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March 11, 2014

What Comes Next

Filed under: Basketball — Chas @ 7:39 am

Yes, the power is back.

You know, at the end of last season with Steven Adams leaving for the NBA. Trey Zeigler transferring. J.J. Moore’s slow decision to transfer. Missing out on remaining recruits like Lennard Freeman and Jon Severe. The fact that Dietrick Mostella couldn’t get his academics in order — for the entire spring and summer. If you just went from that point, this hasn’t been a bad season, given the expectations and losses.

Pitt finished 5th in the ACC. An 11-7 record and heading back to the NCAA Tournament. About what was expected. A little better than the 6th place finish predicted, but in all honesty that was due more ND being much worse than expected than Pitt being a bit better.

But of course we aren’t just skipping ahead months at a time. We went through each game. Each half. The individual plays, decisions and shots. Every disappointment and frustration magnified. Just as the encouraging signs and hope got blown to bigger proportion than they should have been.

 

At this point, if you were doing a work evaluation, Pitt would come in at “meets expectations.”

And yes, that feels something like a disappointment. They weren’t as good as they seemed to show at points. Nor were they ever really bad (Frustating? Absolutely. But bad? No.). They were slightly above average.

There were mitigating circumstances — Durand Johnson’s injury, Lamar Patterson’s thumb/hand definitely changed things — but also plenty of self-inflicted bits of pain.

Every team that beat Pitt has that win listed as a “good” win on their NCAA Tournament resume. That says something about the team and where they are. At the same time, with, likely the exception of Stanford, there is no team that Pitt beat that will get an at-large NCAA bid.

Yes, Pitt is in the NCAA Tournament. It has nothing to do with “deserving” a bid. Or Pitt being a team that can win it all. It has everything to do with 36 at-large spots, and Pitt being one of the best 30-40 teams in the country. As personally frustrated as you may feel about this team. Or the coach, don’t be so myopic as to think Pitt isn’t a good team. Or the only team to have disappointed and left fans ranting how a coach needs to change everything in his approach.

Now the ACC Tournament looms. It isn’t really like everything reverts to an 0-0 record. There’s too much from the season to ignore.

Pitt plays on Thursday against either Wake Forest or Notre Dame. Pitt has beaten both of them, but is nothing approaching a lock in Greensboro. Not with how the defense has looked. Not with Pitt’s cold stretches on offense that keep happening. I absolutely can see them going out to either team.

Here’s the thing. There’s still reason for optimism in the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament that Pitt can do something. Make some noise. This is still a team that with really one exception was always in position to grab a game in the final minute or two. This is still a team that can get things going from all over the court and does know how to play great team defense.

Whether they put those things together for a couple games in a row. Whether they keep it together against the better teams. That’s a complete unknown.





Let me repeat what I said early in the season when no one knew who Filliponi was and I quote “i would rather have sex with Doris Burke (and actually I am really liking her color now)than listen to Filliponi”. He is a complete ass h___
who would try to make contraversy for the sake of discussion on whether the sun will come up tomorrow,

He and Steve Pederson are 2 of a kind and I understand it was Pederson who blessed the hire.

Comment by Dan 72 03.15.14 @ 6:57 pm

Three things are very encouraging heading into the NCAA’S.

Zanna’s intensity and improved play

Newkirk coming into his own

Robinson’s finding his shot

I think the extra day of rest will help, and if you thought the home cookin was bad today, wait till tomorrow.

Comment by gc 03.15.14 @ 6:59 pm

Plus maybe we will get lucky enough to have qualified impartial refs.

Comment by gc 03.15.14 @ 7:01 pm

Actually pumped. Disappointed with loss today and no call on Patterson.

Movin’ on though. Still high over the UNC win.

For me personally, I felt during the season we were the “other” guy from the Big East.

After yesterdays win, I’ve heard Pitt talked about again by several announcers and talking heads.

Guy on CBS tonight mentioned something to the effect of “can you imagine when Louisville joins Duke, UNC, Syracuse and Pitt”.

That made my night.

Certainly, was looking forward to the ACC Championship game, but, that’s the way it goes.

Ready for the games tomorrow, and looking forward to the seeding!!

Satisfying for me?? Would love to pull off a couple wins and get to the Sweet 16.

Can’t believe I’m jacked for the Tourney.

Couple weeks ago, I was about done with hoops.

Hail to Pitt!!!

Comment by Dan 03.15.14 @ 7:10 pm

I am fine with a 10 seed and would prefer that over a 8-9 seed as you draw a 1 to make it to the sweet 16. The game today was fine. Reffing is just difficult and to place the entire blame on them is preposterous. This is where 4 stars typically have the resolve to play over the competition and take over games. Three stars are maxed out at a certain level and do not have an extra gear to shift to when needed. Not a complaint, just the realities of Pitt teams over the years. JD gets the most out of the kids, but their ceilings are lower than a typical 4 or 5 star. That is why the superstars take over games. They don’t care about body contact, whistles and the like. They will themselves to perform well.

There is a scouting priority on opponents during this time of year so get to it coaches! All in all, a real nice tournament for our Panthers in the inaugural ACC tourney. Lasted longer than any of our big east brethren (Syracuse, ND, BC, VT, Miami). I do miss the Eastern 8 tourney at the arena however…. Go Panthers, beat Lunardi!

Comment by dhuffdaddy 03.15.14 @ 7:13 pm

I’m pissed and two Samuel Smith porters intensified the injustice. Justinian appreciate your perception being live, consistent with what I thought I saw a home. Virginia could have severed Robinson’s leg with a chainsaw and nothing would have been called. Next loss ends the careers of Zanna & Patterson and Lamar has been a heroic image all year. They deserve fair matchups, clean refs, a spot in the round of eight and last ACC team standing. There is a God.

Comment by Old School Panther 03.15.14 @ 7:21 pm

Old School Panther, with all the Virginia fans at the game is was a home game for them. I don’t know how it came across on TV. They would boo every time a call didn’t go their way. The groaning every time got to be annoying. The no-call on Robinson’s driving lay-up was terrible. We hung around afterwards to root for NC State against Duke.

Comment by Justinian 03.15.14 @ 7:40 pm

I’m fine with the loss to UVA. Winning has very little upside. Losing gives them a extra day of rest for the NCAA’s.

Also, just posting to get us one post closer to 1000 posts.

Comment by Yeti 03.15.14 @ 7:43 pm

WE need 16 more. Let’s go guys!!

Comment by Pitt Dad 03.15.14 @ 8:03 pm

If we can’t be a 6/7, I’d prefer 10 to 8/9. That way we wouldn’t see a one for a few more rounds.

Comment by Pitt Dad 03.15.14 @ 8:06 pm

Given where we all were last season talking about the BB team we have to be content with the outcome to this season.

Really good season (except for a few home losses)
nice first run in the ACC tourney…

now let’s see this team get 1 good upset in the big tourney and we would have to call that really good year.

The no-call at the end was BS… definitely these Good ‘ol southern boys aren’t about to cut us carpetbaggers and slack right now.

Should change in a few years and getting the ACC tourney to NY would be huge to that end.

A season to build on!

H2P

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Comment by Old School Panther 03.15.14 @ 9:02 pm

It’s time for a NCAA run and a new thread

Comment by Old School Panther 03.15.14 @ 9:05 pm

Very impressed with Providence so far, either they are taking advantage of weakened Big East or are a team hitting their stride at the right time. Also was surprised to see Arizona go down-I root for Miller but must admit Alford out coached him today.

Comment by John 03.15.14 @ 9:07 pm

Gotta agree…this thread is painful on mobile devices.

Comment by panther94 03.15.14 @ 9:10 pm

Watching Creighton-Providence. I see the Big East officiating hasn’t changed. Looks like the game is going to be decided on best two out of three falls.

Comment by Pitt Dad 03.15.14 @ 9:29 pm

Anybody post about the Barclay starting in three years! How long the ACC tournamnet plays there who knows?

Would like to read more about this and about new refs for the ACC

Comment by Old Pitt Grad 03.15.14 @ 10:30 pm

@OPG – not going to get new refs but there are a bunch of posts about the Barclay. I will try to find them for you.

Comment by Pitt Dad 03.15.14 @ 10:35 pm

Baseball swept by VT. 1-6 in ACC action so far. May have to get back on the final four party in Dallas. Basketball looked good past couple days.

Comment by Upittbaseball 03.16.14 @ 12:21 am

I agree with Joe Linardi’s bracketology. Pitt will play in the 8-9 game (maybe against Memphis) and then Arizona in the West. The selection committee will want Pitt to play Shawn Miller’s Arizona team:

link to espn.go.com

Comment by Howard 03.16.14 @ 6:12 am

if it’s any consolation, even the UVa player admitted a foul on Robinson

“I wanted to contest it as best I could,” Mitchell said. “I definitely didn’t want to foul. But, you know, they let it go.”

Comment by wbb 03.16.14 @ 6:31 am

the above was from the Beaver County Times, the following is from the Washington Post:

It could have been worse. Pittsburgh Coach Jamie Dixon fumed on the sideline in search of a foul on Cavaliers forward Akil Mitchell as he challenged Robinson at the rim. Even Mitchell conceded after the game he may have committed an infraction.

“The referees definitely weren’t calling a lot of fouls today because I know a couple times I fouled a couple guys [and] they didn’t call it; I was really surprised,” Gill said. “But I guess it worked out for our benefit.”

The Charlottesville paper wrote something like Robinson was dangerously close to being fouled on the layup.

Comment by wbb 03.16.14 @ 6:56 am

@Howard – IF that second round match up happens AND Pitt wins, this board will never be the same. It will be like one of those E-bombs dropped but only selected certain poster’s devices.

Gordo knows whose it will hit, if you want a list.

Comment by TVax 03.16.14 @ 7:00 am

And it sure would have been an interesting coaching opportunity for JD had the foul been called and JR hit the FT. Fouls to give would have allowed super tight defense. No 37 footer was going to happen again.

Had Pitt lost in OT, maybe we all feel a little less…….well, who knows.

Comment by TVax 03.16.14 @ 7:05 am

Is the San Diego game a Thursday or Friday?

Do we wait for pairings to book nights and which return flight?

Comment by TVax 03.16.14 @ 7:10 am

As Lunardi’s West bracket looks now, that looks like the upset blow-up region to me.

Comment by TVax 03.16.14 @ 7:13 am

TVax, good one. Personally, I can’t believe all the references to bracketology on this site over the past month. 3 weeks ago we were as high as a 5, a week ago we were on the bubble, now we’re 8-10.

The only bracket that matters is what is revealed at 6 pm.

Comment by wbb 03.16.14 @ 7:17 am

“Hey, everyone wake up, it’s SELECTION SUNDAY and we’re going again.” – said no Maryland/ND/WVU/G-town/PSU/UNLV fan today!!!

LOL!!!

Comment by TVax 03.16.14 @ 7:18 am

Why out west, I think Lunardi is going to miss on quite a few this year, what happened to keeping teams close to home

Comment by Steve h 03.16.14 @ 7:19 am

That’s funny, TVax!

Now that our run through the ACC tourney has ended, I implore Chas, or anyone that can influence it, can we please have a new article under which to post? Scrolling through 1000+ replies on a phone is daunting!

Comment by Lou 03.16.14 @ 7:32 am

Reflections on yesterday’s loss to Virginia. Although in close games like this there are always several plays that could have made the difference. The one that bothers me the most is the non-call on Robinson, when he stole the ball and drove to the hoop. It was at the basket near us, and Mitchell of Virginia banged into him pretty hard as Robinson went up. Robinson made the shot to put Pitt within 1 point, but the foul wasn’t called. It’s a clear foul any way you slice it, but with the game on the line the official didn’t make the call. I have no doubt that if was earlier in the game he makes the call. In the Winston-Salem Journal Mitchel was surprised there was no whistle.

“I wanted to contest it as best as I could. I definitely didn’t want to foul. But you know, they let it go.”

I was proud of the Panther’s gritty performance and how they shut down Virginia at the end and they came back. Pitt showed a lot to everyone who was there. Fox Sports stated that Pitt is in the NCAA Tournament. Then went on to further disparage them by saying, “The Panthers aren’t a very good team, but they’re not a bad one either.” Whether they get the respect they deserve from the talking heads on ESPN or Fox, they know they’re a good team

Comment by Justinian 03.16.14 @ 7:42 am

I would be shocked if Pitt is sent out west. With nova a likely 2 in the east I would think a chance for an old school big east round 2 in either buffalo or Raleigh would be better for tv and ticket sales

Comment by John 03.16.14 @ 8:07 am

Over the years, I’ve learned to NEVER be surprised by how or what of who goes where and how NCAA Tournament is seeded. One thing I know is Duke and North Carolina invariably end up playing in Greensboro, NC. Pitt will probably be playing in Timbuktu.

Comment by Justinian 03.16.14 @ 8:19 am

It would be nice if Pitt got matched up with Nova in Buffalo. I’d definitely make the drive for that game. But if I’m guessing Pitt will be rewarded with an 8 seed out West with Zona.

I really agree with Coach Al’s rant after game yesterday during which he said it was a joke that Pitt was ever talked about being on a bubble, how NC St isn’t even even and how crappy conferences like the A10 are getting so many teams in.

Comment by Wardapalooza 03.16.14 @ 8:50 am

Chas: How about a Bracketology thread? Please.

Sent from my iPhone. Ouch!

Comment by MariettaMike 03.16.14 @ 8:54 am

@Chas

I know nothing about bogs and security. But, since Mike seems to have not worked out, is there some way that you can trust one of us to establish new threads? These long ones are killers when accessed on a cell phone.

And, this is the best Putt blog. Do you need any money from us to help pay for it? I would be happy to do it.

Hoping for a chance to play Villanova or Wichita State.

H2P

Comment by pmdH2P 03.16.14 @ 9:38 am

Jerry Palm still has us as a 10 in Buffalo, playing Baylor for the right to play the winner of Nova/AU for the right to go to MSG in the east bracket with Michigan as the #1 seed.

He also projects 3 other teams we’ve already played this year (Duke #4, Stanford #9 and Cincy #3) in that region.

link to cbssports.com

Comment by Pitt Dad 03.16.14 @ 9:56 am

One point that was not mentioned is that Newkirk missed an open three near the end that would have tied the game. That was a shot that could have made him a legend.

My hope is that someone makes one of those legendary buzzer beaters on our team this year, we are certainly due.

Jamie don’t wear out their legs this week, we need to come out like we did vs Wake and NC.

I know we have seen some bad calls over the years, but I don’t remember a season like this and never anything like the last two games. We could have overcome it yesterday with some better shooting, but something needs to be addressed.

I know it is a tough job the way these guys fly around the court, but the integrity of the game is at stake, as well as the watch-ability.

The last two games were the quintessential example, against NC they call everything, except for the last 5 minutes when they put the whistles away.

Yesterday was hard to evaluate in terms of what they called vs what they didn’t. Then we finish with Artis fouled on the way up and then goal tending at the top. Of course the final coup de grace with Robinson.

Mistakes will be made, fouls will be missed, phantom calls will be made. But overall games, and tournaments should be called consistently.

Wouldn’t you expect a game with VA, a defensive struggle to have more fouls called than, a more free flowing game with NC? Instead we see just the opposite. VA is a great defensive team, but not so great that they don’t foul.

Comment by gc 03.16.14 @ 10:03 am

I would sign up for a Baylor – Nova draw in buffalo right now!!!!

That would be near best case scenario. I would also like a St. Louis – Kansas draw. Without embid Kansas is very beatable. Self also has had some ealy outs.

The 8/9 and 1 match ups look to be a little tougher.

Comment by Boubacar Aw 03.16.14 @ 10:12 am

No matter what happens this has been a great season of Pitt Basketball. This is a team that never gave up and overcame a lot of obstacles. They finished above the line and have a chance to do more.

It was a tough year at the Pete after the domination of Clemson. Buzzer beaters by VA and Syracuse, Duke setting a record for threes, TJ Warren going off, a lackluster performance vs FSU. DJ and TZ going down.

But what a year on the road, four overtime wins, a win at ND, the Stanford win, the heroic comeback at Clemson, the stomping of Wake and the beatdown of NC in a sea of powder blue.

We overcame the loss of Adams, and DJ, the ankle and the thumb.

Patterson and Zanna are added to the list of Pitt’s Best.

And there still may be more to come.

Comment by gc 03.16.14 @ 10:17 am

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