It’s supposed to be a nasty evening in that region. There was actually talk of postponing the game. Pitt made it to Charlottesville, however, and the game goes on. It may be a smattering of locals and the students only, but they will play tonight. No one wants to miss out on Big Monday. That’s ESPN at 7pm.
Both teams play slow tempo. It needs to be repeated. Even as Pitt’s offense seems to have opened up, their tempo hasn’t noticeably increased. Virginia is simply one of the slowest tempo teams in all of college basketball. Counting on what can be an insanely stingy defense and offensive efficiency.
They have sorely missed Justin Anderson, though. He was their best 3-point shooter and now that weapon has been minimized. Wake Forest nearly took them out on Saturday. They struggled with NC State.
Pitt knows what to expect.
“We will do the best we can to get ready for [a slower, more grinding game],” Dixon said. “We try to do a lot of their principles defensively. We understand what they’re trying to do but they have done it at a really high level over the past two years. Coach [Tony] Bennett has been there six years and it has taken them a while to get there but the past two years what they have done has been impressive.
“And what they’ve done defensively speaks for itself as well. We understand that and have to guard them well to make them take jump shots.”
Of course, knowing and doing are two different things.
The Cavs still go about eight-deep without Anderson, so depth isn’t an issue for them.
For Pitt, the issue on defense is much has it’s been in recent wins. Protect the perimeter and defend the three first. In the big wins — ND, Cuse, UNC — Pitt has done a much better job of not allowing open looks from beyond the arc. As fantastic as the offense has been, the slight tweaks to the defense have made a difference.
Teams can’t just bomb on Pitt as easily as happened in the first half of the conference schedule. It reduces the effective field goal range. Keeping teams under 33% on 3s is vital when they can score at 50% or better inside.
Big chance for the first huge road win of the season. And the only chance left for one that would be against a team in the top-5 of every conceivable rating and ranking.
On the plus side, i think artis will find a handle to go with his shot. Young will be twice as quick in making decisive post moves. And jeter will take a step up. Cant count on durand, luther or the other cam, but odds are 1 of them will surprise us. I think we will improve…meaning, squeak into the tourney. But we will see.
Until then, i see dixon for what he has done, and its aton, and yet not quite enough. Hell dixon himself would agree with that.
Upitts problem is he has convinced himself of the truth of premises that are in no way true. But he believes them without question. That makes it simple to then make statements that seem true on top of the premise but arent. Its how conspiracy theorists think. Take the last comment…the premise is a $2m coach has to produce every sinle year, period. Sorry but williams, boheim and about 25 other coaches will have to disagree.
you can’t convince Upitt. He will always be a troll. He will also ignore the dozens of other teams that schedule in a similar fashion.
He will also ignore the half a world away aspect of Pitt traveling to play Hawaii two days before Maui Classic in November. Playing three games in the Maui Classic. Then playing IU at Bloomington three days later on the return trip. Piece of cake.
He will also ignore that they have limited contributing upper classmen.
Basically Upitt ignores anything that doesn’t conform to his HatePitt world view.
Upitt was nowhere to be found a couple of weeks ago when Pitt beat ND and both of the Millers lost on the same weekend.
Something went very wrong for him during his time in Pitt athletics.
“Tony We played 7-8 games against teams like Oakland so there is 10 wins”
He’s a freakin’ total moron people; quit taking him seriously. How many times do have to say this?
Sorry if I want better than recruiting nobodies. Archie has single handedly smoke us in recruiting. That is local
Kids and Dayton should be way below our level but they are not. Call me whatever you want but the fact is we are going into year six trending down.
THEY ARE KILLING IT OUT THERE!
Now you want to point to the elite 8 of last year.
They got hot last year. It happens. You expect them to repeat that feat this year?
They have played one team that was ranked early in the year in a now 14 & 10 U Conn team that beat them by 11.
I guess they are a downward trend……….
Here’s the salaries
Point out whose a better coach for the same or less $$.
Basketball teams don’t have 25 roster spots so having a plan A & B isn’t always an option.
Let’s flip this WHO do you like on the Pitt Basketball team? Who exactly do you UPITTbaseball cheer for?
Although this year is not ending like we would like the entertainment value of those games will make me think they will be much better next year.
I’m guessing the love of Artis started about 6 games ago.
Here’s a suggestion they have plenty of openings for posters on this website and I understand the user name UDaytonFlyerbaseball isn’t taken yet.
Also they are making at least the elite 8 again this year it’s a lock because of recruiting and their coach is awesome.
There you to talk to other posters who think we are a 400 lb center away from a final four. You sure you are Cyanide Steve? He also loved Dixon and wasn’t concerned with winning. Dayton will make the tourney so keep up the smart ass digs at a program on the rise. That along with WVU and Nova. Everyone except us basically.
Thanks for putting it succinctly: double entendre.
Dixon’s getting praise for turning one of his worst recruiting jobs into a great coaching job that will probably end up in the…NIT.
So Pitt football and Pitt basketball have a lot in common: recruiting classes in the 40s (or low 50s); a mantra of waiting for next year; the youngest teams in college sports. Right?
No group of fans delays gratification better or with more enthusiasm than Pitt fans.
Now…Pederson’s shitty job with non-revenue sports has come home to roost again..Pitt baseball looks like it will suck even more this year in the ACC.
two of four against Louisville, UNC, Virginia and Syracuse.
That’s what most of the conventional wisdom was
on here and on the local media outlets.
We’re right where we thought we’d be.
Gotta beat Syracuse and win out.
Kinda what a lot of us said last week.
-Dixon isn’t going anywhere so suggestions that he be replaced aren’t really worth considering. My guess whoever the new AD is will be spending a lot of time and effort sucking up to Jamie if he has any sense at all. He has to be one of the most respected people in college basketball today.
-Suggestions that Duran will fix our defensive problems sound extremely delusional to me. If after a year a half absence and a serious knee injury he returns to be close to what he was when he left we would be lucky. My recollection has him having just turned the corner on becoming a hot commodity off the bench. He never showed any exceptional defensive talents and was more of a free lance offensive gun. Prior to last years ACC season he showed promise but was very inconsistent. I am all for being hopeful but expecting a big lift from Duran strikes me as a big reach.
-To suggest that we will be equally defensively challenged next year also strikes me as closed minded. I think JD is a good enough teacher to get these players to perform better by next season. I still think the fundamental draw back to our defense is the lack of a big stopper in the middle so unless one appears we likely will still face challenges defefending.
-We are likely to have a log jam at the 3 next year. Jeter, Artis, Jones, Johnson, Luther. Even if Luther redshirts (the smart move) and Jones plays at the 2 that still leaves a lot of our best players at one position.
Nix should be able to play at least 15-20 minutes next year. He just put up another double-double in 29 minutes of play the other night. Plus, the recruiting class isn’t done, I’d imagine there will be another big guy added too.
The miss that is the one that Pitt is hurting from right now is Malcolm Gilbert. He was a top 100 center recruit who did nothing. If he had turned into anything he’d be starting right now.
I don’t think that PITT is that type of program nor do we the fans want it to be as such. Those programs sooner or later are exposed for what they are.
Does that mean we will never get the best of the best at Pitt? Maybe, but we can be successful the proper way. Pitt should strive to be a place for student athletics. Not a place where kids show up, play ball for a year, maybe make an appearance in a few classes and leave for the NBA.
I know our kids go to class as Luther is in an English class with my daughter.
Tony – That user name was taken on the Dayton Board. 🙂
Some Pitt fans have an inferiority complex.
When Young, Jeter and Artis play the three forward spots, Pitt is no longer small. In fact, if you add up their heights, Pitt’s starting 5 were an inch taller than Virginia’s starting 5. And Virginia’s record shows that they are big enough to compete with everybody.
It is unfair to compare Uchebo with Nix. Uchebo was a gamble upon the chance that his knee might heel. Unfortunately, he still can’t jump.
– I appreciate the desire to see us visiting the top 10 most years and seeing the Final 4 on occasion. I would love to see it too. The reality is though unless JD gets us there it isn’t going to happen. His job is as safe as a tenured professor. If he wants to retire here he will. His pride and ability will see that the program stays competitive but he isn’t likely to be held accountable to any new hire AD.
_ The consistent bronze eggs this goose lays are better than the no eggs the school collected for 50 years.
Instead of swallowing the drink and defending a pathetic string of failures at the position I am amazed more blatherites aren’t clamoring for JD to fix the problem.
none of them are very good post players. Young is ok against lesser competition, but we’ve seen when he’s up against taller players/better players in the ACC and non-con, he disappears at time.
Young is actually better facing the hoop. Really should be a Stretch 4, since he has 15-20 feet shooting ability.
So you have him, better at facing the hoop, and Artis & Jeter who are both perimeter jump shooters.
And when you have nothing but perimeter jump shooters, you only win when they are shooting close to 50% FG in most cases.
Witness; 65% vs. UNC
48% vs. Cuse
59% vs. ND
Our big 3 wins.
In the big disappointing losses:
43% vs. Hawaii
38% vs. SDSU
36% vs Indiana
33% vs NCSU
39% vs Clemson
44% vs VT
38% vs L-Ville
39% vs UVA
If we have nothing next season but mostly perimeter shooters it will be similar to this season.
If I remember correctly no one thought much of Aaron Gray, Gary Mcghee, or Talib Zanna when they first got to Pitt.
Comment by spiritofsection22 02.18.15 @ 4:00 pm
Elite 8 team of 1974. Won 22 straight games and got knocked out of the Dance by the National Champion NC State on their home court. Produced the best Pitt player to EVER play in the ABA/NBA, that being Billy Knight.
The 1987-1988 team was probably the best team Pitt EVER put on the court. Produced 2 First Round NBA picks, one (Charles Smith) being the 3rd Overall pick the draft. Highest EVER for a Pitt player. The other produced the most dramatic dunk EVER in college basketball, that being Jerome Lane.
The teams that followed that, also had more talent on them than any Pitt team in the Dixon era.
So saying we collected no eggs for 50 years is not accurate at all. imo
The Ralph Willard Era 1994–1999
Create a help defense type of situation which then frees up a teammate for an easy shot or look.
Pitt made the NCAA’s in:
1973-1974
1980-1981
1981-1982
1984-1985
1986-1987
1987-1988
1988-1989
1990-1991
1992-1993
And that was all without spending approx $200 million on a facility nor $2/million/year on a coach, which is another $20 million over 10 years.
We actually got more blue chip players, even though we played in the old dilapidated Fitzgerald Field House.
What I’m saying is that many times it’s a crap shoot with High School players. Lately we have not had great/good center. Steve Adams needed another year to be good and Zanna wasn’t really a center but neither was Chevon Troutman and he turned out to be really good at that spot.
To say that Haughton or Nix are not going to be good to decent players before anyone has seen them play seems silly. I remember watching Aaron Gray’s first year and thinking that guy is lost out there and he whipped into shape nicely.
Drinking cool-aid? I don’t think so but I’m not drinking arsenic at this point either.
I always liked his 1-3-1 zone-trap defense. He used it to make Pitt respectable during the huge upgrade in competition from the Eastern 8 to the Big East.
And his recruits were so outstanding, including Charles Smith and Jerome Lane, that they made his successor (Paul Evans) look good, at first.
“Paul Evans was noted for running a “power offense” with emphasis on distributing the ball through centers and power forwards. His tenures at Navy and Pittsburgh was notable for the development of quality big men such as David Robinson, Charles Smith, Jerome Lane, Brian Shorter, Bobby Martin, Darren Morningstar, and Eric Mobley. ”
Evans was at Pitt 8 years and Pitt made the NCAA’s in 6 of those years.
Dr. Roy had the very young Seth Greenberg in his first several years and then John Calipari, who stayed at Pitt with Evans for the first couple years.
*Chipman started with a lousy program and left a good program, on the verge of becoming excellent.
*Howland started with a good program and left an excellent program.
*Dixon started with a excellent program and kept it excellent.
On WTAE in Pittsburgh. Coverage mainly in Northern climes.
Us in the south get GT – UNC.
Looks like espn3 or the ACC website live stream.
1979-1980 17-12
1978-1979 18-11
1977-1978 16-11
Chipmans first season 1980-1981 19-12 (almost identical to 1978-79 season)
Pitt’s program wasn’t exactly lousy as you can see, when Dr. Roy took over. Slightly above average.
Now Ben Howland did start with a below average program that he inherited from Ralph Willard.
Willards last 3 seasons:
1996-1997 18-15
1997-1998 11-16
1998-1999 14-16
Howland’s first few seasons:
1999-2000 13-15
2000-2001 19-14 (then the big jump)
2001-2002 29-6 (The Pete opens next season)
2002-2003 28-5 (Howland exits to UCLA)
<<<>>>>
The other year we lost 9 games. One & Done.
Trending the wrong way.
Khem Birch, a former McDonald’s All American, left UNLV after his junior season. At the time, he thought a pro team would pick him in the 2014 NBA draft. That didn’t happen.
So he now plays for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He doesn’t have a car in South Dakota, so coaches pick him up for practices. When he’s not playing basketball, he’s playing NBA2K on his Xbox One.
“At UNLV, there were more things to do,” Birch said. “Out here, it’s nothing to do. I questioned [my decision] when I didn’t get picked.”
Birch remains confident he’ll continue to develop and grow. This is not a five-year plan for him. European teams are dangling deals in front of him, and he might be forced to consider them if he can’t latch onto an NBA team soon.
But soon, at this level, is relative.
“There are a lot of scorers in the NBA,” Birch said. “The NBA is set with options for scorers. They’re just looking for role players.”
Dayton and AZ dont have all KY type players. They actually put work in and recruit players could have especially Dayton.