I’m sure if I actually went back and reviewed some past liveblogs, I could find one that had less complaints and was more distracted by peripheral items than the actual game. But, I can’t remember one.
Pit never was threatened in this game. Other than a brief 5-3 RU lead, this one was never in doubt. From7 minutes into the game, Pitt held a double-digit lead. 33 of the 40 minutes. As dominate as Pitt was, Rutgers completely rolled over.
The game ended. The regular season over, Coach Dixon got properly effusive about the team’s accomplishments — and that it isn’t over yet.
“It says a lot about this group and the character they have to finish in second place,” coach Jamie Dixon said.
“They weren’t picked second by anybody. But they’re a good group of kids, and I’m proud of them. This team has improved all year, and I don’t think we want to stop improving now. This team has improved more than any team in the country, more than any team, probably, ever has from November to March.
“Why stop now?”
Why, indeed?
Jermaine Dixon echoed those thoughts.
“I’m really proud,” senior guard Jermaine Dixon, the team’s lone returning starter. “I knew we could do it. We accomplished a lot this year, but we’re not done.”
Dixon hurt his ankle, but everyone seems to suggest that it was precautionary that he was kept out and he will be fine. Hope so. We have seen this year, how different Pitt is without him. Even without being able to have him practice with the team.
Now, with a few days before the BET begins, the usual argument will reign as to whether Pitt should put as much emphasis on the Big East Tournament. Whether it will risk leaving them drained or worse, injured for the NCAA Tournament.
My thought is simply that with a team like Pitt, they have to play hard and with the goal of winning the BET. They are not mature enough to be able to “turn it on or off.” Coach Dixon has to emphasize the goal of winning each and every game. If they fall at some point in the BET, then you can revise and say things like the NCAA is what matters. But right now, the team has to think about winning at Madison Square Garden.
For the record, I am totally in agreement with Gil Brown.
Pitt could play one of three different teams in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals — Notre Dame, Seton Hall or Providence — but Gilbert Brown wants another shot at the Fighting Irish.
Pitt lost to Notre Dame, 68-53, in South Bend two weeks ago. It’s the Panthers’ only loss in their past nine games.
“It would be good to play Notre Dame again, seeing how they handled us pretty well at their place,” Brown said. “It would be a great rematch at the Garden, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The way the bracket is set, those are the three teams Pitt could possibly face. My feeling is Pitt under Coach Dixon just knows how to adjust when they get in a rematch with teams — Villanova last year being the exception. So as good as ND has been playing, I want to see Pitt with another shot at MSG.
Meanwhile Dante Taylor is looking and feeling a lot better these days.
“It felt real good,” Taylor said. “I got some confidence back, and I was trying to be aggressive.”
Taylor said he lost some confidence after going scoreless in four consecutive games in mid-season and totaling two points in a six-game span from Jan. 24-Feb. 8.
“I tried to not let it get to me,” he said. “I still came out and played hard.”
He finished with 11 ponts and 7 rebounds and definitely looked more comfortable out there. Granted it was against Rutgers, but to use Herm Edwards’ lesser used quotes: We can build on this.
The Big East announced its All-Big East teams. The good news, the 11 player All-Big East teams are done. That does mean that only Ashton Gibbs made it as a 2d team All-Big East player. No one else in the 3 teams or even honorable mention. Actually, though, that doesn’t surprise me.
It’s a reflection of how good Pitt has been as a team — and how shockingly well they have played. Realistically, the only players you could consider besides Gibbs on the All-Big East would have been Wanamaker and Jermaine Dixon. Dixon, though, missed most of the non-con with his injuries to make his stats smaller.
– Hoping the lesson learned by the guys on Saturday is that if they come out focused, punch a team in the mouth and then punch them in the gut before they can mount a comeback, the opponent might just roll over allowing your team, and fans, to relax and root for Tim Frye at the end of the game.
– Hoping that Gibbs being 2nd team All BE means that he has the inside track on Most Improved over Abromaitis. Freeman is 2nd team too, but he’s been a major piece for G’town for 2 yrs. now. Gibbs was a role player for Pitt last year, and he would get robbed if it’s Freeman on a “sympathy” vote.
– Hoping that Brown has been pacing himself in the regular season and is now ready to string together back-to-back-to-back-to… games where he shows up.
– Hoping that Taylor continues the pace of improvement he’s been on lately. If so, we might start seeing the player many expected to see a couple of games from now.
– Hoping Dixon’s ankle is 100% for The Dance, even if that means resting him in the BE tourney as some suggest.
– Hoping all of the above adds up to a nice run in the BET, a 2 or 3 seed in The Dance, and a tourney run as unexpected as the regular season.
Like I said, wishful thinking.
Agree that Peterson is a force. Reminds me of a smaller D Blair but with an outside shot. NBA prospect for sure. Don’t think he should win MIP over Gibbs though. He sat out last year.
If you read Pantherman13’s comment after that game (link to pittblather.com) you’ll see that he explains that Jamie knows how to defend Peterson and PC’s ball screens. It comes down to the players involved executing. I later added a specific example from the game of proper execution. I think they’ll practice that over and over and over before facing PC and Peterson again.
