A couple things I forgot to include in the basketball post from earlier.
Once again, the free throw shooting in the final minute played a role in making the game tighter than it should have been. With a minute left, Pitt had a 9 point lead, 70-61. Pitt shot 4-8 on free throws down the stretch. Dante Taylor was fouled and missed both FTs. Then Nasir Robinson went only 1-2 when he was fouled.
The good news, was that Pitt worked harder to make sure Ashton Gibbs got the ball in his hands in the next possession. Gibbs, in fact, took the last four free throws. As we saw in the Tennessee game, the struggle with FTs made the final score tighter than it needed to be. Just going to have to keep sweating that for a while longer.
Despite the struggle to fully close that game out, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander came away impressed with Pitt.
My mea culpa comes now, because even if the Panthers haven’t played a terrific schedule, with all the youth they have, they still haven’t deviated from how they play. I didn’t think the Panthers were set to have another big year in the paint, thought they had backcourt problems and would take a significant step back. But it’s not looking like the case. Even if Pitt winds up not being as good this year as it was last, a “significant step back” seems highly unlikely now.
Jamie Dixon’s team looks really good. It was gruff and won despite only forcing four turnovers against Oklahoma State Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
You don’t need a lot of turnovers if you’re grabbing so many rebounds. Rebounds are really disguised as turnovers that require more work and less luck. The Panthers covet them like Christmas cookies. Heading into the game, Pitt had a nation-leading 45.5 offensive-rebounding percentage. It took down 61 percent (14 offensive boards) of second-chance snares against Oklahoma State, 43 rebounds in all.
And to think the rebounding was a concern after the first few games.
HTP!
We are definitely getting there. Easily beating a team with a lottery pick on a neutral floor without your starting PG is nothing to sneeze at.
Nas is going to have Le’Bryan Nash nightmares for a while (that’s one tough freshman), but at least he didn’t let it bother his offense.
I wasn’t sure what to take from the game, though, because I came away thinking that was one of the worst Cowboy hoop teams I’ve seen. I don’t remember them making any noise last year, so that must have started the slide and things are getting worse. Nash was the only bright spot and he won’t be there long.
..Meyers to Delaware
..Trey back to HS
Johnson had a rough night, but he did hit a nice three off a great ball fake. Patterson is a great offensive player as well.
The problem is that Pitt’s defense still isn’t where it needs to be. Giving up 1.06 PPP to a mediocre or less Ok. State game is progress? That’s pretty sad. Hopefully Dixon can find some way to teach these kids to play okay defense. If not, then we are going to have to hope that Pitt shoots 50%+ every game. I guess it could happen, but I doubt that it will in March.
Boeheim’s strategy makes sense to me. Aren’t they #1 this week?
Good to build confidence and teamwork.
Jamie build boys into men. Anyone here who saw Wanamaker and now Nas go from freshmen to seniors are liars if they say they thought they would be this good. I am hoping that Taylor has turned the corner. Gibbs looks like he may be reaching another level as well.
First time simce Blair we will count on the young guys as much, Patterson looks up to it. Who will be heard from next?
it is on line that WVU has notsold out there allotment of tickets to there bowl game in fact they are not even close.
Four, 4stars, many others. Guess I kept hearing the names, but, never put together, “hey, this guy has a pretty strong recruiting class”.
Yep, lookin’ good!
HTP!
Jamie tried it against LBSU and it was god awful.
Gibbs and Woodall are far too short and slow to effectively disrupt the passes, drives and shots on the perimeter. And without a man and a defined block out responsibility, rebounding will be a big issue for our physically challenged big guys. Nas is too short and Taylor, Birch, Zanna are too weak.
The man to man team defense has been better lately and should continue to improve. Jamie knows how to teach/coach man to man. Zone for him is a change of pace thing or a desperation thing. We aren’t there yet.
Jimmy Boeheim knows how to coach the zone and he has the players for it.
Dixon does know how to beat it. BUT this year’s Syracuse zone is going to be harder for Jamie to slice and dice. They are really long. It is going to be harder for Nas to get off his shots in the cracks. And we don’t really have any guys who can get into the middle of the zone off the bounce like Brad and Gil did previously. ‘Cuse’s length on the perimeter will make it harder for Gibbs, Johnson and Woodall to get shots.
rivals has us with the 29th best class that put us at second in big east only cinninati is better.
and if we were in the ACC this year we would have the 6 best class in the ACC.
This is still a very good job bye TG.
I think Pitt will do a fine job of carving out the Cuse zone. I believe it was two years ago? when Pitt didn’t look like they were heading for a very good season and went to the Dome and handled the Orange. I think Nas is terrific at finding holes in the zone (probably his best skill) and is a tremendous asset against a team like Syracuse. Yes, they are long, but they always are and we have some shooters who can really stretch it this year (more so than years past). I think Pitt will do fine. If Woodall is back they will have the guy that can get into the zone off the dribble.
It certainly helps when you’re playing a better team, if you CAN change to a different defense(s), if even just to give them a …….different look. Cause a little confusion with them, take them ‘out of their comfort zone’, in coach speak.
Let’s say, like in a game against Butler and we’ve had a lot of these close games in March and April, the one to 4 point games.
If you can steal a possession here and there, by confusing the other team with a different defense and getting a turnover or two that leads to points, that can be the difference between moving on, or going home. Whether it’s the BE tourney or the Big Dance.
It also gives the other team something else to prepare for, rather than a predictable same old defense for 40 minutes. Again not saying, we should abandon the man to man, just add some wrinkles to it. It could be what gets us over the proverbial ‘hump’.
A team that shoots less than 60% from the FT scares me more than one that gives us more than 60 points.
Rebound, Score, Contest shots, Make FTs….
Simple, but so few teams do it consistently and effectively.
Re: Gilbert. Saw him live at the Pete…he is big!
