Pitt nearly overcame a night where Jamel Artis was an ineffective jump shooter. A night where Mike Young did very little. A night where the second half officiating was one-sided.
For all the effort Young and Artis have given. For all the work they have done, it sucks to say how much this loss was on them. Not simply because of the weak offensive effort. But the effort overall.
Neither showed much desire to attack. To go inside. Young is arguably Pitt’s best rebounder but only had 4 in the game. And his lack of effort — and failing to box 0ut to allow 5-11 Angel Rodriguez to leap through and tip in the uncorralled rebound in the final seconds — cost the team at the end.
Artis finished 2-10, and didn’t take a single free throw. The latter because he didn’t do any attacking. Launching 6 3-point attempts and settling for mid-range jumpers. When Pitt had a seven-point lead and the ball with the shot clock off before halftime. It was Artis who decided to launch a three with 10 seconds left, rather than hold for the final shot. Allowing the long rebound and Miami a chance — which they somehow converted to cut the lead to four at the half.
Two bad decisions at the end of each half by Pitt’s two best players.
And somehow, Pitt nearly overcame it.
They also overcame questionable officiating in the second half. Pitt was whistled for 10 fouls in the second half, while Miami only had 4 called. This after a first half that had Pitt go to the free throw line and shoot 10-10. Pitt shot zero free throws in the second half.
Some of that came from the way the refs called the game. The attacking team got more calls — and Pitt was much more of the attacker in the first half than the second — but that was a bad night for consistency from the refs.
Ryan Luther came in as Sheldon Jeter was completely ineffective in the first half. He provided the blueprint to beat Miami this game. Attack. Go inside at them. Pitt was rewarded with a 12-point, 7 rebound game. Even Rafael Maia was getting in on it.
Pitt also tossed a new wrinkle on defense with a 3-2 zone that took away Miami’s ability to attack for most of the first half. They adjusted in the second, but it kept them off-balance.
Chris Jones after several ineffective games spent the first half firmly on the bench. In almost desperation he was inserted close to half-way through the second half. Pitt was falling behind and the rest of Pitt’s guards were doing next to nothing on offense.
Jones responded with surprising fury. Again, attacking. He drove to the basket repeatedly and scored 8 straight points in a short burst. It re-energized the rest of the team.
Sheldon Jeter was reinserted and scored six points in the final six minutes. Even James Robinson who looked completely shaken and shot mid-way in the second half came up big late with two huge 3-pointers.
They had a chance, at minimum to send this to overtime, but just didn’t.
Sarah, Pitt Jeopardy
I was surprised at Jeter’s numbers since he seems to lose a lot that he has his hands on. It is a test of wills and hand strength. Rodman was amazing at it. Young is very good since he is usually giving up 2 or 3 inches and 20-30 lbs.
Another lineup I would like to see is:
1 Robinson
2 Artis
3 Jeter
4 Young
5 Maia
Would be our strongest rebounding group.
It looks like he has helped Jeter and especially Luther who has been showing some new moves of late.
I’m paraphrasing, but I think he just revealed that the pedos will be the first to get an old fashioned beat down with Pitt in their new uniforms.
HTP!
I’d have to say my rankings in interest relative to Pitt at this time are……….
1. Pitt football
2. Sarah Dubnik
3. Pitt hoops
GO SARAH!!!!
Pitt’s Bisnowaty, Ford, Maddox, Orndoff and Whitehead named to ACC All-Academic team. Third-most in ACC. Bis, Maddox, Whitehead also All-ACC
“We got to get better on defense. We’re working on it.”
“Everyone on the team can shoot the basketball. We just got to be more consistent.
“But we’re a great team!”
Problem is that Pitt would have played its last game of the year. I’m tired of the same old rhetoric.
Never going to happen, but how about starting, Wilson, Jones, Jeter, Artis and Young and run, run run. Drive to the hoop and crash the boards. Full court defense.
What have we got to lose?
He has been a problem…and not a good one.
– turn the other team over
– cause the other team to miss and then get the rebound
– if the team does make the shot, hurry the ball inbound and up the floor (watch UNC do this on Sunday)
We can’t do the first two and unable to do the 3rd with JR
I think we won’t know about the first two unless we try. Uptempo tends to create more turnovers both ways. It may also cause the other team to miss more shots.
With that said –shoulda, coulda, woulda.
I am confused by our players lack of aggressiveness. Don’t players usually love the idea of attacking the rim? Do we just have a team that prefers the jump shot? Are they instructed not to go off of the dribble much? Help me out here. I am more puzzled now than ever.
I am not the biggest Chris Jones fan but my goodness I was so happy to see him come in and attack the freakin basket. He could have shot the ball over the backboard for all I care. At least he went to the hoop like with authority.
HOW FAST will Tyler Boyd run?
I’m guessing 4.55
Since he hurt his elbow vs LVille some weeks back, he doesn’t even try the outside shot but he remains very aggressive.
This is good for Pitt and also good entertainment.
Has anyone seen a mention of Sarah in the Pittsburgh rags?
She deserves halftime recognition at both a BB and FB game.
HTP!
JR goes halfway and stops. Young does the same thing. I just don’t understand why our guys don’t attack the rim. It’s so freaking important and yet it’s largely absent from Pitt’s repertoire. It’s always driven me nuts.
I was there and again my memory tricked me.
But it wasnt in the old colors was it?