Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.

Here’s the Cliff’s notes summary of what happened in that second half/final 12 minutes.

• Notre Dame was 2-12 on 3s in the first half, and 6-12 in the second.
• Pitt 5-13 on 3s in the first, 2-12 in the second.
• Pitt let up on defense to allow ND to really get out in transition to allow quick scores
• Free throw differential — specifically Harangody 7-8 vs. Blair 2-7
• Tory frickin’ Jackson.
• Guard scoring. Pitt got 17 points in the first half from Benjamin, Fields and Wanamaker; 9 points in the second half
• ND guards had 11 in the first and 28 in the second half.
• 2nd chance points — ND 17, Pitt 9

Now to the notes.

1st half

Early in the game, Rob Kurz had 7 of the first 11 points for ND. Sam Young didn’t exactly come out fired up to play defense.

An excellent job by Pitt to keep Notre Dame from getting out on transition. To the Irish’s credit, they showed a fair amount of patience and moving the ball around to get a good shot. Especially working it inside.

ND’s 3s not falling in the first half, but they were good about attacking the basket. Or at least Tory Jackson was.

DeJuan Blair will probably be the biggest beneficiary of Levance Fields getting healthy. It’s been a struggle to get the ball to Blair with consistency since Fields went down. There are already glimpses as the ball is coming inside to him better — on the money and less fumbling for it.

Fields looked a little bit sharper than in the Marquette game — thankfully. Still has some rust, but showing a little more confidence.

The missed 3s by ND in the first half were huge. eFG% by Pitt was 50% while ND was only 38.2%.

2nd half

Early in the second half: “Ramon can’t buy a bucket, but McAlarney struggling cancels it out — for now.”

At about the 13:50 mark: “Pitt goes up by 11, but slips on defense allowing ND one of their few quick scores out of transition”

When Blair missed those two free throws at the 11:40 mark, Pitt gave up another quick score and promptly turned the ball over and ND capitalized. That sequence made it a 4 point game and brought the crowd back into it. It had the effect home court should have. The Irish picked up their intensity on both ends.

Even then, Pitt still was in the game. But then McAlarney and ND hit their groove on the 3s when they nailed 4 of 5 in a 3 minute stretch to tie and take the game away from Pitt. Pitt turned the ball over on back to back possessions — on the ND end.

Even as Pitt might have had a chance to keep it from getting away, Pitt blew the opportunity. Blair made a great rebound and fed a wide open Young who just plain blew a wide open dunk that would have brought the game back to within 3. Instead ND got it and scored again. That blown dunk will haunt Pitt fans for a while.
It is worth noting that Harangody — despite being a beast inside — is a hell of a whiner when he doesn’t get a call. His own coach had to yell at him as he came within a hair of being T’d up for what he was saying to the ref.