8pm start time. The game is syndicated by the ACC Network or ESPN3. Coverage kind of sucks for this one.
This is Pitt’s third game in less than a week. Could be kind of ragged.
NC State is still winless in the ACC. Mind-blowing with the talent on the roster, but that’s what you get with Mark Gottfried. Recruits like he’s at UCLA. Coaches like it’s DePaul.
That just means, NC State is the most maddening and unpredictable team to face. You know they have the talent to play with just about any team. You just don’t know what kind of team you will actually face. Pitt could pound them by 15 tonight or lose by 20.
It may come off as sour grapes since this team features three players Pitt actively pursued (or had committed at one point), but the way that talent has not improved or utilized with any consistency really gets under my skin. They show flashes of what should be, but then will go out the next game and be a wreck.
The past few years, NC State has done just enough to make the NCAA Tournament. There, the talent shines a bit more as there is some actual effort with the bigger stage.
This year, does not look promising that they will pull it together in time — barring a deep run in the ACC Tournament. 0-5 in the ACC. 10-8 overall. They’ve lost to William & Mary. Had to pull out a 3-point win over High Point. Their best win is over LSU. Believe it or not, they play at a slightly slower tempo than Pitt.
Pitt will likely be without Chris Jones, who is battling a shoulder injury. That means more time for Cam Johnson and Damon Wilson off the bench.
There’s a reason JR is wide open for shots. They know he can’t make em under pressure.
Something is terribly wrong with this team to get humiliated by L vile and now NCST. There was a huge lack of interest in our start vs BC.
One thing that is consistent year after year with Pitt…we do this fade every late Jan and continue it thru Feb. Our coach has a lifetime contract at $2 mill per year. He IS accountable
Well, guess what? With this team, we don’t shoot well, we look bad.
That is what I felt last night.
Blown out at home
I think if this team gets pushed around to start a game and it doesn’t get called they go into a funk. In other words if they get punched in mouth they pout. They are smaller and can be pushed around but in some games have had help from the refs and they do well. When the ref crew “lets them play” we go in a complete funk.
We will have both type of crews this year so I don’t think this is the last time we will see them get embarrassed nor do I think it will be the last time they beat a good team.
Not sure how you turn that around as a coach but it’s definitely a mental thing.
