12 hours later and I’m still a bit pissed off about last night.
Even the players couldn’t hide from what was seen on the court.
“We were hoping to use that momentum from the Duke win, carry it over,” [Mike] Young said. “But instead we had our highest of highs on the season and then followed it with our lowest of lows, I believe. I just think mentally as a team, we weren’t in it. Obviously you can tell.
“I just don’t think we came out with that same passion that we did in that last game, that was pretty evident and I think that was the key.”
It wasn’t that VT did anything too spectacular on offense. They did exactly what was expected. Attack and try to get to the free throw line.
They had a solid game plan defensively that Pitt was all too happy to oblige. Defend inside and concede deep shots. Lull Pitt into standing around more, rather than cutting and moving without the ball. It wasn’t anything special, but it worked.
As much as Pitt was hitting their shots against Duke, the ball and players were moving. They were making cuts. Setting clean screens. Doing the things that make the offense go. Especially offensive rebounds.
The greatest evidence of Pitt’s poor effort was not taking 21 3-pointers. That’s a little high, but not absurd. No, it was shooting below 40% and only having 8 offensive rebounds. Ryan Luther in 17 minutes had 3 of them. Rafael Maia in only 8 minutes had 2. Cam Johnson had 2 in 23 minutes. Mike Young could only get 1. No one else came up with an offensive rebound. This was against a team that doesn’t rebound that well, yet Pitt wasn’t taking advantage of their strength. The lack of second chances skewed the shot distribution as Pitt didn’t get to take as many shots inside the arc. Let alone in the paint.
There was no one going to the basket. There was no one around the basket. They didn’t want to get in there and do the work. It’s not like VT is an overly physical team. The Pitt players just didn’t want to bother.
At least not until the final couple minutes when it seemed they finally realized they were going to lose this game. A late surge. Just enough to make you think there was a chance Pitt was going to pull this one out of their ass. Only to fall short.
Embarrassing and inexcusable.
anotherreboundClancy, you also wrote … “My problem with MY was not that he made the comments but that he allowed it to happen during the game when he knew it was happening.”
That being said … Duquesne WBB is currently ranked and will make the NCAA for the first time in history
Imagine how much he frustrates Jamie, on his off nights.
If I was still coaching I would make every player read it.
Pitt Football Winter Workout from PittLiveWire.
Dixon seemingly had his chance to steer things in a new direction, but INEXPLICABLY chose to return Luther to the Bench.
Apparently success of this Pitt Team hinges more on Players shooting “Lights Out” than anything in the way of adjustments made by its Coach.
This why, with all the issues with this team, IMO he is by far the biggest disappointment … with all that natural ability. Underclassmen are inconsistent by nature, not a 23 year old, 3-year starter.
Maybe those that say he is ready to move on after this year are right and he has already checked out.
Again, don’t think he is doing it on purpose as he also scored 23 19 and 17 in that period … the inconsistency is maddening.
His ball handling looks better this year, but he has turned the ball over a lot so his passing has not improved. It is dumbfounding how he is having these complete melt down games.
In the VT game it was obvious that all you needed to do was drive toward the basket and you were going to get to the line, yet it took JD almost the entire game to catch on.
How many games do teams shoot their best 3 point averages against Pitt. Would it kill him to try a combination defense like a box and one on the hot shooters.
When Artis is playing like he is in JR. High school why is he on the court. No D, No O should earn you time beside the assistant coaches.
Why is there never any rumors or movement among the assistant coaches? Over the years some great once passed through here like Greenberg, Callipari and Slice.
Especially when Luther seems to be coming on strong.
I understand the attacks on JD coaching and recruiting and agree with a good many of the points made (recruiting has been atrocious and perhaps he should sit down from time to time to reflect better) but if your leaders dont lead you can scream, plead, beg, teach all you want. I will never understand how players with great athletic talent cannot make use of their god given talent by using it to the max but it happens with a good many players. Just my opinion, dumb and uninspired as it may be. H2P
Jimbo: I agree re assistants. It will be interesting after the year what Barnes does in this area. Does JD want quiet yes men or did Smiley not give him the bucks to bring in top assistants. The 3 year clock is ticking.
offensive plays off Jamie’s 1-4 offense. Screen, double screen, rescreen the screener. I can call all the ball movement with my eyes closed. Look where the turnovers occur. At the top of the key extended 90% of the time. Artis pass back to JR doesn’t have to be lazy or telegraphed ( although it often is)
Opposing teams have seen the plays so many times and they NEVER change, that they are jumping into all passing lanes. This has happened in every Pitt season under Jamie and is one answer to why we regress late in every season.
Of course then there are the same inbound 2 plays!
Jamie thinks it’s not the plays but the execution ala Lombardi
With the Green Bay power sweep.
I see a lot of Blatherites feel it’s a slam dunk that we’re in the tourney??
I hope you’re right as a Pitt fan, but are you?? Not questioning, just wondering.
Are we? If we win tomorrow, we’re 10-8 and in 6th or 7th place in the ACC.
There is a clear line of definition in the standing if we win, and I believe the top 7 will be in.
If we lose? We would be 9-9 and easily lumped in with a 3 or 4 team grouping at 9-9 in the middle of the ACC, with Clemson, Va Tech and Syracuse.
If that happens, is the tourney taking all of these teams??
I’m not so sure of that.
..I am one who think they are in though…most brackets have them a 9 seed with 8 to 10 teams between them and dropping out..some of those teams won’t win a game rest of the season..they won’t all get on a roll.
ESPN had Pitt and Syracuse a 9 seed today..CBS still has Pitt a 7. As far as Virginia Tech and Clemson..we rip Dixon for non conf schedule..Pitt non conf SOS is ranked 189 well VA tech was 278 and Clemson in the SOS 329 and they were 8-5 and 7-5 in non conference games….if you are going to play easy nonconf at least you got win them….so they have no shot at tourney.
That said if Pitt loses to Ga Tech twice I would rather not wait and see……especially if we see in conf tourneys a lot auto bids go to teams that are already out the at large talk…like Clemson or Va Tech.
..and if they did lose this last three then would any of us really care if they made the tourney…I know I wouldn’t..If you can’t win one game out three against non tourney teams when you really need one then on to next year.
Comment by 1618mt 03.04.16 @ 1:50 pm
I think we all know they are mentally soft, the question is whether JD or a player can somehow reach deep with something to change that when it counts.
Like I said earlier…if they can’t win one of these next two then who will care if they don’t make the tourney. Though I would bet they still do get in.
For example … one year an ACC team can have 20+ wins and finish .500 in the league and make the NCAA …. while the next year, the don’t because there are more quality teams around the country, or a ranked team (already in the tourney) is upset in the league title game by a 16-14 team, thus getting an auto bid when they normally wouldn’t get in.
I.E., what if NC State gets hot and wins the conf title? … that could knock us out (just an example)
ACC network. Major networks in more states/cities.
The only good thing about the PITT-VT game was the varied & shorter commercials at TV timeouts.
H2P!!!
About right. No idea which Pitt team shows up. Hope it’s the one that plays smart basketball.
Now tonite in 1st round of PIAA, Beaver Falls is 2 – 15 from the field and losing to much lower seed Steel Valley by 8 at halftime.
It’s all about focus and emotion … and it happens all the time.
I’ll guarantee you’ll see a much better effort from Pitt tomorrow … they may not win, but they will be much better
6’2 Pitt signee Justice Kithcart of VES finished with 32 points 8 assists & 7 boards in the semifinal win
Kithcart is VA state finals tomorrow
Never thought I’d see the day when students would orchestrate a vengeful campaign to squelch “Free Speech” on campus… no matter how disagreeable it might be to their exercise of the same.
Not the Pitt I remember.
It’s everywhere – the San Bernandino terrorist killings are a direct result (IMO) – a neighbor saw suspicion activities, but was afraid to report them to the authorities because of fear she would be labeled an anti-Islamic.
What ever happened to Hope & Change – was it really a front for Smoke & Mirrors?
H2P!!!
These are the kind of things that bubble teams have to worry about
Then they put sidewalks in where the paths had shown and didn’t waste a penny…
What a novel idea.
Kithcart and Manigault doing very well in their playoffs.
I enjoyed the outcome of the Duke Game a bit better.
As I said, I’ll believe it when they are in uniform next year.
Have a really bad feeling about GT today. We played a superb
Game and barely beat them at home. They’ve won 4-5 and are on a roll. Worse… They start really fast.
But my 5 year old grandson was impressed. We took him to see the homecoming fireworks and went into the Cathedral for the alumni reception. He said “Wow, it’s like a castle, but it needed a moat.”
And by the way, if you haven’t seen the fireworks and laser show it’s worth the trip.
When asked to state his profession under Oath, responded “World’s greatest Architect.”
Classic
It had small bedrooms that looked like they were carved out of stone with furniture and a short bed bolted to the floor. The couches in the large living room were bolted to the floor too so no one could try to out think Mr. Wrong.
The hall ways were about 6′ 8″ high, and Kaufman who it was designed for, was tall at about 6′ 4″. Of course Franky boy was short…so who cares…right?
I commented to my friend, and meant it too… “I wouldn’t rent this third rate dump for $300.00 a month.”
Still not convinced that if they lose the next two, they still get in.
Plus, never a good thing to end your season with three straight losses. Especially after you trounce Duke.
I remember the year Pitt trounced Villanova at the Fitz, and Massimino benched his starting five for most of the second half. They went on to win the National Championship.