Sorry for the late start. Was outside doing more digging out of all the snow. My back is killing me, barely got back inside. Haven’t even had a chance to grab a beer yet.
Ugly start so far. Lots of misses. At least the defensive effort appears there early.
12:18: DePaul is supposed to have a lot of talent. A big recruiting class. Lots of people think highly of Jerry Wainwright. He was on the coaching staff for USA Basketball (U-21, I think). Aside from being very personable and glib, I have yet to see a DePaul game where I thought the coaching was the difference — in a good way. Especially on defense.
Pitt has really started hitting the shots thanks to the poor DePaul defense. The thing that worries me is that the Pitt players will use it as an excuse not to play defense. Lord knows they need to.
11:09 left in the half, Pitt leading 20-11.
12:28: And there’s the lack of defense inside. DePaul has closed to within 5 with 8:30 left.
12:30: Geez. Wanamaker with a nice steal on help defense, then tries to go 1-3 and turns it right back over. The hoop goes the other way +1. Again, no defense inside to allow right to the basket.
DePaul can take the lead with the free throw after the commercial break.
12:35: That TV timeout gave Pitt a chance to regroup. Moving the ball on offense again and now a 8-0 run to take a 35-27 lead with 5:03 left in the half.
A little more patient on defense in this spurt.
12:40: DePaul already has 3 players with 2 fouls — Clarke, Koshwal, Poscic — mainly inside guys.
12:47: Yes, Pitt leads 45-39.
I’m not that happy, though. Not doing a good job on defense. Way too many easy drives straight to the basket. No one there to contest them. DePaul is not a good team, and they are being allowed to get to the rim.
Sloppy with the ball. Crap load of turnovers — 7 or 8 so far.
Sure the offense has looked pretty good, but this is against DePaul and their weak defense. Fine that Pitt is shooting and scoring. The defense is what they need to be playing.
1:10: Pitt up 56-45 with 16:26 left. Ramon has drained a couple 3s. Still giving up baskets in the paint. There seems little urge from Young or Blair to challenge shots. More afraid of drawing fouls and not getting to score later. Rebounding is solid, at least.
1:20: DePaul is so bad defensively. Leaving Pitt’s perimeter wide open. Benjamin with another 3 and a +1.
Now Pitt getting a quick little spurt.
Pitt up 68-56, with under 13 minutes.
1:33: The good news for Pitt’s offense. 5 players already in double figures — Benjamin, Fields, Blair, Young and Brown. Ramon has 9 points. At least on offense, the wealth is being spread.
Still struggling with the whole defense. Pitt leads 77-68 with 8:04 left.
1:39: Ramon with a basket puts him in double digits as well.
6:34 left Pitt up 84-70.
1:50: Not much to say since Pitt is taking care of DePaul with a 91-76 lead with under 4 to go.
The offense had their way with DePaul, as expected. As I’ve said over and over today, the defense is the issue and that still doesn’t look good.
1:53: In comes senior walk-on Maurice Polen. Go, ‘Mo!
1:59: Pitt cruises 98-79 final.
Also really good news, the women’s team just upset Notre Dame in the Women’s BE Tournament quarterfinals!
