Let’s get this out of the way. Virginia is a very good team. They dismantled Louisville at the Yum! Center by 16 a couple days before coming to the Pete. They’ve been playing some of their best basketball in the past week. So losing to the Hoos, even by double-digits should not have been a stunner.
The Cavs even acknowledged that they have been getting into a groove.
“I think it’s fun to watch,” Bennett said, “when you share the ball and guys move it and they make the next pass. … They’re playing, in my opinion, the right way, the way that gives us the best chance to be as good as we can, when we’re that unselfish, on both ends, defensively kind of playing for each other, and offensively.
“Hopefully our guys understand, and very clearly, this is how we’re at our best on both ends of the floor.”
Bennett called Saturday “one of our better position games defensively. For most of the day we were always in the right spots.”
That said, watching Pitt fall apart in a short span in the second half, and never recover, was just so familiar.
I mean, for variety’s sake Pitt waited until the second half. But it seemed oh, so familiar. A sudden burst of sloppy play, offense goes cold and defense gets even worse than slightly below average.
Pitt battled hard in that first half. Despite the efficient and patient offense by Virginia it was primarily Malcolm Brogdon doing all the damage. Pitt countered with Jamel Artis playing a strong first half and almost matching him.
Then in the second half, Pitt came out looking strong as Sheldon Jeter had one of his little bursts, and Pitt had the game tied at 31. And that score by Sheldon Jeter at 18:52 was the last basket Pitt would make for the next 7+ minutes.
But the game got put out of reach in a 2 minute stretch where UVA hit two 3s and had two and-1’s to go up a dozen. In that stretch, Pitt committed 3 turnovers and 4 fouls and did not even get a shot attempt. Pitt actually went nearly 4 minutes without a shot attempt — they did have 4 FT attempts, but that is still more than a little lousy.
In the second half, Artis and Mike Young only combined for 8 points as the Virginia defense collapsed on them. Daring anyone else to shoot. That leads to the biggest frustration with Pitt this season.
The guard play.
Yes, James Robinson has reverted back to being a horrid shooter. A damn awful game for him, and it was reflected in the fact that Coach Jamie Dixon basically pulled him midway through the second half. He only played ten minutes in the second half. He had zero points and less confidence even as he hoisted 7 bricks.
The problem is no one else on the perimeter shoots. Chris Jones has little confidence in his shot, and looks to pass it to someone else. Damon Wilson is not taking too many shots when he is in the game.
Sterling Smith should be the guy taking the shots from outside or a few more anywhere. Yet he only attempted 3 shots for the game, and only one in the second half. He is being so selective in his shots, that when Pitt faces a team with even an average defense, he doesn’t pull the trigger. Just passes it back on the perimeter. In the four conference losses and the Purdue loss, Smith had at most 3 FGAs. In all five of those games he attempted only five 3-point shots. 46% shooting on threes for the year, but he won’t shoot when Pitt needs to open the floor up for the frontcourt.
That means, when the ball can’t get inside to the frontcourt — or specifically Jeter, Artis or Young — the ball ends up in the hands of James Robinson. You can see it happening when the offense stops working.
The ball gets passed to guys standing still, rather than cutting or setting screens. They don’t have room. It moves slowly and then ends up back in Robinson’s hands at the top of the key. Maybe 5 seconds left in the shot clock. The defender backs off, to prevent a drive and clog any interior passing. Daring Robinson to shoot. Robinson looks for anyone. Since the offense had previously come to a stop, there is no one coming free. Maybe a player or two belatedly starts to move, but it is too late in the clock to get free in time. Robinson sees nothing, and is forced to take the shot he doesn’t want with 2 seconds or less on the shot clock. It may simply be my perception, but about twice a game, you can see that happen.
Robinson took (and missed 7 shots) against Virginia in 27 minutes. Five came in the first half. Smith, Jones and Wilson played a combined 42 minutes and took a total of 7 shots (making only 2). Only Cam Johnson seems willing to hoist when he’s out on the court. I know all of us would like to have Robinson take less shots. I’m rather certain, Robinson would as well. But that requires someone else being willing.
That doesn’t even begin to address how this team is so, so bad on defense. I’m sure they understand the concept. But they sure don’t like the idea of it.
Q: Do you see synergy between the football and basketball programs? Does success in one, whether in ticket sales or any avenue, translate to the other?
SB: Yeah, I think our coaches are always watching each other and learning and growing and doing things. Whether there’s direct synergy, I think, as I’ve said before, a rising tide lifts all ships. Football, because of our opportunity to grow, is going to help all of our programs. That’s more from the standpoint of funding, but I think it is, to your point, the energy that’s created around that is helpful. Again, men’s basketball has been a key to our success over a long, long time. We need to not only be good stewards and maintain that, but we’ve got to grow that back a little bit as well. I will say this, a lot of times folks will talk about being a football school or a basketball school. We’re going to be all of that, and there’s no reason you can’t have excellence in all of your programs, including football and basketball at the same time. That’s our plan, absolutely.
Q: Are you concerned about basketball attendance this year?
SB: I think it’s a product of what’s going on nationally, a little bit. Am I concerned? I think we’ve slipped a little bit. There’s no question about that, but is that keeping me awake at night? No. But it’s certainly something that we have our eye on, and it’s not unlike our conversations around the NCAA Tournament. We were slipping there, as well. You’ve got to continue to dial in on what the fans want, and what their expectations are. What does a fan experience mean? We’ve got to continually be in tune with that. When I say ‘we,’ I say that from a national perspective. College athletics, we’ve got to be in tune with that and we’re all grappling with that.
To basketball … I think Dokish says it best. The program has become stagnant.
But … Dixon is as close to un-fireable as there is.
But … You can’t fire the players.
But … you CAN fire the assistants … it’s time to go.
I think we see a whole sale rebuild with the assistants. I’ve said it before, I think Smoke is the only safe one. Time to get some fresh blood into the program and this is the easiest and quickest way to do it.
Despite what people say, Dixon earned the contract. There is no argument from me that he hasn’t lived up to that contract though. I, personally, think he wasn’t really put in much of position to succeed by our former AD but that’s neither here not there. SP has been tossed to the wolves. Dixon now has an AD with a basketball background and I’m assuming (and hoping) deeper pockets.
No more excuses. This is the last basketball season stained by SP.
Increased assistant pay plus an increased recruiting budget would go a long way toward fixing the walking in mud sensation we’re seeing with the basketball team. The team really isn’t that far off. Nailing one recruiting class would make us forget the last 5 years.
You can see what Dixon was trying to build but instead of going to Ethan Allen he went to IKEA. Looks good for a while but becomes old real fast.
Pitt has ACC money now. It’s time to dress for success and clean up a little bit. Driving around the ACC in the Camry when everyone else is driving BMW’s isn’t a good look.
I would like to see Wilson start at the 1 with Robinson at the 2, since our 2 has become a non-scorer anyway
link to pittsburgh.n.rivals.com
link to pittsburgh.n.rivals.com
We might as well be Duquesne….
I think next years team may be pretty decent. That said……Jamie has to bag a solid recruiting class that can truly perform at this level.
It may have been earned if Dixon was better in the NCAA’s and got to at least a Final Four or played in or won a NC. No way he deserved this contract.
Tossing, Mike Tomlin won a SB and coached in 2 of them….you think he deserves a 10 year contract extension? Well, maybe does, (maybe he doesn’t), but not Dixon…
Dixon bagging a solid recruiting class over the next 2-3 years is a pipe dream right now IMO.
Dixon was hurt by the move to the ACC but he doesnt even has the assistants now that can land kids from the City, DC or Philly.
Dixon now plays in a half empty Pete. So much be tearing down Pitt stadium for this product.
Stagnation is a dirty word like mediocrity. Its a word that can get you fired.
What can Pitt do to jump start the program?
Hire new assistants with a passion to recruit. Increase the recruiting budget. Well, how about placing Dixon out of his comfort zone. A little bit of accountability and comfortableness can go a long way to achieving results.
BTW – kids are afraid to shoot because that aint that good of a shooter and yes, Dixon will sit their ass on the bench for being selfish. But true shooters gotta shoot.
Besides it’s already done. The ink dried long ago on that contract and here is nothing you or I can do about it … He’s here at least 5 more years before a buyout would be considered. 4 at a minimum.
You might as well check out now if you don’t like it because unless Dixon leaves on his own accord I doubt a wealthy booster will be buying out his $14M still owed anytime soon.
We might as well focus on what can be fixed and that leaves us with the assistants and recruiting which go hand in hand.
It’s expectations. If you keep Jamie for the next five years, you will get what you have now. NIT team that can beat Duquesne and the 11 dwarfs but that’s it. Maybe a 9 seed and out in the NCAA S.
Dixon will never be able to recruit better no matter who else gets fired and his coaching is what it is! Mediocre at best…player unfriendly during the season and if by some miracle Pitt gets to a big game, their will be a huge Dixon brain fart like not pulling players off the line, not having a safety back vs Nova or just plain mismanagement of the time.
That’s reality. If you like what we have now …. Keep him. If not,
Bite the bullett and fire his ass and bring in a Narduzzi like
energetic teacher and innovator. Your call.
What if he was caught in some kind of scandal a couple years into the contract? It’s a stupid contract since it’s ALWAYS a one way contract.
BTW, Dixon & company crapped the bed with that #1 seed. They beat a 16 seed, and lost to the 8 seed not even making the Sweet 16.
Name me one time Dixon beat and higher seed in the NCAA’s and I’ll agree that he deserved the contract.
“Concerned from a national perspective?” What the hell kind of answer is that.
“Pitt actually went nearly 4 minutes without a shot attempt (2nd half vs UVA) — they did have 4 FT attempts, but that is still more than a little lousy.” From Chas article above.
There was also a span of 7-1/2 minutes in the second half where Pitt did not score a bucket. The drought was long, but when watching the game live, it did not seem that long. But it was…
And I don’t think Damon Wilson was on the court for that horrible stretch.
There seems to be no leadership amount the players and I’m starting to wonder about the coaching staff regarding leadership. AD Barnes definitely inherited a “project”.
“Taken this road show to Miami could be just what the doctor ordered?” Hottest guard in the ACC vs the coldest guard. Three bigs over 6’10” vs zero bigs over 6’9″
Remember, Jamie has options and the right mix of changes tonight could spark new life…
Optimism by the fan base is not necessary tonight as this game is not in the Pete (with it’s one sellout this season).
HTP!
I suppose it was the best Jamie could do under the circumstances, but obvious now that these guys do not have the talent to compete in the ACC. Smith probably with the best contributions, but has all but disappeared against better competition. Someone needs to tell him that a shooting guard needs to shoot.
I agree with RKB and others that say that Wilson must play more, if only to get him ready for next year.
I think Jones is the biggest disappointment on the team. A starter last year, this should have been his year to be the guy. He has the skills, just doesn’t seem to have the will.
*With his contract running through 2023, with probably between $10-$15 million buyout, his decent win/loss record and no Pitino like scandals, Dixon is absolutely UNFIREABLE at this point.
*The Dixon extension was ridiculous. I said it at the time and have said it ever since. It was an over reaction to the rumors that west coast teams were interested in him combined with the mess Smug Smile made of the coaching situation with football.
*There are very, very few college basketball coaches who are truly worth the money they’re paid. If you just use the “WAR” Wins Above Replacement model, there aren’t many who can either recruit or coach soooo much better that they can achieve a sustainable winning program ABOVE what an average D1 coach could achieve.
*For example, you’ll never convince me that a middle of the pack D1 (or in many cases D2) coach wouldn’t win as many games @Pitt as Dixon does. Take Mitch Henderson at a Princeton as an example. He’s smarter than Jamie, he’s more articulate, he’s a better recruiter and knows as much basketball (if not more). You can’t convince me he wouldn’t do just as well at Pitt as Jamie. Yet Henderson makes 1/10th of what Dixon makes. How does that make sense? The 1% of coaches who truly make a difference (like Calipari with recruiting or Izzo with his program building or Coach K with his reputation), have driven up the price for all these average bears, like Dixon.
*Smug Smile Steve is the gift that keeps giving. He felt compelled to over pay Dixon and he saddled us with an average bear for the next 5 years. Thanks Stevie.
Barnes absolutely gets it? Show me examples…. The money being spent is from Gallagher.
Jamie is better off bringing in guys that will develop over 4 or 5 years. A few years of extremely sub-par recruiting have emptied his pipeline. A guy like Luther would have benefited from a redshirt and given more time to develop has been playing before he is ready.
A great fifth year guy should be gravy, but when you are in dire need of two starters, something is dramatically wrong.
We all agree that the kids are doing the best they can with what they have…..but that’s the point. Most of them should be playing at Robert Morris or Duquesne, not Pitt.
Pitt is not a good team. The team is
limited offensively. The schedule ahead
is brutal. By next Monday the record will
6-6 with Duke, Louisville, and Syracuse
on the horizon. Must wins vs VT, GT, and
WF. 9-9 and a win or 2 in the conf tourney
gives us a chance for a bid to the big dance
Anything less and it’s the NIT.
Pitt needs talent badly