As has been previously observed, Pitt is now 11-0. This now has Pitt ranked in both polls. Pitt has moved to #20 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and debuts in the AP Writers Poll at #22.
Let’s start with the partial mea culpa from Greg Doyel who expected a Pitt loss.
Pittsburgh’s good. Clemson’s bad. I’m an idiot.
Let’s do the Monday Morning Knee-Jerk.
Best win: Undefeated Pittsburgh’s victory over No. 24 Wisconsin verified Pitt’s legitimacy more than its first 10 victories combined.
Speaking of partial mea culpas, Doug Gottlieb who previously ripped on Pitt and expected “Wisconsin to give them fits at home,” now says this.
Could it be the most underrated player in the country is Carl Krauser? Sure, “Black Magic” has his detractors, but all he has done to silence them is shoot more consistently, turn the ball over less and lead Pitt to a nice little run against quality competition last week.
While no one expects the Panthers to contend with UConn or Villanova for the Big East crown, Krauser is putting his team in position to compete with Louisville, Syracuse and others for NCAA Tournament respect. Compare Krauser (who literally has been at Pitt half a decade) and Gerry McNamara (who seems like he has been at the Cuse forever) this season and G-Mac has been more spectacular, but he is only shooting 33 percent from both 2- and 3-point range (although he’s at 93.4 percent from the FT line) while Krauser is shooting at a career-high 46 percent from 2 and 39.5 percent from 3 and quietly is having a far better senior season.
If by quietly, you mean not appearing on TV, then sure.
Meanwhile, from “Wisconsin’s progressive newspaper” (hey, that’s what they call themselves), how about some backhanded slaps at Krauser while trying to defend yet another top Wisconsin player being shut down by Pitt.
Taylor, however, wasn’t looking for excuses. He was bothered by the fact that he didn’t match the toughness displayed by Tucker or Pitt’s overly demonstrative senior guard Carl Krauser, who was all over the place with 22 points, four assists, six turnovers and one incredibly dim-witted technical foul.
*Ahem* Let me put this gently: Scoreboard. Bitch. You stay classy, Wisconsin.
Finally, in an action that should surprise no one, Sam Young was named Big East Rookie of the Week.
In Pitt’s two weekly wins, Young averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while converting 12 of his 19 field goal attempts (63.2 percent). He scored a career-high tying 16 points (7-11 FG) and grabbed five rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 31. He also led Pitt with 16 points (5-8 FG) and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds in a victory at South Carolina on Dec. 28.
A native of Clinton, Md., Young was named the National Prep School Player of the Year by Scout.com after averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds per game at Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.) last year. Through Pitt’s first 11 games, Young is averaging 8.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and is converting 60.0 percent (33-55) of his field goal attempts.
The last Pitt player to earn Big East Rookie of the Week honors was Chris Taft on March 7, 2004. Taft earned the honor six times during the 2003-04 season.
The BE press release is here.
