I have to believe nearly every blogger who has seen their school getting this team on the schedule has at least considered the James Bond/Austin Powers-esque jokes about this school’s name. “We’re getting Morehead? … Wonderful.”

I may have started drinking before starting this post.

Morehead wasn’t expected to be a big challenge coming into the season. It seems less likely with their head coach suspended.

Morehead State basketball coach Sean Woods has been suspended with pay, effective immediately, while the school investigates complaints it has received.

“Resulting from complaints received, the institution has begun an investigation involving the head basketball coach. While we continue through the formal process, we believe it is prudent to suspend the coach until the investigation is finished,” Morehead State athletic director Brian Hutchinson said.

…

In his first season, Woods was suspended for a game for shoving a player. Woods was 75-63 in his first four seasons and received a contract extension this past offseason through the 2019-20 campaign.

Seems like we are looking at a David Rice or Mike Lonergan situation. Those always end well. That they suspended him and are having a formal investigation after the season is underway does not bode well for his future.

So, at least that isn’t an issue for Pitt.

Looking back on the Yale game, it seems this will be the norm. Consistency won’t be. Pitt did a better job of keeping Yale out of the paint only to struggle with three-point defense.

Seated at a table with a slight hunch and his hands folded, Kevin Stallings glanced to his right Tuesday night and saw a personal point of contention condensed neatly into a single stat — 40.7.

Stallings’ Pitt team had just defeated Yale, 75-70, a game in which his team defensively limited the kind of penetration that had plagued it in its previous four games. That one number, though —the opponent’s 3-point percentage — gnawed away at him.

“If we can find that happy medium in there somewhere, we might have something,” he said.

While much attention has been paid to the Panthers’ offensive evolution under a new coach, their greater challenge was adjusting to and grasping an entirely new defense.

The results, thus far, have been mixed, plagued by the kind of irregularities Stallings witnessed Tuesday night against the Bulldogs.

Just when it appears his team has conquered one of its defensive shortcomings, another, seemingly out of nowhere, appears.

Wouldn’t exactly call it a new problem. New coach. Same players. Same problems.

Another issue that showed itself in the Yale game. The lack of consistent — or good — offensive possessions from anyone not named Artis or Young.

Stallings saw too many poor shot selections in the first half against Yale on Tuesday, and as a consequence the Ivy League team — without its best players — played Pitt to a draw. But the Panthers created separation in the second half because of improved shot choice and offensive performance.

“I thought we were playing hockey, just trying to get it on goal,” said Stallings of Tuesday night’s first half. “I don’t know if you’d call it a shot, the first opportunity to get it on goal. … Not playing through contact, going away from contact off one leg, shooting off-balance shots. ‘Gol-lee, What’s this?’ We have to learn what works for us and what doesn’t. In the second half, conversely, we took the ball strong to the rim and got them in foul trouble and we were able to get ourselves to the foul line which ended up being the difference in the game.”

Pitt took just one free throw in the first half compared to 22 in the second.

“They get confused every once in a while between freedom and confidence and lack of discretion,” Stallings said. “There’s a fine line in there. I don’t want them shooting with one eye on the basket and one on me.”

Everyone wants to shoot the three. Not going to get fouls and it allows teams to defend easily when there is no risk of moving inside.

7pm tonight. ACC DigitaNetworkl Extra/WatchESPN.