There are mysteries that remain. Such as why Gilbert Brown is literally up-and-down from one game to the next.

There might not be another player in the country that has been as inconsistent as Brown this season. His scoring has fluctuated like the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Since returning from an academic suspension that had him miss the first 11 games of the season, Brown has been Pitt’s leading scorer five times. He also has been held scoreless three times.

Some players get hot for stretches and then go cold for a period. What makes Brown’s inconsistency so strange is that you can set your watch by him. He plays well every other game.

…

It has gone on like that all season. Most recently, Brown was shut out by Providence Thursday night. So, of course, in the regular-season finale against Rutgers, he scored a team-high 19 points.

“I don’t know what it is,” Brown said. “I’ve been trying to figure it out. I swear it’s coincidence, but it’s not. It’s not pressure, me thinking about it, ‘OK I had a good game now I have to put another one together.’ It just happens. We have other players step up and play so well. Like against Providence, Brad [Wanamaker] and Ashton [Gibbs] put the bookbag on and carried the whole team on their backs. [Saturday night against Rutgers] was a different night when everyone got involved.”

With only 5 losses since Brown has come back, it is hard to truly say that how Brown goes, Pitt goes. In two losses (at USF and Georgetown) Brown was the leading scorer. In three losses (at Seton Hall, at WVU, and at Notre Dame) he scored a total of 10 points — including scoreless at WVU.

Don’t jump to the conclusion quite yet about the road being the difference. If you look at Brown’s numbers since he got back — 20 games — it is inconclusive. Using scoring and shooting percentage as the base metrics it is very bland.

I counted 6 good games at home, 4 bad games at home. On the road it was an even split of 4 good and 4 bad games. Two additional games — DePaul and at Syracuse were neither good or bad. Just there.

I wish I had a good answer. Is it simply psychological? I doubt it. It doesn’t appear to be match-up based since he against the three teams Pitt has played twice — WVU, St. John’s and Seton Hall — he has had good and bad games against each.

Anyone with a good theory that could actually be tested, broken down or analyzed?

I’m sure if I actually went back and reviewed some past liveblogs, I could find one that had less complaints and was more distracted by peripheral items than the actual game. But, I can’t remember one.

Pit never was threatened in this game. Other than a brief 5-3 RU lead, this one was never in doubt. From7 minutes into the game, Pitt held a double-digit lead. 33 of the 40 minutes.  As dominate as Pitt was, Rutgers completely rolled over.

The game ended. The regular season over, Coach Dixon got properly effusive about the team’s accomplishments — and that it isn’t over yet.

“It says a lot about this group and the character they have to finish in second place,” coach Jamie Dixon said.

“They weren’t picked second by anybody. But they’re a good group of kids, and I’m proud of them. This team has improved all year, and I don’t think we want to stop improving now. This team has improved more than any team in the country, more than any team, probably, ever has from November to March.

“Why stop now?”

Why, indeed?

Jermaine Dixon echoed those thoughts.

“I’m really proud,” senior guard Jermaine Dixon, the team’s lone returning starter. “I knew we could do it. We accomplished a lot this year, but we’re not done.”

Dixon hurt his ankle, but everyone seems to suggest that it was precautionary that he was kept out and he will be fine. Hope so. We have seen this year, how different Pitt is without him. Even without being able to have him practice with the team.

Now, with a few days before the BET begins, the usual argument will reign as to whether Pitt should put as much emphasis on the Big East Tournament. Whether it will risk leaving them drained or worse, injured for the NCAA Tournament.

My thought is simply that with a team like Pitt, they have to play hard and with the goal of winning the BET. They are not mature enough to be able to “turn it on or off.” Coach Dixon has to emphasize the goal of winning each and every game. If they fall at some point in the BET, then you can revise and say things like the NCAA is what matters. But right now, the team has to think about winning at Madison Square Garden.

For the record, I am totally in agreement with Gil Brown.

Pitt could play one of three different teams in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals — Notre Dame, Seton Hall or Providence — but Gilbert Brown wants another shot at the Fighting Irish.

Pitt lost to Notre Dame, 68-53, in South Bend two weeks ago. It’s the Panthers’ only loss in their past nine games.

“It would be good to play Notre Dame again, seeing how they handled us pretty well at their place,” Brown said. “It would be a great rematch at the Garden, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The way the bracket is set, those are the three teams Pitt could possibly face. My feeling is Pitt under Coach Dixon just knows how to adjust when they get in a rematch with teams — Villanova last year being the exception. So as good as ND has been playing, I want to see Pitt with another shot at MSG.

Meanwhile Dante Taylor is looking and feeling a lot better these days.

“It felt real good,” Taylor said. “I got some confidence back, and I was trying to be aggressive.”

Taylor said he lost some confidence after going scoreless in four consecutive games in mid-season and totaling two points in a six-game span from Jan. 24-Feb. 8.

“I tried to not let it get to me,” he said. “I still came out and played hard.”

He finished with 11 ponts and 7 rebounds and definitely looked more comfortable out there. Granted it was against Rutgers, but to use Herm Edwards’ lesser used quotes: We can build on this.

The Big East announced its All-Big East teams. The good news, the 11 player All-Big East teams are done. That does mean that only Ashton Gibbs made it  as a 2d team All-Big East player. No one else in the 3 teams or even honorable mention. Actually, though, that doesn’t surprise me.

It’s a reflection of how good Pitt has been as a team — and how shockingly well they have played. Realistically, the only players you could consider besides Gibbs on the All-Big East would have been Wanamaker and Jermaine Dixon. Dixon, though, missed most of the non-con with his injuries to make his stats smaller.

When the Big East coaches pushed for all 16 teams playing in the Big East Tournament the official reason was that they wanted to make sure all Big East players had a chance to experience the BET. The unstated reason was to help/keep bottom feeding teams from firing their coaches in frustration. Then there are teams like Rutgers where everyone seems to have checked out on the final games. They have little hope. No one is bothering to show up at the RAC. With Rutgers’ butdget woes, no one seems to think they can afford to buy out Fred Hill and hire someone competent.

So media coverage is not there. Instead, a NJ paper does a feature on a NJ native on Pitt.

All you need to know about Ashton Gibbs is contained in one sentence by Pittsburgh men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon.

“He’s probably the hardest-working guy we’ve ever had,” Dixon said last week.

At Pitt, which is known for producing hard-hat overachievers, that’s saying something. After playing a role off the bench for the Panthers last winter, the sophomore guard and Scotch Plains native is widely considered to be the Big East Conference’s most improved player. Rutgers will try to defend him in Saturday’s regular-season finale in the Steel City.

“My father always used to tell me, “The harder you work, the easier it comes,’ ” Gibbs said via phone on Wednesday. “That’s something I’ve taken seriously.”

The Syracuse Post-Standard has a casual media poll of Big East awards. The feeling seems to be it will either be Gibbs or ND’s Tim Abromaitis for Most Improved Player. Abromaitis might get it with his big numbers and the way ND has surged late w/o Harangody. Which reminds me of this silliness from Jay Bilas (Insider subs).

Not better: I am not a big believer that Notre Dame is better without Luke Harangody. I hear those who say the Irish are better off without him, but I just don’t buy it. Have the Irish collectively picked up the slack to overachieve for a time? Yes. Notre Dame is 3-2 without Harangody, but in the long run, it will really miss the big guy.

Here’s why it is silliness. There is no long-run left. The season ends today. Then it is time for tournaments. Time off, chances to rest. Now if this had been halfway through the season, I’d agree. The depth on ND was not significant before Harangody went down. Now, it is about 6.5 deep.

The local papers give Dixon attention and love. Time is the difference in them. Dixon feels so much better now.

It took 30 games into his senior season, but Dixon enters today’s regular-season finale against visiting Rutgers knowing he’s got his groove back. Suddenly, he’s regained the confidence robbed of him by a nagging foot injury.

“All year, I was pretty timid going to the basket because of my foot,” Dixon said. “But in practice, I took on contact and was able to finish — something I’ve been doing all my life.”

…

Rallying from adversity also was big Thursday night. Jermaine Dixon staggered to the bench with a sheepish grin on his face after putting up an air ball that was woefully short of the rim. He laughed at himself, then studied the Friars’ defense from the bench in hopes of finding a remedy for a Pitt offense that struggled mightily for almost every shot.

“You can’t mope, you have to move on to the next play,” Dixon said. “That’s how I am as a player. I missed a few shots, but I didn’t get down on myself. I’ve had 3-for-15 shooting nights, but it doesn’t bother me because you have to worry about the next play.

“I felt like we were taking too many jump shots. When I sat on the bench, I noticed we were swinging the ball around, and they were just sitting there (in a zone). I told Brad (Wannamaker) and Ash (Gibbs) that we needed to attack the basket.”

Early in Big East play, Dixon seemed to be driving to the basket more. Then he got banged up against St. John’s at home — further aggravating an ankle injury that had him missing practices. He missed the USF game and when he came back there was a lot more jump shooting and less attacking.

This was his first time dealing with injury. He didn’t publicly complain, but it bothered him and he still doesn’t feel completely back.

“It was tough at first, sitting out,” Jermaine Dixon said. “I tried not to complain. I had never been injured before in my life. So, it was something I wasn’t used to. It was tough getting back in a rhythm and doing the things I can do. I still don’t feel like I do things as well as I did last year, things like getting in passing lanes, getting easy steals and baskets for my team. I still feel like I’m a step slow.”

The partial loss of his physical gifts has not affected his ability to be a leader, and his teammates identify him as their emotional leader. Jamie Dixon has said “this is Jermaine’s team.”

“I learned a lot from him as far as his leadership skills on and off the court,” sophomore guard Ashton Gibbs said. “He’s been like a real role model to me. It’s something I really cherished and it’s something I’ll continue to take with me.”

Jermaine Dixon will play the final home game of his career at Pitt this afternoon when the Panthers play host to Rutgers in the regular-season finale at the Petersen Events Center. After struggling with discomfort in his foot and other injuries throughout the course of the season, Dixon is playing his best basketball as the postseason approaches.

Those of you going to the game, get there early to celebrate a great guy and Pitt player on senior day.

Another article featuring the three overachieving teams in the Big East.

Liveblog later today.

While Nate Byham was also invited to the combine — and I believe he will have a solid career in the NFL — Dorin Dickerson got most of the attention at the TE position at the combine. He raised his stock. His numbers impressed.

Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickerson, at 226 pounds the lightest tight end at the NFL Scouting Combine, led the field with unofficial times of 4.40 and 4.43 seconds Saturday. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks projects Dickerson, who played a variety of positions for the Panthers, as an H-back type of player in the NFL. Dickerson moves a little bit like current Jets TE Dustin Keller, who was here two years ago.

The projections still put him outside of the first couple rounds, but still possible (Insider subs).

The story of the day among the tight ends was the performance put on by Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickerson (6-1?, 226), whose official 4.40 in the 40 illustrated the explosiveness, burst and separation skills that set him apart from the rest of the tight end class. Dickerson looked good all over the field, catching the ball well and performing well in all phases.

The excitement around Dickerson is tempered by his lack of size, however. He has long arms (34 inches) and big hands but still must find a niche with an offensive coordinator who can create a unique H-back role for Dickerson, one that will use his versatility to create mismatches. Overall, though, Dickerson solidified his third-round grade and is at least in the late-second round discussion.

Despite plenty of positive takes, there are those who are not so positive, because of his hips.

Pitt TE Dorin Dickerson ran a blazing 40 (unofficially 4.40 seconds) and produced a 43-inch vertical jump, both of which will likely improve his stock. When we evaluated him on film and at the Senior Bowl, however, he looked to be more of a straight-line athlete who does not show the fluidity in his hips, even as a tight end, to consistently gain separation against NFL linebackers.

I think I’m obliged to go with a “that’s what she said” comment there.

Okay, remaining stuff to get out before turning attention to Wednesday’s game — now with less Harangody (for now).

Harangody’s first full day of practice since suffering a bone bruise on Feb. 11 didn’t go as planned. With more persistent pain than expected, Harangody has been ruled out for the immediate future.

Irish coach Mike Brey, speaking on his weekly radio show, said he didn’t know when the All-American would return.

“There was pain there today that we aren’t going to play around with,” Brey told listeners. “I said, ‘Luke, I’m not going to let you play.’”

Of course if he practices with less or no pain on Tuesday, things can change.

Ray Mernagh at NBE Basketball continues to be impressed with Pitt.

At some point soon I’m going to write 800 words on how impressive Nasir Robinson is in what he does for this team as he battles in the paint defensively and fights for rebounds, deflections etc.

A few weeks ago some were wondering if Pittsburgh, after a fast start, was in danger of missing the NCAA’s for the first time in nine years. Now I’m still amazed at the number of new wrinkles getting put in offensively — cuts you haven’t seen before, Dixon and Woodall finding people for layups. Woodall springting to the line and sinking pressure free throws down the stretch.

Post-Gazette beat writer Ray Fittipaldo responds to some grief now given for stating that it had appeared that Woodall was a recruiting error. It’s a tad defensive, but it is fair to point out that most looking in on the program were seeing this as conventional wisdom up until a couple weeks ago.

When Nova loses, they foul even more than usual. The tempo Pitt imposed on Nova seemed to be a jarring thing for the Wildcat faithful.

You want to take something more away from the game than just a win? Covered.

Chris Peak at PantherLair suggests notice has been served.

First there was the 82-72 win at Syracuse on January 2nd. Next came the triple-overtime 98-95 win against West Virginia 10 days ago. And then on Sunday Pitt mounted a toppling of the No. 3-ranked Wildcats.

Consider it an overthrow of the Big East’s trilateral leadership.

Of course, Pitt’s not making any proclamations on the throne - “We’re just one step closer to winning the Big East regular season. We’re just trying to do our part,” was the most senior guard Jermaine Dixon would offer after the Villanova game - but no other team in the conference can claim a set of wins against the Orange, the Wildcats, and the Mountaineers this season.

In fact, outside of Pitt, no team in the conference has won more than one game against that trio of teams; with two weeks left in the season, the other 12 teams have combined for a 4-28 record against Syracuse, Villanova, and West Virginia.

Well, UConn can now claim wins over Nova and WVU — plus a really tough loss to Syracuse. So, take from that what you will.

Kevin Gorman wants everyone to know that it is the players not the place.

It wasn’t so much the intimidation of the Oakland Zoo and a standing-room-only attendance of 12,920 - the largest on-campus crowd in Pitt basketball history - that made it a miserable afternoon for Villanova.

“The toughest thing,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said, “is their team.”

To say Pitt is tough to beat at the Pete is an understatement. The Panthers are 130-11 all-time there. But it’s not because of the Pete. It’s because of Pitt.

Eric Hall seems to have given up trying to figure out the secret to this team. He just wants to enjoy it.

Brandin Knight was still dressed in a dapper black pin-striped suit as he walked through the halls of the Petersen Events Center hours after Pitt’s latest shocker, a 70-65 win over No. 3 Villanova Sunday, his ear-to-ear smile completely his impeccable wardrobe.

The Pitt assistant has seen his share of success in this building. He helped open the place in a season that begat a second straight Sweet 16. His retired number whistles in the rafters every time the fans cheer. His rise from video coordinator to Jamie Dixon’s coaching staff coincided with an Elite Eight season last year.

But he even couldn’t explain this team and its uncanny knack of doing the unexpected.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged.

Enjoy.

You know this really annoyed me. I was thinking after the Pitt win yesterday how Gary McGhee could very well be Pitt’s most improved player and be in play for the Big East’s award. Unfortunately, Bob Smizik beat me to it and went to hyperbolic extremes in extolling McGhee’s virtues.

If McGhee doesn’t win the award, there should be an investigation. In fact, if he doesn’t win it unanimously there should be an investigation.

Furthermore, after this season they should name it the Gary McGhee Award.

McGhee, a 6-foot-10 junior from Anderson, Ind., was the proverbial guy who couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time during his first two seasons at Pitt.

What were those first two years like? Here’s what the Pitt media guide says about McGhee‘s career prior to this season:

“. . . his most memorable contest was a six-point, four-rebound performance at South Florida.’’

In his first two season, McGhee played in 52 games, averaged six minutes, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 points.

Anyone who expected to see significant changes in those numbers this season simply isn’t telling the truth. McGhee looked to have no future at Pitt other than sitting on the bench.

But look what’s happened to Gary McGhee.

He can shoot, he can pass, he can rebound and, brother, he can defend.

I’m not arguing with it. Not only has McGhee vastly improved from his first two years, his improvements from the start of the season to this point have been incredible. Or have they?

(more…)

Unbelieveable. (hat tip to TJ):

Pitt senior safety/linebacker Elijah Fields has been dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.

Fields (6-2, 225) has had off-field issues throughout his career and had been disciplined several times — including being suspended for the entire 2007 season — but had seemed to pull it together enough to have his best season last year.

Still, he had several incidents of insubordination and other minor issues throughout the season, but the final straw came last week when he had a video posted on his Twitter page of himself partying with friends and apparently drinking alcohol.

If (big if) he can make sure his academics are in order, he can still transfer to a D-2 or D-1AA school in time to play his final season of eligibility and maybe pursue the NFL as the classic big talent on/big risk off player.

If there is one thing I think I have avoided doing on this blog, is taking personal shots at a Pitt players and coaches Avoiding much in judging their character or who they are. I, frankly, don’t know them and I generally find it unfair since I can really only judge them by their on-the-field performance (or when they end up in the news for other reasons).

Having said that, in light of his past history and now this, I don’t think I’m making any leap to say that Fields has shown just how absolutely clueless and unable to comprehend concepts of personal responsibility. It’s no longer a kid making a mistake or youthful indiscretions. There have been too many screw-ups. Too many punishments. It is so clear that he doesn’t get it and sad to say, I don’t think he ever will.

He has pro-level talent. People say he’s a nice enough guy. That’s not enough. He continually has made the wrong choices and assumed that he would be allowed to skate by.

His loss will be a hit to depth and talent level. He’s not worth it any longer.

UPDATE (2/18): Sigh. Gee thanks Spencer for finding this. In a nod to either his cluelessness or what not, while Fields’ Twitter account is deleted, he left his TwitPic mostly intact. No party pictures. Just a bottle of Grey Goose on a hotel room desk and more unnerving: Cash. Wads of cash.

When Woodall’s minutes were falling, and he was struggling I mentioned that he seemed to be having his “early Keith Benjamin phase.” The post-WVU game confirmed that Woodall had been pressing when getting into the game. So if he he can carry this forward, his minutes will go back up and Pitt will have some much needed depth to give the guards more rest.

“He played very well,” Dixon said. “He made solid decisions. He made the simple pass and the simple play. If he sees the results I hope that is where the development will occur.

“It wasn’t anything flashy. He didn’t make any spectacular plays. He didn’t force anything. He just let things come to him. It’s really that. That’s the most important thing.”

If Woodall can continue to play well it will allow Dixon to reward him with more minutes. That means Dixon could afford to rest Gibbs and Jermaine Dixon more as well as giving Gibbs more of an opportunity to play shooting guard, where he said he is more comfortable.

Still, it is just one game. It has to carry forward for it to be his turning point moment. Otherwise it is just a blip on what some have felt was a mistake. Regardless, you should be rooting for Woodall to succeed.

Still waiting to find out what Gilbert Brown will do from game to game? Join the club.

Heck for the entire team, it is about consistency and maturing beyond their years.

“This team, more than any other we’ve had, can get better,” Dixon said.

Difficult to imagine, though, that this team of mostly unheralded and underappreciated players hasn’t already hit its peak. The Panthers — 19-6, 8-4 and tied for third in the Big East and up to No. 19 in the AP poll — have upset two Top 5 teams (Syracuse and West Virginia). They are nearly locked into a spot in the NCAA Tournament. They produced two amazing, last-minute comebacks.

But that’s what the consensus was two weeks ago, that the Panthers had peaked after four losses in five games nearly wiped out a 5-0 run to start the Big East schedule. They rose to No. 9 in the rankings and even higher in the RPI, only to fall back with losses to Georgetown, Seton Hall, South Florida and West Virginia.

Ten days and three consecutive wins later, the Panthers are again selling hope.

Finally, an interview with Ashton Gibbs, who concedes that the Backyard Brawl wiped him out.

“I was exhausted,” Gibbs said. “I mainly just hung out on the couch and watched games. I saw a little of Kentucky-Tennessee and some of the stuff from NBA All-Star weekend. There was plenty to watch.”

…

Q: How did you and your teammates celebrate Friday’s victory?

A: It was so late when I got home. I was so tired that I just went to sleep. We didn’t celebrate too much. It’s all about moving on to the next day and the next game. We’re just thinking about our next game against Marquette.

Q: How tired were you, though?

A: I was really tired. I just needed to get some rest. It was a long game. I played 50 minutes. Just the intensity of it made me tired. Emotionally, it was wild. It was definitely exciting. The atmosphere was crazy.

It will be nearly as crazy in Milwaukee on Thursday. The Golden Eagle fans see this game as a game they will win and they also know that they have to have this game for their just as surprising chances at making the NCAA Tournament.

A day later and there is still talk of this being one of the all-time great games for Pitt and in the basketball side of the Backyard Brawl.  Something that will be hard to dispute.

Until we see how the rest of the season goes, though, the actual impact of the game may diminish the importance. Still the claim that it was one of the best games of the year (and wow, it’s already been challenged a day later) and hyperbole to suggest one of the best ever in the Big East.

That’s all for another time. After the season is over. Gilbert Brown made the point about what it meant for the present. F0r the rest of this season.

“It’s a big emotional boost as well as a confidence boost for us,” he said. “I think we needed a win like this to make us believe we can do this. Early on in the season, when we had our first five wins in the Big East, we were rolling. We really felt like we could get it done and possibly be in contention for a Big East regular-season championship. And then after going through the struggles we went through, pulling this game out it really shows the character of the players, how we fought every day in practice just to get back to this point.”

And why you go through the practices and push through the grind at this point in the season. If you are a player and a coach, getting rewarded with a win like this whey you have worked hard and been through a rough patch is vindication and oh, so rewarding.

But also get this straight: the Panthers played with a will and a wont that’s been missing for much of the past couple months. They won this war of attrition by soldiering through foul trouble and substitutions thanks to a level of play not seen by the bench this season.

Travon Woodall, so largely ineffective this season that he’s affected the offense of Ashton Gibbs, had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 31 of the most pressure-packed minutes he’s ever played. More than his stat sheet contributions, though, was that his performance allowed Gibbs to fill up his side of the ledger. With Woodall at the point, Gibbs was able to get open on the perimeter and made 6 of 13 3-pointers, including one to tie the game at the end of regulation. Gibbs had 24 points and hit at least five threes for the first time since Pitt’s equally improbably upset at Syracuse.

“Sometimes (Woodall) feels like he has to make a play to stay in the game,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “I tell him, ‘You don’t have to make a play. Just let things comes to you. I think he sees that and sees the results.”

Woodall was huge and a welcome re-emergence. Most of us thought he was going to be fine mid-way through the non-con. He had some clunkers, but was improving and there was a learning curve to being the PG for Pitt. Then he started struggling. With Jermaine Dixon and then Gilbert Brown returning, and the team actually winning big games in conference, it became harder to risk playing him out there. It was no longer about Woodall and the rest of Pitt taking some lumps in a rebuilding year. It was about possibly being near the top of the Big East. Things went from being a NCAA bubble team, but playing for seed.

“The guy who really stood out to me was Travon,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “We keep saying he’s going to make us better, and he really played well. He really played within himself. He was big for us in so many ways.”

…

“Any time I’m on the floor, I feel like I need to have the ball in my hands,” Woodall said. “I want to create for my teammates and get them open shots. I don’t need to score, but I need to have the ball in my hands to set things up.”

It was a turning point for Woodall, who admits to losing confidence over the course of the season.

He had several conversations with Jamie Dixon, including one this past week that lasted an hour. When Woodall related that he felt the need to make plays to stay in the game, Dixon implored him to concentrate on his defense and to make the simple pass, the simple play.

Woodall did that against West Virginia, and he might have won his coach over.

“He played like a veteran,” Dixon said. “I’m very proud of him because I’ve really been on him. I’ve been pushing him, pushing him. I really believe he can be a big part of our improvement.”

The confidence is important. The next 2 games are against guard-oriented/heavy teams. Marquette and Villanova will be all over Gibbs and trying to pressure the ball. Pitt needs Woodall to play with confidence and take care of the ball.

Final thing, since Huggins’ post-game statements came under scrutiny in the comments. I didn’t see much that was inaccurate or disrespectful about them.  Huggins’ concern is not with Pitt after a game is over, but his team and even his fanbase. Comments in the media are as much directed at his players as anyone else. A good article on Huggins after the game. He apparently laid in to the team afterwards.

Almost without fail after a loss, Huggins will keep his team sequestered in its locker room long past what is supposed to be the 10-minute cooling-off period before he exits and meets - and allows his players to do the same - with the media. What goes on in there is mere speculation, but the words rant and rave and scream and yell are generally good bets.

Often his players will even admit to it. Sometimes, as was the case on Friday, they are reluctant even to discuss it.

“I think we’ll keep that private,” point guard Truck Bryant said after enduring the roughly 20-minute tongue-lashing at the Petersen Events Center just after midnight on what had become Saturday morning.

By the time he got to the media, he was noticeably calm almost subdued. He didn’t single out individual players publicly. He bemoaned their mistakes, but it was hardly a rant on his team. His team made big mistakes. Missed shots and Pitt crashed through the opening. Lot’s of things I find distasteful and downright hateable about Bob Huggins, but this doesn’t make it.

…Before I collapse

You know, I just looked up at SportsCenter to find out DeJuan Blair had a 20-20 night in the Rookie-Sophomore NBA game. That’s nice.

Good luck to the rest of college basketball on Saturday in topping tonight. Odds are it won’t be coming from the Big 11. In a hilarious scheduling quirk, there are three games on Saturday. 3 of the 5 teams tied for 1st in the Big 11 against the bottom 3 teams in the conference: Mich St-PSU; Ind-Wisc; Iowa-Purdue. To quote the Big 11 Network’s own commercial, “Never, never, leave the couch!”

Man, it is a good thing Pitt has 6 days before the game against Marquette. Playing at the Bradley Center was going to be tough enough. If this game took place just a few days after tonight, Pitt would still be too drained mentally and physically.

I still can’t get over the night Woodall had. I’ve been so disappointed and hard on him. He was terrified to shoot early, but was so composed in the second half and the OTs. He finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 0 turnovers. If this gets his confidence back, it would be huge.

Wanamaker had a double-double. 24 points and 10 assists. Gilbert Brown and Ashton Gibbs provided points — especially late. McGhee didn’t score a lot, but was a strong force inside.

A strong finish and never giving up — even if we started to — was inspiring.

Complete stomach punch to WVU and the Hoopies. They had the game. Then they didn’t.

Whee.