Don’t get me wrong. This is going to be a bit of an up-and-down season (and that’s not a tempo joke, I swear). There are going to be some frustrating losses. And probably a blowout loss or two. But that shouldn’t take away from a very good and satisfying win last night.
Pitt went on the road to a top-25 team in a power conference and won. They didn’t just scrape by. They blew the Terrapins off the court late in the first half and could get away with coasting most of the second half. For god’s sake, Ryan Luther and Sheldon Jeter were playing at the same time in the second half. That’s how big the lead was.
Yes, Maryland made a late surge and appeared to be about to get back into a position to have a chance with a few minutes left. But Pitt slammed the door and literally told the crowd to be quiet.
“Just having fun. The dunk at the end, I don’t know if people would take it as disrespect or anything. I really didn’t see how much time was left on the clock. I was just playing and finishing the game out until the end. That’s what I’m going to do every game. I was just having fun and interacting with fans. It’s a true road game, I’m a senior, this is my last year, this will be my last time playing here and we won. I just wanted to have fun with it.” – Young on what prompted his shushing gesture after his late dunk.
Maryland fans aren’t going to forget that moment for the rest of the season.
Maryland is a good, but young team. Their most consistent, reliable and explosive scorer is Melo Trimble. Pitt kept him from attacking the rim with a lot of zone. Especially the 3-2, and at times what seemed like a box and one to force others to take shots.
Maryland made those shots initially, and late in the second half when they made a just-a-bit-too-late run. But they settled and missed a ton of 3s for most of the game. Showing little patience to work it inside or make the extra pass for a man to drive.
They were 10-36 from outside. By comparison, they only took 25 shots from inside the arc. And the Terps just aren’t that good a 3-point shooting team. Coming into the game, they were shooting just over 31% from outside.
The Pitt coaches had a very good gameplan against this team, and it was executed very well.
Stallings had seen enough poor defensive play and physical limitations that he told his coaches two weeks ago he wanted to begin playing more zone defense.
And Pitt showcased more zone Tuesday, which in part limited to Maryland star Melo Trimble — who entered averaging 21.1 points per game — to 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
“We have to play a blend of defense,” Stallings said. “(The zone) was doing what it we needed it do. Melo wasn’t on top of our rim all night. He wasn’t standing at the foul line all night (four free-throw attempts).”
Maryland was the ideal team to play zone against as it continued to struggle from outside (13th in the Big Ten in shooting and 3-point percentage) the zone limited Trimble’s ability to get into the paint.
“They are a big team so they play the 3-2 zone really well,” Trimble said. “They practice it as you can tell. … Their zone was really good tonight.”
Artis and Young were inspired in their play last night. On both ends. It infected the rest of the team. You saw Chris Jones with great effort on defense and a huge dive on the floor late in the game to secure a loose ball and help end Maryland’s attempt to steal the game back. Ryan Luther had one of his best defensive games. Not getting caught reacting late and committing stupid fouls. Instead, being in position and holding his ground (unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Sheldon Jeter, who struggled yet again).
This also saw a significant shortening of the bench. Pitt really went only six deep most of the game. Milligan and Kithcart each got 7 minutes and that was really about it.
Pitt is still very good in transition, and taking advantage of a careless Maryland team got turnovers and converted them into easy points in the first half. As Maryland cleaned it up more in the second half, those points dried up.
One issue Pitt had in the second half, was trying to go too fast after breaking the press. Rather than reset the offense, there were too many times when someone tried to take a quick shot. The empty trips gave Maryland a chance to get back into the game.
Overall, this was Pitt’s best game of the season and one that will look even better as the season continues.
If this team continues to put out the effort, they can do some good things come March.
Every team of destiny has one thing in common. They win tense close games on the road early in the season.
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Too often, Stallings saw Pitt struggle in man-to-man defense, his preferred style. So Stallings told his staff Pitt would engage in something a team rarely had done under him: regularly play zone defense.
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ADAPT to your Players. That’s what Coaches do.
It also can hold Opponents to under 61 Points.
Traffic was brutal. It took 2 hours to go 24 miles from Tysons to the game.
Maryland is a fun place to see a game. Very knowledgeable fan base that regrets leaving the ACC basketball-wise. A good crowd, not very big but a rush hour game on the beltway in the rain will affect attendance.
The team seemed more comfortable in the zone. The lack of killer instinct still frustrates me. The 2nd half should have been spent just attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line. They did it the last 3 minutes of the game but it got close because of way too many jump shots.
Stallings has been fine. It’s nice to see him let the team play through mistakes. It was funny though, Damon Wilson looked clueless out there on defense. He gave up that open 3 and I looked to my buddies and said our coach doesn’t usually pull kids for mistakes but I bet he’s out at the next dead ball … sure enough … gone.
Pitt attendance this year will be significantly down. I think that’s the biggest job Stallings has is to re-energize the fan base. Recruiting has been pretty good so far and apparently this group has really strong connections in the 18′ class vs. the 17′ group. So I would expect some more high profile guys next year.
When your defensive players have to line up for 70-90 snaps because you have no depth, it wouldn’t matter what you adapted to anyways. They are going to be dead tired halfway through the third quarter and mostly incapable of executing any scheme.
You didn’t indicate why the coaches would be idiots for adapting their schemes. Having to adapt yearly is not a reason not to do it, in my opinion.
Maryland entered the game as a poor shooting team that has been prone to turn the ball over. They continued that in last night’s game. Granted it was one game and they entered 7-0, but it may be a long season for Maryland fans.
Potential cause for concern for Pitt? 78 minutes played by Jones, Jeter and Luther yet only 13 points scored.
At 49-21 or 63-41 or 70-48 or 76-55, Syracuse probably should have caved. The box score is ridiculous but it was only ridiculous because Syracuse refused to accept defeat … and in the process made themselves a joke and dragged Pitt along with them.
Jeter’s play confuses me. He’s already been coached by Stallings so I expected his play to elevate some.
To add to my Cuse game comments. Pitt only punted once in the 2nd half at the end of the 3rd. I believe they went a little conservative thinking that Syracuse would too … didn’t happen though.
Even moreso when you’re not particularly big or particularly athletic.
It’s the great equalizer imo. You force these kids who really don’t practice for 8 hours a day shooting 25 footers, like Larry Bird did, into shooting 25 footers.
These kids today want to show you up and take you to the hoop. Force them to shoot outside and more than likely, they aren’t going to make more than a third of their shots.
The Zone is what made Syracuse so consistently good over the last 30 years.
Including Nebraska.
There will be several 5-7 teams this year again in Bowl Games. As there are so many bowl slots (80) not enough teams finished at 6-6 or above to fill them all.
ESPN has done an excellent job ruining the achievement of making a Bowl Game into a Participation Award type of thing. But that’s their agenda.
Comment by rkb 11.30.16 @ 9:08 am
~ rkb….The Steel Bowl was a 4 team holiday tourney played at the Civic (mellon) Arena in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
Pitt played 1 team in matchup A
Duquesne played 1 team in matchup B
The winners met the next nite. So there was no guarantee that Pitt and Duquesne would meet.
One of UCLA’s teams coming off a National Championship played Pitt in the Finals of the Steel Bowl circa 1970 or so. That UCLA would also repeat that year as National Champions.
Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe were the 2 star players for UCLA. Emel had the fortune to be at the game as a kid. As my dad took me to all the Pitt games when I was a grade schooler.
That being the Eastern 8 (one of the better conf names btw too). Which existed from 1976 to 1981.
And Pittsburgh hosted the Eastern 8 Tournament at the Civic Arena the last 4 years or so of the Eastern 8 and the semi-finals and Finals were always sold out, and they usually included Pitt and/or Duquesne.
The Eastern 8 became the Atlantic 10, after Pitt left the Eastern 8 to join the BigEast in 1982.
I think the jury is still out on this team but it is nice to see that there is promise.
It is also really nice to see Young finally live up to the hype…he is looking GREAT.
Now Jeter…oh Jeter what is happening with you? Didn’t he lead the team in FT% last year? He is at 62% for the year. And clearly looking lost. I am rooting for him…if he can get his mojo back we will really be much more formidable.
Oh and note to Luther…I like what you are doing out there but stop shooting 3 pointers!
HTP
That being said, a win over a legit team on the road is a good one. But they really need Johnson and Jeter to become good third-fourth options.
so many minutes being logged by Young and Artis.
Artis played 38 minutes, Johnson 35 and Young 33.
Even Jones played 30 and he gives you very little.
Although last nite was one of his better efforts.
So lots of minutes for these 4, do they wear down in the mid to late part of the season.
One thing with Zone defense it’s not as grinding, physically, as playing Man to Man either, so that’ another huge plus, since this team has limited manpower.
When we start playing the rent-a-wins shortly, we got to get these bench players, that have contributed little so far, into the mix more.
Although when I think of Syracuse, they have made it a habit of having a short bench for quite a while, so maybe it can be done. And they get away with it, because they too play the physically less demanding Zone. It adds up.
in a Man to Man defense, you exert so much energy chasing your man around the court. Whereas in Zone you don’t. YUGE difference.
You can exert more of your energy on the offensive side of the court. Might be why were seeing bigger numbers from Young and Artis.
I agree about the point that zone isn’t tiring as man-to-man.
alcofan, that pedo $ should come 100% right out of their sports dept. cash….
I enjoyed watching the Maryland game – switching to the cuse zone was a good move by Stallings with the talent level on Pitt’s roster.
Kithcart showed flashes of quickness and good BB skills in his limited 7 minutes of play. Need to find another contributor off the bench.
Two fairly tough PA clashes in the next few weeks for the Panthers – too bad nova isn’t on the schedule, yet.
HTP!
We’re up 7-4 now with UNC up next & Ohio Fake at Virginia too. Should be 2 more wins for us. Not sure about Nebraska at Clemson.
some love at halftime…could use his athleticism
and D ….too bad we lost him
Looks like Virginia completed the comeback. Marial Shayok missed both free throws for VT up by 2 with the ball. Good thing OSU missed the 3. Big win for the ACC.
Final Score
ACC 9
bigjoke 5
Stocks had their best month since March reaching all-time highs on the Dow and S&P.
And the ACC is back to kicking the bigjoke’s ass.
But we can never overlook the big DU.
As the Pitt game is THEIR GAME OF THE YEAR.
How bad will next year’s team be?
Starting lineup of Johnson, Luther, Manigault, Kithcart and Clark or Wilson.
Stallings better find some help fast.
Duquesne could beat Pitt.
They should both finish top 15 all time at Pitt.
Young will probably make top ten.
pitt crushes them 98-78
On a given night, anybody can beat anyone.
I saw a 2 win Pitt team in 1968, that avg’d 59 ppg score 90 one night and beat WVcc.
I was anything but a Robinson supporter but Jeter is missing him. Jeter can’t create his own shot and Artis isn’t exactly an assist machine. Jones and Jeter are the weak spots on this team. Young is going all out to make a run at the NBA and may actually pull it off if he keeps it up.
I think that Kithcart could improve significantly and hope he gets much more playing time before the ACC season starts. However, he can’t shoot, but Pitt is familiar with point guards with that problem.
#21 Rhode Island got beat by unranked Valparaiso.
So Pitt by beating #22 (coaches) Maryland #26 AP
pretty easily on the road should move into the Top 25.
I say should, because most likely we won’t.
As ESPN did absolutely NOTHING to ‘talk up’ the Panther win that nite.
It was more like,,,,,’ this is actually good for Maryland to lose’ kind of nonsense. Coming from that goon girl some of you apparently like.
WHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY ???????
I asked him if he was on one ?
We hire temp workers when we get busier than our normal capacity and since mid November, we have been REALLY busy. I like to introduce myself & see if any of the temps have full time potential.
I noticed this millennium working hard and with a respectful attitude – when I asked him his name he said Jerome – I won’t easily forget that young man (bring it home…).
By the way, our company is looking to hire one or two supervisors, as business is “booming”. Anyone know of a potential candidate for Central PA, let me know.
One negative I noticed with our BB is lack of aggression to the hoop – MD dunked on our boys a few times with no resistance. Our guys had layups blocked (Jones, Jeter and at least one other) – Pitt players need to watch film of Jerome Lane and “bring it home”.
HTP!
Can we keep the comments focused on Pitt athletics and not embarrassing episodes of harassment and racism?
It was a humorous story….
Wonder what kind of turn out we get Friday night?