Let’s get the optimism out of the way first.

Pitt won. Always good. If you want to keep it simple. That’s the simplest part of a 63-53 final score and the best. Pitt got a win, and after a couple losses you don’t quibble with how it happens just that the Panthers came out with a win.

Other goods:

The Red Storm has lost games to Villanova and UConn. Against UConn they only trailed by 3 on the road and led ‘Nova by 1 at home at the hal. So Pitt trailing by 4 at the half was almost par for the course with St. John’s. They hang in the first half. Look like they might pull the upset. Then after the other side adjusts they stay the course and go down in double-digit defeat.

You are going to have to drag Wanamaker-haters out of the gutter after this one. He goes 2-3s on 3s (rest of the team 0-9), shoots 50% overall (60% eFG), 4-4 on FTs, 16 points, 4 rebounds,6 assists, 2 steals and only 1 turnover.

Despite (however ineffective it was) St. John’s attempt to pressure Pitt did not result in Pitt turning over the ball. Pitt only had 9 turnovers for the game.

Free throw shooting rules. 21-24 at the line.

Responding to Jermaine Dixon going out of the game. It was almost like a collective moment for the team. They got it together and did it themselves. The ball movement picked up. Defensive effort improved. Right around the 12 minute mark of the second half, it seemed that the whole tenor of the game shifted. The energy overall changed. It seemed that Pitt just got it together.

Content neutral: Shots falling was less than consistent. Some good shots in the first half, just didn’t fall. They fell in the second half when Pitt stuck with going inside. That Pitt didn’t give up on that was good. That it seemed no predicting whether it was going to go or not was less fun.

Bad: Hope Jermaine Dixon is okay.

Can someone ^$*%#@! hit a 3-pointer?