage they need to go inside. They need to force Seton Hall to expend a lot of energy and hopefully get into foul trouble. This is a game Pitt has to show it can win w/o Gray.
8:31: Pitt now up 23-21. Biggs has come off the bench and done well. He’s been active inside and had a nice shot going (that 3 that rimmed out, notwithstanding). Young and Cook — the two of them did not look good on the court at the same time. Neither wanted to play defense — this run by Pitt started with both of them out. Graves finally realized he needs to drive, with his shots not going.
8:37: This is the kind of game, that you want to see which players will step up without Gray. I think this matters to the coaches. Not just for next year but for the NCAA Tournament. It seems that this is the kind of test to see which players respond and step up, when there is no fall-back with Gray. Which players will give the coaches what they are asking and need. Did I use enough cliches?
8:46: Geez. Hate that. Harvey got the mid-court shot at the buzzer 3, to put the Hall down 30-26. Looks like the time on the bench got the attention of both Cook and Gray. Much better effort on both sides of the ball.
Love the team effort on rebounding. That was a necessity without Gray. The team is shooting 13-27. Kendall, Biggs and Ramon all have 6. Graves and Cook have 4.
For Seton Hall, Jamar Nutter has done the job with 11 points. Only 4 players have scored for the Pirates. 7 Pitt players have scored.
The steals by Seton Hall, aren’t totally shocking. That is what they do a lot of to keep them in games.
9:06: How the hell wasn’t Kendall fouled?
9:09: 14:31 left, Pitt up 39-33; Harvey heading to the FT line for the Pirates. Kendall’s looking a little pissed out there now — at least on offense. Good.
Did everyone else scream “NO!” when Young looked like he was going to take a 3?
9:27: Twice,inside, Cook has moved it right to Young for the basket.
9:36: 7:16 left, Pitt up 52-45. Mike Cook heading to the FT line. Eugene Harvey is keeping the Pirates in this game by penetrating and drawing contact. The refs let them play inside, but call the bumps when guards or forwards drive the basket. That’s why Pitt isn’t getting as many FT shots.
9:45: I fear writing this game off too soon, but this has been the way most Seton Hall games play out. They play tough and tight for a long part of the game, but then fade as they start wearing down and the other team simply is better and deeper.
10:17: Okay, I apologize for nearly jinxing the team with the previous entry. Pitt hung on for the 71-68 win. Frustrating to watch the team struggle against the press that everyone knew was coming.
Better free throw shooting — though any misses at the end make things scary. Pitt shot better than 50% for the game. They just struggled to take any shots in the final minute and a half.
Seton Hall, specifically Eugene Harvey, lived at the line in the second half and went 11-11. 55 points from Harvey, Laing and Nutter for Seton Hall. 13 points from the rest of the team.
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“This is ridiculous…”
Congrats to Coach Dixon on #100!
One thing that did impress me was Fields willingness to take control in crunch time. We need him to be aggressive in March.
Not a great win, but I’ll take it.
GREAT effort out of Kendall–if he can play that way with Gray in the game–we are going to be tough to stop. Looks like we need to work on inbounding the ball against the press. Pretty clutch foul shooting down the stretch–Fields really took over the game at times with his 3pt shooting. Young’s dunk will make numerous high lite reels. Thought they had a chance to run away with it when they got up by 14–but on the bright side, we didn’t panic when they made their run.
Still undefeated on the road in the BE–two big games to go.
Why not install a couple new press breaks? Our talent alone cannot break a good press.
My thought for the day….I have yet to see Pitt play even close to their top potential (maybe at WVU). Maybe they have another gear and just have not found it yet. Wouldn’t that be great…they will need it. Hope the glass is “half full”
Live in Baltimore…going to GT/Pitt Sat.
Congrats on 100 wins Coach Dixon 🙂
let’s get those Hoyas!!!!
I do notice that Kendall does a lot of just putting up his arms. But, I have to say, many games this season, when he tries to do any more, it’s like the refs feel obligated to call a foul on him. He does a lot of stupid reaching in, but even when he has played good D and tried to do anything more than just put up his arms, it seems like he gets called for a foul, and that would have been problematic last night. We needed somebody taller than 6’8″ in the game at some points.
For the first time this year, Kendall deserves some big props.
RE: Kendall. He did save our ass against the Hall but he also lost the OK State game and put us in danger against some other teams with his awfull play.
I guess where I just disagree is that Kendall gives us a low post presence. He’s 6-10 (which you would never guess) but can’t rebound at all, plays weak post defense, and doesn’t block or challenge shots except on fast breaks from behind with his left hand. He also COMPLETELY mucks up the offense when Gray is in the game. What’s amazing about him is that not only does he not shoot when wide open from 15 feet, but when teams quit gaurding him he’s so scared to shoot that he runs under the hoop and congests the interior for Gray. Teams literally don’t gaurd him…that should tell it all.
Young on the other hand certainly does have problems against bigger players in the post. Brockman bulled him over a couple times for instance. But is it that much worse than Kendall? I say not. Either way you’ve got to double the post if those guys are gaurding it so give me the guy who can contribute on the boards and on offense. Maybe I’m crazy but I think Young would be 2nd team all Big East if he played full time. Conversly, Kendall probably wouldn’t start for any team we’ve played, including Duquesne. And although he’s worse this year, if you look at his career number this is right in line with what he “does.”
This is Yuri Demetris 2.0… except at Yuri Demetris could space the floor.
Maybe you guys have discussed this ad nauseum, but you follow the team so I’d be interested in your thoughts.
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