12 pm

ACC Network Affiliates, ACCDN/WatchESPN.

Says something about the match-up when this game is listed as the ACC Network game for 12pm, and the affiliate stations are a lot sparser then usual. It really says something when the local ACC affiliate in Cleveland (WUAB) isn’t carrying the game. Why? Because the station in question is owned directly by Raycom, and the ACC Network syndication is produced and distributed by Raycom.

Ryan Luther continues to be unable to play. Nothing quite like the x-ray suggesting the bone “was just getting ready to break.”

Who would have thought that an injury to Ryan Luther would be the catalyst for the wheels coming off the team for two straight seasons?

If you follow me on twitter during the games, you will know that I have recently been charting Jared Wilson-Frame’s 3-point futility. It has become glaring.

Over the past four games, little has come easy for Jared Wilson-Frame. While his scoring average of 10.5 points per game in that span isn’t any cause for alarm, he has been anything but efficient in reaching that total. Since scoring 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting in a Dec. 16 victory against McNeese State, the junior guard/forward has made just 11 of his past 51 shots (21.6 percent) and four of his past 31 3s (12.9 percent).

For a player who has some tendencies of a gunner — and whose greatest contribution, along with experience, was supposed to be shooting — it’s a distressing change of direction, something that has caused his season averages to plummet (his field goal percentage to .366 and 3-point percentage to .296).

Part of those struggles come from the state of flux that has overtaken Pitt in Luther’s five-game absence. Without the 6-foot-9 senior, Wilson-Frame has regularly had to play out of position. The 6-foot-5 Wilson-Frame was featured as a power forward in 11 of the 33 new lineups Pitt used to wrap up non-conference play without Luther after being in that spot in only four of the team’s first 93 unique lineups. In two ACC games, he has been the second-tallest player in 11 of Pitt’s 30 lineups.

A couple things. If Wilson-Frame is playing more at power forward, then as long as the opponent is not playing too much zone, he should have something of an advantage in dragging his man outside on perimeter shots. Creating some better shooting looks from outside. Conversely the size inside he would be facing should make it harder to score closer to the basket.

The McNeese State game was the exception for a purely dismal December. At least from outside the arc. And boy, has that carried into the ACC action.

In the first 7 games, Wilson-Frame was 18-44 on 3s. A 41% clip. Inside the arc he was 16-35 (46%).

In the 8 games since, his 2-point shooting has remained consistent at 46% (19-39). The 3-point shooting, though, has fallen off a cliff to 20% (11-54). He’s 0-12 on 3s in the first two ACC games. Bringing Wilson-Frame off the bench against Louisville made no difference with his shot

The whole Stallings yelling at a fan thing has carried over for a couple more days as Rick Pitino inserted himself into things by calling Stallings a, “jackass.” Seems like a good time to remember that Rick Pitino had to be restrained at halftime from going after a fan in Chapel Hill last year. When he still had a job.

Coach Kevin Stallings could care less.

Stallings had little comment on a report that former Louisville coach Rick Pitino called him a “jacka**” for Stallings’ remark Tuesday night, saying one of his brothers died over the holidays and the funeral was Wednesday. “I’ve had a few more important things to worry about than [Pitino],” Stallings said. “I haven’t really given that much thought, to be honest with you.”

Probably thought about for, oh, 15 seconds.