You know all those years of Pitt teams where there was no “go to guy?” The guy on that the team looks to score. The most visible offensive threat. Kind of think Pitt has one of those this year, and the VT game was what happens when he’s not right. Still, I’ll take escaping (again) with the win.
Lamar Patterson had the tape on the right hand and thumb, and it was evident how much of a problem it was when he couldn’t aim straight. To say nothing of struggling with his handle.
It isn’t right to say Pitt is decimated by injuries, but there is a toll at the moment that is rather high. Durand Johnson’s injury has been an issue but plenty of teams can withstand losing their 6th man.
It’s the nagging injuries to Talib Zanna and now Lamar Patterson that are the concerns of the moment.
Zanna is gutting out the ankle sprain/roll/whatever. He’s out there giving minutes, but he isn’t able to get to the ball and rebound as he was. It is also hurting his position around the basket, making it harder on whoever is at the 4 to play defense and rebound. It is no coincidence that Pitt’s rebounding and defense — especially after not corralling a defensive rebound — has become really bad since Zanna got hurt.
This isn’t to say that Zanna’s injury should be an excuse for the performance by Jamel Artis and Mike Young the last two games — they have been pretty sub-par — it is just one more factor that effects them.
After playing three games in a seven-day span, two requiring overtime, the Panthers need rest and took Sunday off. Lamar Patterson (43.5), Wright (42.5), Talib Zanna (40) and Robinson (37.5) all averaged heavy minutes the past two games, so it’s no surprise that signs of wear and tear are showing, particularly in Patterson (thumb) and Zanna (ankle). The fifth-year seniors are the team’s top two scorers, averaging about 30 points a game, but combined for 12 against Virginia Tech.
It hasn’t helped that the Panthers aren’t getting much help from their supporting cast. Freshman guard Josh Newkirk contributed 11 points in 27 minutes off the bench, but power forwards Mike Young and Jamel Artis combined for five points and two rebounds in 41 minutes and Chris Jones, Derrick Randall and Joseph Uchebo were all scoreless.
“Obviously, you’re not going to have guys score their average every game, and you’ve got to play through it,” Dixon said. “We’ve got Cameron and James and Josh, but we need other guys. We’re playing through injuries and fatigue, but we’ve got to get it figured out.”
Patterson’s injury is frustratingly vague.
Patterson scored a season-low five points and was 1 of 9 from the field, which included several airballs.
“The pain is on the inside of my thumb so they say it is not that serious and it is going to heal,” said Patterson, who wasn’t able to practice leading up to the game because of his thumb. “It is not that serious, it is not something that is going to need surgery or anything like that, so I am not too concerned.
“[I had to play], I am more of an all-around player so my scoring is not necessary. I can create, I can pass, I can rebound, I can get stops, get defensive steals and definitely tried to do all those things.”
But, mainly Pitt needed his scoring.
No real details though as to the nature of the injury or how long it will take to heal. Is it a couple days? A nagging injury stretching out over weeks because there won’t be much rest until after this week?
I love Cam Wright. I think he is a fantastic team player for Pitt. Excellent defender and vastly better on offense from last year. But when he and James Robinson have to shoulder the scoring load it is hard not to be unnerved.
Josh Newkirk did well in the VT game, but he is a freshman and he has been up-and-down as you would expect (like the Virginia game).
Replacing an empty position (WR coach) is a no brainer but they are in desperate need of a CB coach right now.
Proof is in results.
Patterson can still be effective at the high post, forcing the zone to collapse and then finding the open guy(dump down to Zanna or kick out for three) or attacking the rim. Young and Artis can both knock down open jumpers. The added bonus would be offensive rebounding, this guys can crash the offensive boards from the wing.
But if Zanna and Patterson aren’t practicing, this will never happen. Jamie would never try something new in a game if they haven’t practiced it for weeks.
Never mind.
However… there is no doubt he’s GOOD when it comes to Coaching… Master at KEEPING IT SIMPLE.
Douglas’ Two Rules…
Rule No. 1) The ball is the issue.
Rule No. 2) You are what you put on tape.
Read more on Douglas and you get a sense of just how important landing him could be to Pitt’s immediate future.
Wittek isn’t as good as Savage. Savage also had an entire season while he sat to learn the offense. Not sure how a guy who couldn’t win the USC job is going to come into Pitt learn the offense and win the starting job. Although, Chryst hates short QBs so I could see Wittek be basically handed the job. I don’t Chryst’s love affair with tall QBs. His best season was with Russell Wilson, when he had to tailor his offense more to Wilson’s athleticism. Give me a more athletic shorter QB over a tall immobile QB any day.
Re: Wittek, we need QB depth, and competition never hurts. I don’t care if he ever sees the field, if he is interested bring him in.
now we just need a new WR coach.
I expect that we’ll see a lot of Patterson at the 4 on Wednesday. Newkirk will come in at the 1, Robinson will move to the 2, and Wright will move to the 3.
If they again way out-rebound Syracuse as they did in Syracuse
If Robinson shoots well from three point land. His 3 for 4 against VT was an indication that it could happen.
If they pick apart the Syracuse zone with excellent team passing from Wright, Patterson and Robinson.
If Patterson and Zanna play as if they are close to normal.
If they keep it close.
If Pitt outreboounds the opponent, they usually win. They did outrebound Cuse especially in 2nd half at the Dome, but were outrebounded in every other loss this year as well as the last 2 games.
Clemson over Notre Dame (Should be close in South Bend)
North Carolina State over Wake Forest (State should win at home)
NC St. and Clemson are just out of the RPI top 50. If they can get in, and Pitt can beat them again, it would really help the tourney resume)
Yes, we hear about Blackshear (Louisville, concussion), Embiid (KU, knee), McGary (Michigan, back), Keita (Syracuse, knee), Ashley (Arizona, foot), Appling and Payne (Michigan St.), Cobbins (OK St., Achilles).
Yet we hear nothing about Zanna and Patterson being injured. We just hear that Pitt cannot score and look lethargic, etc.
But, at the time, Durand Johnson’s knee was discussed.
i believe you mentioned earlier that pitt is in the top 5 programs in wins in the last ten years. my question is of the top 5, how many of those teams have been to the final four? i truly do not know the answer. it pitt is the only team that hasnt, why? if dixon is such a great coach and pitt is such a great program, shouldn’t they have made ONE final four appearance?
why does it matter that frankcan uses all lowercase? big deal.
On FB… wow, so much Chryst has to stay in a comfort zone of buddies. both sound important for coaching and recruiting.
– Is Douglas the DB coach really coming only to be DB coach? lateral move? Perhaps more shake up coming on the D side of the ball??
– WR recruits Big 10 midwest, DB coach the southeast… shows where recruiting strategy going.
– I keep thinking of Henry at WVU… wow, what a mess up… now their D coordinator Leaves (what writing does he see on the wall…), and we get a real DB dude…. Too bad signing day not next week!!
But assuming that both will play and neither will be 100%, major offensive contributions from Artis and Robinson, and rebounding on both ends from Young, seems like a must for this team to make tomorrow’s game competitive.
good posts. i mostly agree. i am one of those fussing about the final four. maybe it has more to do with unrealistic expectations of fans, vs actual success of the program. is there a better coach? maybe.. are there worse coaches? absolutely and i would never want sp to be in charge of any coaching search again!
Just found this, “Andy Katz discusses the thumb injury that may be hampering the shooting of Pitt’s Lamar Patterson.” It’s just a 34 second clip, but I can’t get it to load. Judging from the title, it’s just an educated guess:
If you can get it to load, tell me what he says.
Perhaps we should ask the NSA. If yinz guys are, like (cough) following along, inquiring minds would like to know.
CBS has Pitt on the front page.
In the article, it is briefly mentioned along with Keita.
But Norlander, Parrish and Borzello, all think that Pitt can (will) win the game. (In their podcast from yesterday)
Pitt must not forget Cooney. Cannot let him go-off for 32 points like he did @ ND.
And force Grant and Fair to take jump-shots.
Robertson and Gbinije are not offensive threats (but Gbinije is 10-21 from 3).
If Zanna/Young cannot contain Christmas/Grant inside (rebounding and scoring), Pitt is in real trouble.
322-69 John Calipari, multiple final fours, Nat’l Champ (NC)
318-64 Bill Self, multiple final fours, NC
313-68 Mike Krzyzewski, multiple final fours, NC
298-86 Roy Williams, multiple final fours, NC
295-89 Thad Matta, final four
290-68 Mark Few
290-88 Jim Boeheim, multiple final fours, NC
287-95 Billy Donovan, multiple final fours, NC
285-95 Rick Pitino, multiple final fours, NC
282-90 Jamie Dixon
Pitt is third in Home wins over the last 10 years.
While final fours and national championships are not the only measure of success, you can’t totally ignore them either.
So throw in Michigan State, UCLA, UConn, Memphis and Butler, then it becomes really tough to make a compelling case for Pitt being any higher than the 16th most successful program over the last ten years. Most “independent” pundits have ranked Pitt around number 20.
Bottom line, neither extreme opinion, “fire Dixon” or “Dixon is the best coach in the country and can do no wrong”, is supported by the facts. Pitt has a really good program with a really good coach. Neither the coach nor the program can be considered elite without more post season success.
A win tomorrow would be enough for me for a while, well at least until Saturday.
And not give easy lay-ups. Make Syracuse earn their points from the line.
If I were a gambler, I would put lots on Syracuse getting 2. And with my luck, it would guarantee a win for Pitt if I did.
Hope the wise guys are very close to right on, now that we “know how to win a close one”.
Pitt favored. Don’t get how. Gotta go big on Cuse.
Now it’s Pick ’em.
2000-2001 Thad Matta, 24-8, NCAA second round
2001-2007 Todd Lichliter, 131-61, Two Sweet Sixteens
2007-2013 Brad Stevens, 166-49, Two NCAA Championship games, 5 NCAA tourney appearances, 1 elite eight.
Memphis is a tougher case, but here it goes, since 2000, two coaches:
2000-2009 John Calipari, 230-69, six NCAA appearances, 1 second round, 1 sweet sixteen, 2 elite eights, 1 Final game*
2009-2013 Josh Pastner, 105-33, 3 NCAA appearances, 2 second rounds, 1 elite eight
Both have better tourney records, even if you take away Memphis’s championship game.
*NCAA ruled that Derrick Rose had someone else take his SAT before he was committed to Memphis and with no Memphis involvement. Rose denied the charge and still does. NCAA vacated the wins in ’08-’09, including final game.
That same year, assume Gilbert Brown stops Scottie Reynolds and Pitt made the final four, then went on to the final game. Then a few years later the NCAA accused Dejuan Blair of cheating at Schenley and vacated the season, what would we think about that season? Would we pretend it never happened? The NCAA is a joke.
Memphis with Coach Cal better. Coach Cal is a better coach than Dixon. But he also cheats. Coach Cal just is really good at cheating because he insulates himself from it. Memphis without Coach Cal is probably worse. Coach Cal coached the 2008-2009 season at Memphis. Pastner has same tournament results as Dixon. Slightly better record but in a worse conference.
Gonzaga definitely is a worse program too. Most of their wins are from a bad conference. Only 1 sweet 16 since Dixon became coach at Pitt.
It would be nothing but good news for the team, added depth and experience at at QB plus it builds a fire under Chad to make him even hungrier to keep his #1 spot. It is his job to lose going into Fall camp.
Let’s hope that HCPC can get both Campbell and Douglas into the coaching staff. If that happens it will be another stroke of good fortune for the team. Still sad for Pitt about losing Engram, but then again, happy for him personally from a positive professional career move perspective.
Now,,,, can we shock the world tomorrow and raise the roof at the Peterson Center by beating Syracuse tommorrow night? Now THAT would be SWEET!!!