Not since the Big East Tournament of 2001, when Ricardo Greer dragged Pitt to the Big East Championship game, had Boston College beaten Pitt in basketball. That tradition continued last night as Pitt snapped its 8-game losing streak. Moving to a robust 2-9 in the ACC and out of dead last. Now at second to dead last.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if we were playing the Golden State Warriors,” Stallings said. “We needed a win.”
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“When you go on a skid like we’ve been on, you just need a win,” Stallings said. “It doesn’t matter who it’s against. You don’t say to yourself, ‘Well we better get these guys because if we don’t.’ … You just play them as they come and keep trying to knock the door down.”
It was a less than promising start. Artis drove to the basket on the first possession but stepped on a BC defender’s foot and turned his ankle. He was in such obvious and severe pain, that his scream was heard over the broadcast. Granted, the Conte Arena was so empty you could hear a lot of stuff on the court, but it was still scary.
Artis did return for a few minutes in the first half and played most of the second half. He was definitely not at 100%, though.
The main story was Mike Young going off for 30 points. He was unstoppable by BC. 7-9 on shots inside the arc and fouled plenty.
The biggest surprise was seeing Justice Kithcart filling the offensive void of Artis in the first half. Kithcart has shown no confidence in his ability to shoot since the first few games of the season. Forced into action, and having no choice but to take some shots. He shot 3-3 on threes. No one saw that coming.
Hitting that first three made an impact to his overall demeanor and confidence. You could see him become more willing to direct as the point guard and a little less deferential to the seniors.
The only downside from Kithcart’s performance was his defense. It surprised me since the freshman was supposed to excel at was defense. He looked lost in the zone and was struggling with switches and keeping his hands up to defend shots on the perimeter.
The last few games, Chris Jones seems to have decided that if no one else will attack the basket, he’ll do it. The result has been better than expected. Finishing a bit more and not just getting to the free throw line, but hitting them.
While the players continue to state optimism about making a run, it has to be taken gently. Pitt beat a fellow cellar dweller. The defense continues to be very weak — BC shot 59% on 2-point shots.
Still, after over a month without a win, enjoy what you can get.
The big difference last night was clearly the FT opportunities. Pitt had more than twice as many opportunities as BC and converted. Young, Jeter and Jones were particularly successful. BTW, Chris Jones is now shooting over 50% for the season. His previous best was his freshman year at 44%. The driving is obviously helping him and the team.
I also saw Wilson with a nice take off the wing. He was somewhat caught in the air, but found somebody and got a hockey assist. IMO Wilson shows signs that more minutes would really help him develop. He’s long and he has a good first step, especially to his left.
Indeed a bit troubling that Kithcart struggled on D since his reputation was as a good defensive player. Makes me wonder why folks like Dokish and other “experts” are pumping next year’s 3* class as difference makers. Fairly rare for first year players to come in and live up to their high school reputations. In addition there will be at least six new players next season. Finally, there will be at least four new starters. That is lot of roster and lineup turnover. Next season will definitely be a challenge.
I don’t think anyone is pumping up the class next year. It’s a solid group of role players. That is all. I’ve seen Aaron Thompson in person and was thoroughly impressed and would not be surprised if he’s a 4 star by the time final recruiting grades are out. I think he could be really good by the end of his Pitt career. But he’s going to have to develop. He’s not ready to just jump in and lead a team.
Pitt will have to add at least two top 50 players in 2018 and another two in 2019 to make the 2017 class work.
Next year is the first rebuild of the century. It was always going to be this way … with Dixon or Stallings or whomever else. It’s also why I think if Pitt is going to get rid of Stalling now is the time. This is the year we can afford to lose a recruiting class because next season was going to be a show anyways. Keeping Stallings locks us in for a couple of years to let him develop the roster he’s assembled.
Instant impact recruit: Pittsburgh’s Paris Ford…
I have many other things to do with my time and money. So do the folks who used to sit in those seats in the Pete and the many who used to comment on the blogs during each game!
Pitt has done what it does best. Fucked itself with no way out!
Any word on the AD search?
Is Tressell at least being considered.
Pitt needs stability at the higher ranks. Leadership. Execution. Vision. AD’s create the culture for coaches to succeed or fail. Thats why I say they are more important than the coach…unless of course your coach is the de facto AD.
And this year was the last for us for Pitt Men’s BBall – besides watching an inferior product, last straw was selling ACC tickets at a discount after we season ticket holders paid full price…didn’t even notify us to see if we wanted better seats.
$2500 plus concession and apparel money gone. All thanks go to AD Barnes and HCKS…walk out on that gents.
keep happening.
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The people hanging on to those memories of the Jamie Dixon glory years are not dealing in the reality that the program from 2003-2011 was not what Stallings inherited. This season has been in the works since 2011, when Dixon recruited what appeared to be a talented class that pretty much blew up.
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He would know… being personal friends with the Jeters.
He needs to keep gaining confidence.
PoD – Zeise couldn’t be more accurate with the statement regarding the 2011 class. IMO that class rendered Pitt as “marginally good” for years and killed the program momentum from the preceding years. 2010 class not much better with only Cam Wright staying in the program all four years.
Other programs have dips like Syracuse but they can reload. Pitt was never a program that could reload so if we missed on a class, it set the program back. Missing on three straight classes crushed Pitt’s culture of sitting as a freshman, playing marginally as a sophomore and the consistent rise as a Jr (Look at all the most improved awards). Pitt lost that senior leadership and that edge they had. Because they missed on 2009 and 2010, when Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown and McGhee left after the 2010-11 season the roster did not have that front loaded senior leadership nor the backloaded stable of players who were sitting and waiting their turn. Once the leadership went, the program started to decay slowly and it’s lead to where we are now … A middling, marginal NCAA tourney team that is a shadow of it’s former self. It’s why next year’s class is important. Pitt’s not a program that can reload so we need a big class of kids that will be here 4 years to re-establish the culture. The question is if Stallings can install the culture we need. I doubt it.
The class of Young and Artis has to be rated as a good class .. but overall, our recruiting has suffered lately.
John Wooden was a great coach .. just ask Walt Hazzard, Lew Alcindor, Sydney Wicks and Bill Walton.
Can we trade Luther coming back in 2 weeks for KS being gone in 2 weeks?
Practice, you talking bout practice? Ole Artis doesn’t practice, does he?
That sounds like good news, but I seriously doubt HCKS style and system can really showcase that type of play and mentality.
You need a hard nosed take no prisoners defense system, an organized smart, punishing rebounding game and an offense with a killer instinct 100% of the game.
I just don’t see that in his future teams. He is more of an supposedly offensive ‘freedom’ ‘genius’ guy – but looking at his offense this season I really don’t know what the hell that means. He has not shown me any offensive genius or touch. For just one example, his late half/game strategy and sets are nonexistent – the players run way too many one on one individual sets with no screens being set or back door cuts as examples.
He does not play a true run and gun up tempo style. This team plays halfcourt sets just as much as Dixon’s teams did.
He does switch defenses but I don’t see the intensity in the players eyes or body language.
With the exception of Jeter and Young this team could not rebound a bounced check. I see no real strategy or focus for that aspect of the game.
The 2017 class seems a sold class of 3* developmental players. But 39th is just not quite good enough to compete regularly in the ACC…SEC maybe.
On other sites I keep hearing cheerleading about this killer 2018 group that HCKS has in his back pocket; if anyone can name the 5* studs potentially coming here to play then please let me know…but in Reality I believe it is time for Stallings to go.
I wouldn’t get hung up on rankings. 39th is based on 6 3 stars. Two kids have already moved up in other rankings to 4 stars which would vault Pitt into the teens if 247 follows suit.
It’s a good foundation class for a complete rebuild but, you’re right, without top 50 kids it will all be for naught. You need at least two top 50 kids in your starting lineup to be a top 10 team.
This group of coaches were not recruiting 2017 kids hard because of the recruiting cycle at Vandy. Everything I’ve read is that they have much better connections to 2018.
Come on. You come to a university that takes pride in their past achievements in the Big East and you bash it? Are you kidding me? How do expect to endear yourself to the fans when you belittle their heritage? I’m telling you, this is shotgun wedding that has NO chance of making it. ZERO
It’s as if he’s trying to get fired. Pitt should appease him. Just go away already.
Time to hit the reset button.
The intensity of watching a top tier Big East Game was unmatched. I can only imagine what it was like playig in one…
Hey Coach Stallings “Taking a month between wins IS BORING!”
This will help expand the fanbase…
Just wow.
What a disease!
By the way did anyone notice that the cult school has been dominating the state for 2018 recruits. I think they have commitments from 5 or 6 of the top 25 players with most of the 4 stars already committed.
Off to the game but not expecting too much.
Used to be one of the hottest tickets in da Burgh. And cuse to boot!
Our defense is weak, no doubt, but I was really concerned by our vulnerability in the low post. Young, who is strong, just seemed overmatched by the bigger BC’s centers .. none of whom were particularly athletic.
But good to see Jeter, Jones and Kithcart come thru without Artis being 100%