The game today (now playing) against Mt. Saint Mary’s is the last that won’t be seen on any TV. After today, whether on Big East/ESPN regional or somewhere on the Mouse Monopoly, there Pitt will be watchable on the tube.
The annoying thing — beyond the fact that I want to be able to see every game — is that this game will be very interesting to watch after Pitt has had a week off for finals. Coach Dixon has decided that the team needs some shaking up.
When the players reported for practice Tuesday afternoon they were informed that all starting positions were up for grabs. The practices were harder and longer than usual. One player described the past three days as a “boot camp.”
Another player said he wished Dixon would have done it sooner.
“The week was tough,” junior guard Brad Wanamaker. “I felt as though it was something we needed. It helped us mature. It will help us make better decisions. Every little thing we did coach was on us in practice. Coach was constantly on us to see the fight in us. Maybe it was something he should have done constantly throughout all of the practices. We would be a better team now. But it was good for us.”
Freshman forward Dante Taylor said when the players got to practice on Tuesday they discovered there were no gold jerseys. Gold jerseys designate the starters and represent a team hierarchy of sorts.
“When we came out for the first practice there was no gold team,” Taylor said. “He told us positions were open. This was the time for you to show if you wanted to be a starter or not. He was going to start the five guys who play defense.”
And for the first time this season, Coach Dixon really explained how the inexperience has been a problem. Not an excuse, but a problem.
“That has been the challenge,” Jamie Dixon said. “You have new guys who are used to doing it one way. You don’t have the guys to demonstrate it. Jermaine is our best defender, and he’s not there.
“I think we’ve had to do more teaching and more film. New guys generally don’t believe it until they see it in a game situation. And then if they continue to play minutes and not suffer the consequences then it becomes less believable. There has been improvement and there needs to be more improvement.”
In other words, how do you yank their asses off the court and onto the bench to make the point when you don’t have a viable option?
And of course, after today, the rotation changes again with Gilbert Brown returning.
Jamie Dixon will likely give Brown minutes at power forward and small forward, meaning once again that the rotation will change significantly.
The unique aspect of Brown’s return is that he has been barred from practice and has not been a part of the team since September. He has attended games, but has not been allowed to participate in any team-related activities during his suspension.
“There is no formula for that one,” the coach said. “That’s a unique situation. It is what it is and we’ll see come Sunday. It’s the situation that we’re in.
“The thing that’s unique is that he’s been in the program for four years. That’s something that should factor in some ways. He has played minutes. He has that going for him unlike the seven new players we have this year.”
We’ll see. I know I’ll be very curious to see what kind of shape Brown is in at this point.
– Starting lineup was: Gibbs, Dixon, Wannamaker, Robinson, McGhee.
– Gary had one of the better games I’ve seen from him, particularly on defense. He was aggressive but stayed out of foul trouble by moving his feet.
– This team still struggles to find points from anyone other than Gibbs and Wannamaker. Wannamaker has really stepped up.
– Robinson is still really struggling to put the ball in the hoop while Taylor and Miller are struggling to just figure out what is going on.
– A nice win, but I would have preferred to put this team away earlier.
the defense, especially the guards, were beaten several times one-on-one. I know Dixon hates zone but he is going to have to seriously consider it.
the offensive movement looked better but still Gibbs and Wannamaker dominated the scoring (again)
Taylor did not see much PT particularly in 2nd half … in fact, until last minute, substitions were scarce in 2nd half
This team will struggle all year, David D, what are you smoking or drinking?
Pitt has a hard time getting the ball inside and once they do Taylor/McGhee have hands of stone they are both a work in progress.
Jamie better move Taylor because he is not performing at center.
NIT’s unless they win the BE tourny
Actually, Ontario, I agree that score comparisons are usually not very reliable … however, I honestly csn’t see indication, scores, stats or eye test taht doesn’t tell me that we are in for a long year. I knew this team would start slowly and improve as the year progressed … but that is what is bothering me the most — I haven’t seen much improvement at all thus far.
McGhee had a nice game. He played wthin his capabilities, rebounded well and played decent defense. He does have hands of stone and struggles with entry passes at times.
I’m not sure how this combo is going to hold up in the BE-guess we’ll find out soon enough.
Before some of us fire up the Doomsday Express, we really should allow the season to unfold with our full compliment of players….
Maybe with the addition of Dixon and Brown, the light may go on … and again, maybe I’m spoiled by recent years, but I just see the same mediocre play against mediocre teams .. plain and simple
That being said, do I expect it to contend for a BE title? No, I do not. But, I do expect it to eventually be playing at a higher level than it has been so far. How much higher? I honestly don’t know. My hopefull guess is that it could be about 4-5 points/game better. If that can be achieved before it is too far into the worst part of the BE schedule; then, perhaps, this team would/could move up into the current Georgetown, Connecticut, St. John’s, Seton Hall range which 4-5 points/game better (per Sagarin) represents. [The middle of that range might be around #25 +/- nationally. Amazing isn’t it that the difference between the #60 team and being in the top 25 is only 4-5 points?] If that’s possible, making the NCAA’s could happen. The key, IMO, is whether that level can be reached before too many early BE games are lost to preclude the 10-11 win BE season needed for an NCAA bid. FYI–Today’s Sagarin rating link–http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkc0910.htm
Think of the reasons why:
1) These guys are just getting to know each others’ names, it may be way too late before they learn each others’ games. (not bad for a Monday AM, eh?). So why not make it easier?
2) Frankly we appear to not only have middling talent, we have a lot of it. Why not wear teams down with two platoons that could avail themselves fairly well?
3) With all the subbing Jamie does now it’s easy to come in out of sync, make a few turnovers and get yanked. A continuous 15 minutes would negate that.
A 100% Gilbert Brown and a 100% Jermaine Dixon may make this idea moot. But, on the other hand, what better way than this to get them into playing shape?
Just an idea….
Things may not look good right now, but I’m not yet ready to write-off this season…there is just too much that is still in flux.
He is, however, a 6’6″ center with somewhat limited athletic ability. His ceiling is pretty low, it is hard to see him developing into a starter on BE title contending team. Unfortunately, if pitt needs another scholarship for Moore or someone else, J.J. will be high on Jamie’s list of potential transfers.
It is a really, really bad sign if we’re expecting a major contribution from J.J. this year.
Guess is that as long as Pitt can play solid D they will be in every game they play in the Big East this year.
That means to me they will win some games against some of the bigger talent in the BE this year and they will lose a game or two that they should’ve won.
20 wins isn’t a impossible goal to reach IMHO.
DaveD