Geez, halfway through the Big East season already. Only 8 more games before the Big East Tournament. You know what that means? Meaningless mid-season awards, to fill-in the empty space. Don’t really disagree with the choices made.
Meanwhile one of the Syracuse beat writers has realized that with the size of the Big East, the all-conference team is going to be a real bear to figure out, and even he doesn’t have a clue.
Picking a five-man all-Big East team (even plus a Player of the Year) would be impossible. Too many teams, too many outstanding guards.
For once, I won’t be taking a shot at the league office for adding a player – or two – to its all-conference team, as it has often done in hoops and football.
According to the league office, there will be an all-league team of 10, plus the POY.
Still, rest assured that picking an all-conference team provides another form of March Madness.
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Could tattooed Kevin get Pittsnogled by fellow Mountaineers long-range shooter Mike Gansey?How can you not go with Big East scoring leader Quincy Douby? Best stroke this side of J.J. Redick?
While the lovefest for Gerry McNamara reaches a crescendo March 5 in our town, one has to wonder how league coaches view G-Mac’s stats.
UConn’s Marcus Williams didn’t tee it up early, but he’s played every league game and is tops in assists.
Doesn’t Chris Quinn deserve the sympathy vote? Notre Dame loses one squeaker after another, but the Mighty Quinn has logged the most minutes, is second in scoring and assists, a powerful combination.
Shouldn’t Marquette’s Steve Novak get a sniff.
Does Pitt’s Aaron Gray, the league’s most improved player and a double-double waiting to happen, even have a shot? And could it be teammate Carl Krauser, by reputation or performance?
I am dreading trying to figure this out.
Krauser is getting some more love.
Senior Carl Krauser, whose role with Pitt as its primary point guard has changed this season, was named to a list of finalists for the annual Bob Cousy Award, honoring the nation’s top point guard.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in conjunction with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., made the announcement Thursday.
Krauser, who also is a mid-season finalist for the Wooden Award, which honors the nation’s top player, leads Pitt in scoring (16.4 ppg.) and assists (4.5 apg.) this season.
In the weekly Q&A, Ray Fittipaldo addresses Graves play, the idea of Barry Rohrssen replacing Dixon if he should move on, Pitt’s struggles on defending the 3 and a Krauser question.
Q: In Big East games against upper echelon teams (Connecticut for instance), Carl Krauser needs to revert to his street ball, playground antics. Granted, he gives the Panthers a go-to guy, but wouldn’t Pitt be better off with someone like Sam Young or even Aaron Gray having the ball with the game on the line?
Fittipaldo: Krauser struggled again Tuesday night, but he remains Pitt’s best clutch player. Young is too young and inexperienced to be a go-to guy and it’s hard for a center to be the go-to-guy. Pitt drew up a play for Gray when the Panthers were down by one with less than a minute left against Connecticut. He was denied the ball in the post, so the guards had to look elsewhere. You need a guard who can create in that situation, and Pitt did not have that because Krauser had fouled out with 2:58 remaining. Pitt might win that game if Krauser has the ball in his hands.
Krauser is still Pitt’s best passer. Ramon has definitely improved, but he is not close to where Krauser is in making the inside pass. It was encouraging to see Ramon penetrate against UConn. That helps open things up in the passing lanes as the inside defenders need to be aware of that possibility — one of the advantages for Krauser. Next year, while Ramon and Fields will often be paired together, I think one of them will be designated the point guard based on who has made the biggest strides in getting the ball inside.
