12pm.
The good news is that this game is a sellout. The clearest evidence to date that the fanbase is optimistic about this team going forward under Head Coach Jeff Capel.
The bad news: the disparity of talent and experience on the court.
January 5, 2019
December 3, 2018
7pm.
My favorite quote in the game notes today:
The Panthers are one win shy of matching their win total from a year ago. With a win Monday, Pitt would become the first team in the NCAA to match its win total from 2017-18.
Whoever is compiling the game notes is having a lot of fun this year.
December 1, 2018
ABC.
It felt real good to type that link headline.
We all know Pitt is a heavy underdog in this game. We all know that Pitt isn’t given much of a chance, aside from the whole storyline of Pitt as the ultimate college football disrupter. That’s fine.
I’m not going to say I know Pitt can win this game. Certainly not after what happened last weekend against Miami’s defense.
But…
November 30, 2018
I realize Pitt is now a Volleyball School, and their opening tournament game — which Pitt is hosting at the Pete is airing at the same time.
…But there is still this game.
November 27, 2018
ESPNU
After being left out of the ACC-B1G Challenge last year (wisely, it seems safe to say), Pitt returns to the cross-conference melee. They face a surprisingly good Iowa team.
At the time of the dividing of opponents, the expectation was that Iowa was going to be in the lower-half of the Big Ten. Not in the basement, but somewhere in that 6th to 11th range. They still might end up there by the end of the year, but at the moment they are the third highest ranked Big Ten team (behind Michigan and Michigan State).
Iowa is ranked 14th in the AP and 15th in the Coaches. 32d per KenPom — but that comes with the caveat that stats driven rankings are not very good in the first month or so of the college basketball season. The Hawkeyes have a strong national ranking thanks to upsetting Oregon in the 2K Classic and then taking out UConn (who upset Syracuse) to win the non-con tournament.
November 24, 2018
3:30 pm
ESPN
Happy post-Thanksgiving. Family has been a bit overwhelming this week. Starting to unwind from it all. I hope. Well, sort of. Have to be out all day right up until gametime.
If this were the NFL, then this would be a meaningless game. Pitt would be locked into their opening round opponent. Everything is set. This would be the game where fans and media debate the value of resting starters and making sure everyone is healthy for next week’s game.
Thankfully, this isn’t the NFL.
November 17, 2018
(Or if you find yourself too nervous to watch directly at first Pitt basketball is scheduled at the same time. 12 pm. ACC NE/ESPN3.)
12pm.
Plenty of RSNs (including AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh, NBC Sports Washington, NESN, YES, SportsTime Ohio, and multiple regional Fox Sports channels).
Scary story about a problem with a small plane carrying Pitt Cheerleaders and others having to turn back and make an emergency landing yesterday. Everyone is fine, and now at Winston-Salem for the game today.
November 15, 2018
7:00 pm
I really thought that as the kids got older I would start getting some time back. Nope. Just the opposite. Always something else. Somewhere to be. Something to do. Something that costs more money, so keep grinding and working. Ugh. Oh, the self-pity.
Anyways, Pitt is coming off a good win over Troy. A decent Sun Belt team that gave Pitt some issues with rebounding and uncomfortably Villanova-esque free throw shooting. Yet despite that, Pitt never trailed in the game; and after opening up a 7-0 lead to start the game, never let Troy get closer then 5 points the rest of the game.
November 12, 2018
7pm.
First off, thanks to Justin for covering for me on the last two open threads. Waiting for bail money is— This past weekend was my son’s Boy Scout Thanksgiving camping trip. It’s held in a cabin (thankfully, and not in tents). It involves all the families coming out on Saturday for a dinner prepared by the kids. Somehow convinced my wife to switch with me for the second day so I just got to town on Saturday for the football game before running back home just in case our teenage daughter got any ideas about things with no parents around on a Saturday night. That’s the story I’m using and you can’t shake me.
November 6, 2018
ACC Network Extra
The season is upon us and cautious optimism reigns. Not that Pitt is going to contend in the ACC. Or even that they will get to the NIT. No. The optimism is because there is hope for the future.
Pitt has some dynamic young players. They have a coach that isn’t riding out that final paycheck. There’s flat out energy from the fanbase that has been lacking for the last three years.
November 2, 2018
7:30 pm
ESPN2.
Sorry. Late day at work. Rushed home. Wolfed down some beer and sipped on some food. Just about ready for this.
Not a lot to write, mainly because I have no time to type it.
Suffice to say that the winner is in control of their own destiny for the Coastal crown. Let the chaos continue.
October 27, 2018
A 3:30 start for this game has everyone confused. Even the ACC affiliate site still lists it as a 1:00 start. It isn’t, I’ve checked a few times to be sure this isn’t some sick joke.
Figures, though. A 3:30 start time at home for Pitt; and it is supposed to be a miserable, damp day. Which former AD do I blame for this?
October 13, 2018
NBC or the NBC stream.
It’s been a week. Quite literally, since I last posted. Been one of those weeks with work, kids. Life in general. Hell, I have to miss most of the game because my wife is off camping with my daughter and I was conscripted to take my son to one of his Boy Scout events. Yay.
And of course, Pitt hasn’t had the best week leading up to today.
October 6, 2018
September 29, 2018
3:30-ish, ESPNU.
Do I feel a little checked-out on this game? Yeah. Kind of. This game may determine just how checked-out I am for the rest of the way.
UCF flat out has a great offense, and Pat Narduzzi’s mindless speculation as to its reality as compared to UNC, only made it more ridiculous.
