A day after getting royally thumped by San Diego State, Pitt returned the favor on Kansas State. I saw it suggested on twitter this morning — by someone who only saw the final score — that K-State was having a “hangover” game after playing so tough against Arizona.
That ignores the fact that it was the Wildcats that jumped out early on Pitt. The Panthers didn’t take their first lead in the game until there was 7:30 left in the first half. At the half, Pitt only held a three point lead.
Pitt took control and slowly pulled away from K-State in the second half, but even then the Wildcats got it to under 10 points with under 8 minutes left. Pitt responded with a 21-6 run to make the game appear to be a laugher.
For the first time this season, Pitt played with defensive intensity. Both as a team and individually. Jamel Artis and Chris Jones who have been subject to much early criticism by me for their lack of defense performed in a way I honestly didn’t know they were capable of doing.
Chris Jones was assigned to cover Marcus Foster, K-State’s 3-point shooter who was hitting over 50% of his 3s in the first 5 games and 16 points/game (against Arizona, Foster had 23 points). Jones stayed all over Foster who hit one early three, but was a non-factor the rest of the game finishing with only 7 points. Jones sacrificed his offense in the game to be a defender.
As for Artis, he logged 34 minutes and really upped his effort to play as hard on defense as he does on offense. Going hard for rebounds, being a lot smarter about guarding players.
I saw a defense where the players were not looking for shortcuts or looking longingly the other way for a chance to play offense. There was execuation on the defense that led to more opportunities on offense. They were the ones frustrating K-State and taking advantage of it.
Pitt was playing their fourth game in six days. Both teams were on their third straight game, but it was Pitt that didn’t wilt. Wearing the Wildcats down over the course of the game.
“We got to that point in the second half where we had a lot of guys hit walls,” [Kansas State head coach Bruce] Weber said. “We couldn’t make baskets. I’m just a little bit disappointed in that competitive spirit, not being able to fight and keep it at that point where (the deficit) is at eight or 10. That’s where the game should have been, but we didn’t do that.”
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The poise K-State showed fighting back against Arizona on Tuesday was lacking. On this day, the Wildcats appeared to panic, turning the ball over as Weber aggressively substituted in hopes of finding fresh legs.
Pittsburgh, also playing its third game in three days, didn’t look tired at all.
“I felt like we put everything we had into the first two games,” Gipson said. “That’s not an excuse. We needed to come out and play, and they out-toughed us. We just all have to overcome that fatigue and play harder.”
Pitt responded to what happened against San Diego State the way you would hope a team would.
Young, who scored 11 points after halftime, said the Panthers couldn’t remember being any lower than they were after the San Diego State loss.
“Being embarrassed on national TV — that’ll do it,” said Young. “We had to come out and play really, really hard on defense and pay attention to detail.”
Displaying more vigor and better execution at both ends, Pitt shook off a slow start — trailing by as much as 10-3 — and led 30-27 at intermission.
Some of that started before the San Diego State game even ended.
Jamie Dixon called a timeout with two minutes left in the San Diego State game Tuesday. He lit into his team, talked to them about pride, talked to them about what it meant to be a Pitt player and a part of this program. And then he challenged them by saying they shouldn’t come back to the gym for this game against K-State unless they were ready to play and defend like the Panthers. They closed that game on a 7-0 run had a long discussion at dinner about the thumping they took. That laid the groundwork for the Panthers effort against the Wildcats.
One game doesn’t change everything. Only after the season is over will we really know. Will it be the first step for a young team that improves over the course of the year? Or will it be merely an aberration? Or part of a season that will have peaks and valleys?
At the very least the players got a taste of what they can do and the feeling that comes from a win like that.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Cam’s return will be a boost and I am just hoping for a big progression toward average from Randall and Uchebo………….hoping.
Shady just ran for a nice touchdown and unfortunately, may make headlines for what he said afterwards. Uggggh, I hope!
Seriously to Chas and Reed, thank you for allowing us a place to come where we can fix the problems with our athletic teams and departments even though they don’t listen! Thanks for giving us the outlet.
Chas cites Paul Zeise who actually does.
Anyone smell a Cornhole? ?
Ah Pitt-Miami…the game will no doubt confirm the best thing to happen over this Thanksgiving occurred in Maui last night.
Pitt-Miami…the ACC’s attempt to create a rivalry game when Pitt should be playing the Hoopies this weekend.
Anyone else watch the last time Pitt beat Miami at Miami in 1963? I watched the game. Our whole family did. It was on television in Pittsburgh…a satsfying 31-20 victory giving us an 8-1 record with the Orange Bowl still a possibility.
The game was in black and white, no color.
Maybe my Koolaid supply will be replenished with a couple presents under my tree come Christmas? How best to wrap a fired AD?
However current reality remains, Per Sagarin’s computer after the KState game–Pitt is #53 (8th in the ACC) and KState #93 and near bottom of Big 12.
Win over KSU proves once again that Jamie is a top notch
coach; also his philosophy defense and rebounding win games. Team is shaping up to be a typical Pitt team. Major
concern is the lack of a center. If Randle can play 15 minutes
a game and hurt the team…that is get rebounds, play D, and
hopefully a get a few put backs the team will be fine.
Mike Young the next in a long line of stars!
Why we love college hoops….bench going wild when
Lesak and Ko made 3 pointers at the end of the game.
calm your jets….a win over kstate??
not sure kstate is a signature win, yeah I didn’t think we’d win and am glad we did, but it doesn’t put JD in a “top notch” coach category
When he starts recruiting better and advancing further in tournament, then we’ll talk about top notch.
solid win though
I understand that we’re lucky to be relevant in college hoops and have a chance to be in the tourney year in and year out.
And JD is a nice guy and a great face for the university, and maybe I’m to hard on him??, but I just want more for the program and believe that we missed that opportunity to do so and not sure that we can get back there
Why didn’t anyone straighten me out on this? Idiot=me
I too remember watching the Miami game on B and W TV with my family. I had gone to at least 2 games a year for the previous 3 years. Loved Johnny Mike, Rick Leeson, Paul Matha, Al Grig./ And Marty Schott.
Little did we know then that these would be the best of times for 13 years.. When are our next ” best of times?”
What a journey it has been for all us old farts!
Watched a good bit of that game. WKU coach showed some stones going for 2 pt conversion in OT on road.
I wish I had even a little hope for tomorrow’s game. Pitt has not won in Miami since days after Kennedy assassination, and I don’t see this defense getting it done.
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, and here’s hoping pittofdreams 5 star upset lock comes thru…
Totally agree…unfortunately
How do you feel now Michigan?
Need to play with “Reckless Abandon” tomorrow. Nick Skorich, Cleveland Browns circa 1970.
Take no prisoners!
Anything is possible in the ACC Central.
Any news on recruiting front seven D players? Especially now that it looks like we lost our best one.
I hope Chryst is watching the VA Tech-VA game. Beamer just threw a fit over a call and almost immediately got a make up call, now that is coaching.
Excited to watch the ACC SEC football challenge tomorrow. 4 games, 8 teams. Great opportunity to see how we stack up.
Then for the night cap, Pitt vs Miami. Hoping Pitt let’s it all out there and plays all 4 quarters. Go PITT!
Pitt wins 31 – 28 if Conner doesn’t play. With “the beast” we win 38 – 28 with Conner breaking the great Dorsett’s TD record.
The Butter D has enough stiffness to hold Miami to four TD’s.
Anyone hear even a sliver of a rumor about Conner’s playing status?
So Miami is the game. Just consider how this squad would be feeling about things if we were 9-2 right now? We can beat these guys but it needs to be a perfect Pitt performance while Miami shits the bed.
However, this team will have ups and downs, so let’s not go over board.
I find it funny, sometimes on here, if you question or criticize a few things, you’re lambasted like you’re not a Pitt fan or something.
Dixon’s a good coach, I’ve stated that before. Sure, we’re lucky to have him, good guy and all, but it’s human nature.
We’ve been to the tourney ad nauseum.
Yes, many teams would like to be us. No doubt about that.
However, we are no longer those programs if you follow me.
We are now a program that gets to the tourney every year.
With that, expectations rise.
At least for me they do. I’m not even calling for a National Championship or Final Four.
I’d like to get back to going to many Sweet 16’s and an Elite Eight again.
The Kansas State game does nothing to my statements of the other day.
3 years running of not being ranked at the end of the year, no tourney and a couple first weekend exits of the tourney.
Those are facts.
Hopefully, we can break out of this trend and get back to where we were. I would love nothing more.
I will enjoy the year, cheer for the Panthers, and wish Coach Dixon and the players all the best.
Not being ranked in the final Top 25 and getting bounced early by Ball State or Bradley ain’t cuttin’ it for me though.
We’ll see. Long year.
H2P!!
Can we do that – I don’t know.
More likely is that Miami runs Akron’s defensive scheme (how sad is that) and loads up the box and dares us to throw. This may be the only defensive backfield that won’t be afraid of Tyler. I’m actually hoping that overconfidence leads to sloppy play on their part and our stars bail us out.
We also cannot have any turnovers or missed field goals.
Even with the perfect game plan and coaching (first time for everything I guess) we just don’t have the athletes on defense to keep up with any of their players and our defensive line will likely be dominated and pushed all over the field.
I do think Tyler may run a kickoff back tonight due to over pursuit by Miami’s kickoff team.
I know he de-committed and opened up his recruiting, and moved.
Does he have any interest at all in still coming to Pitt, or has he worked himself up into a position of blue blood recruit???
Our offense is good enough to play with anyone (except Akron) we need to be able to say the same thing about our D, and special teams.
The thing you miss when you don’t have a rivalry game is the intensity. Should be some great ones today. For Pitt that is the biggest tragedy of realignment. Pitt-PSU was huge and the Backyard Brawl was pretty good too. It will be years if ever we develop the same hatred for an ACC team, or them for us.
Happy Thanksgiving, all.