The Selection Show just wrapped up and Pitt was given a 3 seed (full bracket here). It’s the West Regional which doesn’t make a ton of sense to me but I guess it’s the only way we’d be able to play in Columbus or Buffalo as a #3 seed.
Here’s the things to look at:
–The first team we’re looking at is Wright St. out of the Horizon League. They had a record of 23-9, 13-3 in conference with an RPI of 72. They got in after they took down Butler, 60-55, in the Horizon Championship Game. Other than that, I don’t know anything else about them but I’m sure over the next few days I’ll get to know them a bit better.
–Obviously the first thing you notice about our draw is the possibilities of teams we could play down the road. First is a Duke team who probably got bumped up a few seed lines simply because they are Duke.
–If everything after that continues to follow form then UCLA would likely await us. If it necessary to mention the significance of that? Dixon and Howland refuse to schedule one another. This time, they might not have a chance.
Still gotta get past Wright State though. Some people already have this penciled in but as far as I’m concerned any team that makes the NCAA Tourney can beat you on any given night. As the week goes on, we’ll give you as much as we can dig up on WSU.
AARON GRAY THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL – YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP FOR A GAME ON THURSDAY AND NOT FUCK THIS UP….AGAIN.
And Vitale has already decided Coach K will coach up his felons and out coach Dixon…So you can pencil in Duke. Windbag.
DaShaun Wood is a tough, quality player. Lightning quick and can shoot, rebound and pass. He’d be getting a lot more press if he was 6′ tall. I’m not sure any of our guards will be able to contain him one-on-one.
I relish the opportunity to play both Duke and UCLA. But let’s not look past the first obstacle. Focus, focus, focus.
we lose to teams with big men who challenge aaron gray and teams with fast guards…duke has neither of these…….
lets get past wright st, and then stick it to duke….
So, going back from memory, basing it on the times printed on the tickets this year, i come up with this as my prediction:
Last year, the 3 seed played the 7pm-ish game on thursday in the west bracket, and then played the 2pm-ish game on saturday. Because we ended in teh West again this year, and the ticket times are exactly the same, but we’re the 3 instead of teh 5 seed, the final prediction is:
Thursday 7.30 pm (20 min after 5pm game ends)
Saturday 2.30 pm (20 min after noon game ends)
espn just had howland on and didnt ask him about the possibility of playing pitt…..espn sucks….
no one has mentioned that our games are in buffalo…..nice to get the higher seeded games in a home court environment
Like I said above, my best prediction.
If we go with your times, we should be 9.45ish and then 2.45ish…
We will beat wright state, also can anyone confirm that dixon interviewed for the wright state job while he was an assistant at Pitt?
I like our chances, see you in buffalo.
make up your mind world-wide leader……
Of course, after the interview ended, Rece Davis mentioned the possibility of UCLA-Pitt in the Sweet 16.
Pitt is one of only 12 programs nationally and the only Big East team to advance to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last six seasons. Those schools include: Arizona, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pitt, Southern Illinois, Texas and Wisconsin
To me Pitt is clearly the better team. Duke is not athletic, big or deep. Gray should have no problem making McRoberts look foolish. McRoberts is a great passer but he has no ability to take someone on down low. Duke also struggles at times to run a half court offense. They are young and settle for outside shots.
I’m not saying it will an easy game but I’m not worried as long as Higgins is out of the equation.
I would have rather gotten GU’s 2 seed.
Note to Dick Vitale:
His name is Aaron Gray.
Douchebag.
(The video of it is up at espn360.com under the Bracketology: West Region)
The better question to ask is what Pitt team will show up Thursday?