I swear, this time for sure. The final thing (I hope) regarding the Marquette game and the officiating. The one thing that hasn’t been resolved is why the hell Coach Jamie Dixon got a technical foul (Insider subs.)?
What’s up with the inconsistencies in calling technical fouls on coaches? Pitt’s Jamie Dixon was given a T after Tim Higgins, according to Dixon, didn’t like the look on his face. Huh? And then did you see Mick Cronin’s reaction to a no-call at the end of regulation of the Cincinnati-West Virginia? It was akin to when Mike Davis went mad during an Indiana-Kentucky game in Louisville.
Cronin went running wildly down the baseline and had to be restrained by his assistants. No call was made. Once again, calling a T on a coach shouldn’t be a subjective move by an official. Yet, that appears to be the case more often than not, depending on the mood of the official.
Glad, there was a good reason at least. Oh, what the hell. A little more from the same.
So what was Marquette’s Dominic James thinking when he went for a drive with seven seconds left in overtime against Pitt on Sunday? Well, James said he actually was reacting to what the officials told him. James said Monday that the officials who called a foul on him at the end of regulation said that he hit Ronald Ramon’s hand. So, James took that advice, knowing that the officials were going to call it tight, and went right at the Panthers. He was right. He got hit and he got the call with under a second remaining in the game.
Can’t fault James for being smart enough to know what to do with the way the game was getting called.
Speaking about the Big East race, Andy Katz got that question in a chat.
Andrew (Milwaukee): After these last four games for Marquette (at UConn, dismantling West Virginia, at Louisville, and then the HUGE win at Pitt) what do you think their chances are for taking the Big East? They only have 3 more road games (Georgetown, DePaul, Notre Dame), and they get Pitt again in front of a CRAZY Bradley Center crowd.
Andy Katz: As well as Marquette is playing those three road games you mentioned could all be losses. Georgetown could pose plenty of problems with its size and Notre Dame will be up for the Eagles and is fully capable of winning. DePaul is the wackiest team in the Big East this season. Ultimately I say Pitt wins the Big East by a game over Marquette.
We’ll see. Not sure why Georgetown (and even Villanova) seem to be being dismissed when there is still plenty of time left in the season and the standings very close.
Finally, Pat Forde likes what Pitt will and can do on the road in the Big East.
Pittsburgh (17) — Big East road record: 2-0, with victories over Syracuse (RPI 47) and DePaul (63). Road ahead: Tough. Cincinnati (140), Villanova (21), West Virginia (54), Seton Hall (105), Georgetown (36), Marquette (26). Count on at least a couple of losses in there.
I’d settle for just a couple losses in that mix.
I like the fact that Cook brings some attitude to what otherwise is a vanilla lineup. But I don’t like his talking, showboating and seemingly lackadaisical approach.
Since Georgetown, his game has been a bit too “Philly playground” for my liking. Too much burying his head in the defender’s chest and heaving up a waist-high, no-look hook shot in the paint.
By comparison, Benjamin is a liability in a set offense at the moment. But I think that’s more of an inability to get in the rhythm of the game when playing so few minutes as opposed to an indication of his skill level.
My dream moment for the Cincy game: Gray misses one or two bunnies. Dixon subs out for him and you see the camera pan to Dixon yelling at Gray, his mouth clearly saying, “Take it strong the fucking hoop, Aaron!”
My negative comments aside, I’m actually pretty hopeful that we’ll see Pitt play a much stronger game and get back to taking care of the ball. I think they’ll win by 13.
Don’t think they’ll have much trouble with Cincy…..
