Hey, did you hear? The schedule for Pitt gets rough starting today. Yeah, that keeps getting mentioned after every painful lost since the end of December. And sharing the basement of the Big East with other teams that have been on top is not much of a comfort.
Coach Dixon appears willing to do anything to get Ashton Gibbs some space to shoot and getgoing. This includes more minutes for Isiah Epps and more of playing John Johnson at the point. Oh, and Marquette is 5th in the Big East in steals.
Everyone has their pet theories about what Pitt needs to do to get going. I wish I had an easy answer. The idea of Marcus Gilbert getting more minutes for his shot-blocking potential is nice, but he is so raw on the footwork that he can be easily moved around by a penetrating player or an easy up-and-under move. Plus his offense is even more limited.
Coach Dixon wants to see Johnson attempt to penetrate more as he is the only guard Dixon feels comfortable about doing that. I would say that is probably accurate. The one trade-off to that was in the Rutgers game where Johnson got himself hung up in-between. He would pass-up an open shot from outside trying to shot-fake and drive. Only to find it cut-off. I would love to see much more penetration from J.J. Moore. He has the strength and ability to attack the basket and absorb contact, but continues to either take 3s or pull up for a contested jumper.
On the Marquette side, they may still be ranked, but they have their issues. Including their own inability to play a complete game. In no small part because they get into foul trouble.
Okay, the game is on ESPNU at 2pm.
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Syracuse and Conneticut both had terrible years within the last 5 years and immediately bounced back (Conneticut winning te NCAA’s). North Carolina also was terrible 2 or 3 years ago and is back on top.
I would not use these situations if it were not be for a possibly unique player arriving next year an atheltic big man who has no desire to be a strong forward, although he has better offensive skills to be than Taylor or Birch. And a guard, although not incredibly quick or big but knows how to play basketball. He dribbles equally well with both hands, uses his left hand when penetrating to the hoop on the left side. After scoring on penetration immediately goes on defense before the ball hits the floor. A throw back to real basketball players.
Adams it appears will make an immediate impact. If he gains upper body strength a profound impact. Robinson could be the best guard from a school that has prided itself on its guards (Knight, Krauser, Fields,and Gibbs)who were each fundamentally flawed as players. Fields is the best example two first team all-americans in the front court can not make the final four because of an atriously poor shooting backcourt that allowed teams to ignore any outside picks by Blair.
If a 3 can develop and perhaps with Adams in the lineup Taylor at 6’9″ (he has the potentional to be be better than SF when Blair occupied the lane)and a 2 guard who can shot who does not have to be a good ball handler because of Robinson Pitt could be dangerous by Febuary 2013.
Really are we going to miss Robinson, hardly. Are we going to miss Gibbs – only the number of shot attempts.
15 point spot is an insult, says that we don’t belong in the same conference. Are we really going to be that bad? Maybe not.
That said, 15 points? Too many. Pitt covers.
agree that we need a TEAM effort tonite to pull off the upset. Gibbs needs to get 20+, but we need Lamar or one of the JJs (Johnson-Moore) to hit a few 3’s. Combine that with better D, Nas playing tough and zero turnovers (Cuse leads nation in steals) and we have a chance. Also need a productive effort from the bigs—-Zanna and Gilbert. Bench is taylor made for Dante, but maybe he can add a rebound, dunk or two.
Teams rarely go undefeated anymore. What a great opportunity for this team to regain some swagger and get a huge upset. stay tuned.
I’d be happy to see less Nas against anyone but ‘Cuse. The thing his, his best games are against zone Ds, Cuse’s particularly. Troubling thing is Nas is in a funk of sloppy play right now. If he can play crisper, he may be our best asset.
Would also like to see more Epps, Gibbs & Moore as out back court. Epps (or anyone resembling a PG) obviously helps Ashton out. And Moore is maybe our only guy who has any ability to penetrate and dish… though he’s not done much of either penetrating or dishing this far, so i’m not holding my breath.
Need another big game from Gibbs and Nas has to do his specialty against the Zone.
Oh and Epps has to play well on the big stage of the Carrier Dump and it’s vastness. That’s going to be a big key, because if he doesn’t, then Gibbs has to go back to PG and the whole offense becomes very muddled.
The Cuse is ripe for the picking, we just have to grab that big juicy orange and squeeze it.
We can turn around the season tonite. Let’s do it!!
P.S. What’s the status of Woody?
