Primary stories on Pitt basketball focus on “character” and “resilience” of the team with Durand Johnson gone for the year.
They are nice stories. Positive stories. And nothing I really disagree with them.
At the same time, this is nothing new with Pitt under Coach Jamie Dixon.
We’ve seen the team handle the loss of Mike Cook and Levance Fields in one season. They weathered early issues when Gil Brown had to sit or Jermaine Dixon.
A good amount of that does indeed go to Coach Dixon not letting the team use it as an excuse. But as noted, it has to do with the guys who lead the team.
James Robinson is the floor leader without question. He gets the respect and attention of everyone on the team. Lamar Patterson and Talib Zanna have grown into their roles as senior leaders, and showed in the GT game that they aren’t shrinking from it.
The only year it didn’t work out so well was when Travon Woodall got hurt and Khem Birch bailed. While that season had as much to do with the poor depth at the guard spots, there was a lack of players who had the presence needed to keep the team going.
I love Nasir Robinson and I think Ashton Gibbs takes entirely too much blame and grief for that season, but they were “lead by example” guys. They were expected to be leaders as the seniors, but really didn’t know what to do. They didn’t have to until then. Brad Wanamaker handled that the prior two years. Woodall was the leader that year, and they were happy with that. With him lost, no one else was there to do it.
I also think Coach Dixon learned something from that loss. That he can’t just wait to see who steps up to lead. While this team has clear leaders for this season, there is planning ahead to make sure guys are ready to lead in the future.
Dixon said he believes the challenge for Pitt will be to overcome his absence by replicating Johnson’s passion instead of his point production.
“There’s a void, but there can also be a way of inspiring or encouraging,” Dixon said. “Durand’s personality is a big part of our team, as well as his basketball attributes. I think we’ll fill that vacuum, that hole. I told our guys, ‘I want you talking. I want you playing with passion. That’s the only thing you need to do differently.’ ”
And Coach Dixon is doing his part to keep things positive with the guys who are supposed to see increased roles but clearly struggled the first time in them.
[Chris] Jones was given the first shot at replacing Johnson, but he struggled while playing only four minutes and quickly got into foul trouble.
Jones also got lost a few times on defense and did not return after his brief appearance.
“He’ll be back, don’t write him off,” Dixon said, with a smile. “He got the two fouls, and we got Josh [Newkirk] in there, but [Jones] will be back, he will be in there on Saturday and he will play good for us.”
No, no, no. The narrative is that Jones is not good enough. That Dixon will now bury him on the bench. What’s this crap about playing a freshman in a big game after a bad outing. That’s not how this works.
Pitt deserves the criticism.
Getting the ball to the high post may be easier, this year, with less size and experience at guard.
But their front line is more formidable, Sutherland is replaced with Grant. Kieta, Christmas and (not Derrick) Coleman all have another year under their belts.
Syracuse does not have a deep bench.
So after you get the ball at the FT line, what do you do with it?
I would not be surprised to see Young/Artis at the high post with Patterson. Each freshman can make the shot and has the skill to pass out of it. Patterson may be the only one with the ability to pass into it.
Coach Dixon seems to be able to scout, gameplan and prepare well against this zone. I expect a competitive game.
tells you what county scholarship players came from pretty interesting
correct xfmr. Cuse hardly has a bench at all.
Last game they started Kieta just so they could bring Grant off the bench.
Pitt needs to push the ball at every opportunity and wear down this not deep bench Cuse team.
They (the media) will always find ‘excuses’ for their favorite, ‘blueblood’ teams.
James Franklin was apparently at Mt Lebanon today, hopefully it was just to meet with Pedo St recruit Apke, and not an attempt to flip Alex Bookser.
The media attention and the drooling local media has done over this guy has been absolutely sickening. Have always thought the amount of attention the Pittsburgh media has given Penn St is ridiculous, but this is just over the top.
Hail to Pitt and beat Cuse tomorrow! I can’t wait…
Better that the 3 point treat is 6’4″ than 6’8″.
If he’s put in, it’s to try to hack on Z and then try to make him retaliate with a cheap foul.
Franklin fit’s the media agenda, so yes he will be treated in a grand messianic manner and very similar to another guy (charlatan) who sometimes can be found at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Funny how this stuff is played out in sport as well.
Guess they want as few as ppl as possible watching Pitt beat Cuse.
This might a good sign. lol
No. 22 Pitt at No. 2 Syracuse, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN:
Nope. Nope. Not again. Not doing it. I’ve learned my lesson about picking against the Orange in Syracuse, N.Y., this season. Not happening this time, even though I think Pitt could pull off the upset. Pitt has kicked off ACC play with a league-leading 51.6 percent clip from the field. And James Robinson has the country’s top assist-to-turnover ratio (5.33). That will be critical against a Syracuse squad that’s fourth in defense turnover rate, per Ken Pomeroy. But Durand Johnson’s knee injury puts even more pressure on Lamar Patterson (2.4 TPG) to be a playmaker and 3-point shooter. By forcing things, he committed seven turnovers in a win over Georgia Tech earlier this week. And when a team is rattled, Syracuse will pounce. Jerami Grant is capable of dominating this game. And Tyler Ennis will be a problem all afternoon for Pitt on both ends of the floor.
Prediction: Syracuse 76, Pitt 70
(H)Akeem Olajuwan; stats at University at Houston
Sophomore Year: 8 ppg & 6 rpg
Junior Year: 14 ppg & 11 rpg
Senior Year: 20 ppg & 13 rpg
Olajuwan’s front court mates were All-American Clyde Drexler (6’7″), strongman Larry ‘Mr. Mean’ Micheaux (6’9″) and lefty Michael Young (6’7″).
Most fun game to watch was #1 Houston vs #2 Louisville who were known as the ‘Doctor’s of Dunk’.
In the NCAA Final 4 of 1983.
if he was my son they would not get in my front door i would tell the kid if you dont want pitt ok but make it UCLA or ND but dont you even look at penn state or WVU i might even say ohio state or bama but no penn state
Michael Wilbon on PTI
I also like the Bronco’s by 8 against the Pats. I just see Brady having a bad game call me crazy.
I like Cuse to win. I think they win by 7.
We are getting really good but Cuse is already really good and home.
Typical arrogant Cuse fan. Love this line.
“Syracuse is more explosive offensively, but (at this particular time) more prone to offensive slumps.”
Yep this is why Pitt is avg’g 78 ppg in ACC games and Syracuse is only avg’g 61.8 ppg.
But let them go ahead and believe their own false reality. Cuse will be the one slowing the tempo of this game, not Pitt.
Those of us who had +4.5 were pretty close.
And the Brian Shorter, Sean Miller, Bobby Martin teams of the early 90’s weren’t bad either.
Syracuse thinks they’re a blue blood, but in reality they have one (1), count in one national title.
What they are is: Classic Underachievers.
Thank you for your weekly negativity towards Pitt. If the Panthers win tomorrow we won’t hear from you for a week
If anyone ever drank at the Luna Bar on Centre Ave & Craig.
This is what sat there about 70-80 years before we drank there ! lol
Photo #11 You could take a Sternwheeler trip to Morganhole for $1 (don’t know why you would, but apparently ppl did, maybe for laughs)
Some of these pics are so clear, looks like they were taken yesterday.
Yep this is why Pitt is avg’g 78 ppg in ACC games and Syracuse is only avg’g 61.8 ppg.
But let them go ahead and believe their own false reality. Cuse will be the one slowing the tempo of this game, not Pitt.
Comment by Emel 01.17.14 @ 6:35 pm
Syracuse (per Kenpom):
Avg possession on D is 20 seconds (last in the nation)
Avg Possession on O is 18 seconds (same as Pitt) Last season was 16.7sec (#41)
Tempo 62.4ppg (#343 of 351) Last season 64.2ppg (#252)
Emel, I believe that you are right. Pitt will not be the team to slow the pace.
Pitt has made a effort to playing faster this season. The converse appears true for the Orange.
I frequented the place all 4 years at Pitt (after Quin Ques- pronounced Chi chis) closed. Another 3 years after that while I worked in the printing business at Addressograph Multigraph on Baum/Bigalow and every single trip back for Pitt or Steeler games for the next 27 years.
I can remember Larry (bartender/part owner) sneaking us out the back door during raids and we would literally walk thru the old amusement park rides.
Just stunned at how it once looked. My aunt told me that at one time Oakland was the richest place in Pittsburgh.
Thanks again….go Pitt…
The beer was super cheap and the place was a hangout for fraternity members (I think mostly from Sigma Chi).
The bathroom stunk like a sewer! Despite all of the Luna’s shortcomings it was one of the best bars around the campus in the early 60’s.
Fellow Panthers, don’t miss out on my latest business venture – a monthly sports auction house. Our sports auction ends tomorrow – bid live or on-line: link to auctionzip.com
Really? WTF? You think you should have won the game at the Pete? I’m definitely starting to not like the Terps.
Expecting a good game today and a great game next Saturday where I will see them at Comcast Center dismantle Maryland again.
2015 commit Damon Wilson dominated a tourney he played in last weekend
Pitt just offered 2014 prospect Kobe (yes Kobe) Eubanks, a 6’5 swingman who tweeted he was very happy at the offer. He supposedly is a great scorer … and probably a sign that Pitt will never see Mostella
Pitt is also in hot pursuit of a 6’9 JUCO. Late season pick-ups from last year (Mostella & Uchebo) may be failed experiments … jury is still out …. but thankfully Artis has been a pretty darned good player for a frosh
I was the only one that was sober enough to drive, got rubber in all four gears in my buddies 442 going down Ellsworth after 2 in the morning, ah the good old days.
The Luna moved up the street years ago, may still be open.
Will be a good game today and I expect our troops to dismantle the orange zone as usual. Would solidify season should we score more points than the orange. Will be traveling during the game so best of luck to the mustard and blue!
If you look at much of the old newspaper accounts and other writings, you will see it was quite common to leave the H off until early last century. I have no idea if the name was officially changed, or if it was never used correctly in the first place … but Pittsburg was much more common until less than a 100 years ago
link to espn.go.com