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March 4, 2009

Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that last year Marquette was able to hold DeJuan Blair in check in both games.

One thing that stands out about both games as far as MU is concerned is the way it was able to hold down 6-foot-7, 265-pound forward DeJuan Blair. In the two games, Blair battled foul trouble en route to averaging just 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds — obviously a huge boon for MU.

Except that the facts are wrong. Blair was 5-6 for 16 points and 8 boards in the Big East Tournament meeting in 33 minutes (he did have 4 fouls and 4 turnovers). In the embarrassment at the Bradley Center, Blair had 5 rebounds and 6 points in 23 minutes. Again he had 4 fouls and 4 turnovers. So, by my math, he averaged 10 points and 6.5 rebounds. Not great, but a little different. Clearly Rosiak must have meant the fouls and TOs.

The Golden Eagles showed against UConn and Louisville that they aren’t going to just fold and quit without James. Have to assume that Pitt isn’t taking this game for granted. Dominic James was not medically cleared to make the trip with his teammates. He has to suffer back in his crib and watch. Much like us.

Anyhow, there will be a liveblog. I repeat, for best results, view in Chrome. It responds best.

You can find the liveblog RIGHT HERE.





The special presentation tonight was the retiring of brandin knight’s #20.

Comment by Joey T 03.04.09 @ 7:26 pm

I got off the liveblog. I was bad luck.

Comment by steve 03.04.09 @ 9:17 pm

Steve, Stay off it from now on

Comment by Tiger Paul 03.04.09 @ 9:36 pm

atta-boy Gilbert

Comment by the Mayor of Harrisburg 03.04.09 @ 9:37 pm

Done, Joey.

Comment by steve 03.04.09 @ 10:00 pm

All tell you, this blog has really gone downhill in the last two years,during Pitt games and after we would all be blogging about the game and discussing basketball and there would be 150 or so posts right after the game. What happened, were did all the bloggers go. I have looked for other Pitt sites that have active message boards but it has not been a very good experiance. Hey I still like to read your articles and all I just wish for the quantity and quality of the past. Does anyone know were there is an active site or us Pitt fans who like to discuss basketball after the games?

Comment by buzz 03.04.09 @ 10:22 pm

buzz, there are liveblogs DURING the game that people are commenting on…that’s why you’re not seeing the comments afterwards

Comment by merlin 03.04.09 @ 10:25 pm

I went to that site and was active somewhat. Just people complaining about Dickie V and the like. no one actually breaking down the game and having basketball conversation. That live blog is passe, dont you think? Just quick blurbs and one liners like comedians or just a complaint here and there.

Comment by buzz 03.04.09 @ 10:37 pm

I call it having fun. You can’t be all serious all the time because the heart attack happens. Personally, I stopped looking for other Pitt blogs a long time ago. We have a good mix of people here I think.

Comment by Panthoor 03.04.09 @ 10:44 pm

Oklahoma losing by 10 with 4 minutes to go

Comment by Tiger Paul 03.04.09 @ 10:55 pm

Go Texas Tech

Comment by Ira 03.04.09 @ 11:47 pm

Anybody else struggling with the fact that we have to root for WVU against Louisville Saturday?

😉

Comment by Dave in Orlando 03.05.09 @ 12:26 am

hey buzz – a little sarcasm never hurt anybody…did you see this game…..from up 7 to down 9 to up 20 in a real life 30 minutes…if you cant make jokes about that, then why watch hoops…..

Comment by schoey 03.05.09 @ 6:33 am

Was fun to be there last night…….the place was pretty energized.

Great offensive performance by the Panthers. They were patient and consistently got good shots. Worked it inside over and over and drew fouls in the second half when the game was in question. Also, gotta love the improvement in Blair’s foul shooting. He’s been getting better for a while and seems pretty reliable these days.

As they have all season, Pitt grinds opponents down in the second half and Marquette just wore out. They blinked when McNeal took a couple of low-percentage 3s after they’d grabbed the lead and you could just tell they didn’t have the patience or the depth to hold on.

Pitt took very few, if any, bad shots. Maybe Dixon took a couple 3s early that he didn’t need to hoist up, but those were the only questionable ones I remember. Sam missed a couple turnaround fadeaways on the baseline, but those are shots he normally makes.

Marquette misses James all over the floor. He’s not out there to set up McNeal and Matthews and he’s not out there as a presence and stopper on defense. Would have liked to see Pitt beat that team with them at full strength.

I certainly feel a lot better than I have after the Providence and Seton Hall games, which were really underwhelming efforts. Great confidence builder leading up to the biggest basketball game ever played at Pitt on Sat!

Comment by hugh green 03.05.09 @ 8:59 am

What an amazing last 10 minutes. Its been some time since I’ve seen the Panthers that hot as a team..nobody could miss. Marquette lives and dies by the three. Is Curly from the Three Stooges their head coach?

Great win, now we need to finish the deal and take down uconn.

Comment by Rex 03.05.09 @ 9:04 am

In both SH and last night’s game, it seems that a few minutes into the second half, our defensive intensity suddenly kicks in and we put our foot down on our opponents. Guys seem to be checking their man better, making more of an effort to put a hand in someone’s face, and we move our feet a little faster on the switch-ups. I’d love to see us do that right out of the blocks from the tip-off. You know, start that grinding stuff a little earlier.

I agree with HG on the shot selection. It was obvious that we were making a conscious effort to get the ball down low and take advantage of size, rather than hoisting up 3-pointers to try to match Marquette. We played smart and efficient…Oh, and Gilbert Brown came out of hibernation.

Comment by SilverPanther in NYC 03.05.09 @ 9:37 am

Come to think of it, one of the referees looked like Larry ….. but didn’t notice Moe.

Blair was 9 for 12 from foul line — props for really improving in this area as the season progressed

Comment by w bill 03.05.09 @ 9:39 am

expect a much different style of game on Saturday, with score in the 60s for winning team. It will be much tougher in the paint than last night.

Face it, one of the reasons for our big hopes is that this team can win at different tempos.

Comment by w bill 03.05.09 @ 9:44 am

It was good to see the Panthers recognize that Marquette was making that run in the second half because Pitt was firing up quick 3s and completely ignoring the interior. If I recall what I was muttering to myself early in the second half correctly, 4 of their first 5 shots in the second half were 3s taken probably 15 seconds or less into the shot clock.

At 57-50, they went back inside, got some hoops, were far more patient, and then everything started falling, for the Panthers at least. Knew there was no way Marquette could keep that hot shooting up.
Once they had the big lead, they stayed focused and never gave Marquette the opportunity to get back in the game.

Great win. We Want UConn!!

Comment by Carmen 03.05.09 @ 9:50 am

solid performance last night. expected a blow-out mid-way through the second half, but marquette regrouped and played well to get back in the game. matthews and mcneal are studs. Pitt really helped them take the lead early in the second half by not hustling back on defense after missed shots and taking early shots in the first place. that let marquette get out in transition and that is exactly how they want to play. then mcneal took some horrible, horrible shots when they had the lead and just like that it’s tied and pitt pulls away.

defense played well at times, but will need to be more intense for a whole game in the ncaa tournament. can’t have defensive lapses and take quick shots in the NCAA. you won’t be at home and the crowd won’t be able to help you get back in the game.

all in all a great win against a marquette team that will likely be as good as pitt’s second round opponent.

Comment by omar 03.05.09 @ 10:02 am

meant mid-way through the first half for the blowout.

Comment by omar 03.05.09 @ 10:06 am

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