Pitt Basketball

[Crimson's Ghost]

Have to think tonight may have an impact on whether Stallings will be around next season.

-- Pitt had a Petersen Events Center-low 2800 fans tonight, and that seemed rather generous.

-- Pitt blew a 16 point lead and lost by 23.

-- National writer Pat Forde brought attention to Pitt's disaster of a season in his daily story.


"AND THE WRONG HIRE AT THE WRONG TIME

The flip side of Smith’s master stroke is unfolding at Pittsburgh, where the program has become a disaster in astonishingly short order. Lacking a clear understanding of exactly how valuable Jamie Dixon (29) was in building and sustaining Pitt basketball, school administrators let him walk to alma mater TCU in 2016.

Turns out, replacing a guy who never had a losing season and went to 11 NCAA tournaments in 13 seasons wouldn’t be all that easy. Especially if you hire the absolutely wrong guy.

That’s what athletic director Scott Barnes (30) did when he tabbed Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings (31). This arrangement very likely was created by the buddy-buddy search firm business: Barnes hired College Sports Associates, run by his former boss at Washington, Todd Turner, who also happened to be Stallings’ former boss at Vandy. It was all very convenient, except for the inconvenient truth that Stallings was a very bad fit for the Pitt job. Nine months later, Barnes left Pitt for Oregon State. In his wake, the Stallings Era has been a complete debacle.

Pitt’s long run of winning records ended last year, when the Panthers went 16-17. This year, with a threadbare roster, has been much worse — Pitt is 8-18 overall and 0-13 in the ACC. The last three losses have been by 31 (at North Carolina), 24 (at Clemson), and 34 (home against a Louisville team playing without its leading scorer). Stallings easily could be two-and-through at Pitt. "

[El-Moldo]

They mentioned last night during the game that Pitt has the 2nd youngest team in Division I. There are 354 D-I teams. Couple that with an SOS of 38, and any coach would have trouble winning. And say what you want about improvement being made as the season goes on, but Pitt's opponents are getting better also. Give him a chance.

[knowitall]

Pitt has no choice but to give him a chance.  There are no magicians out there that can make this any better any time soon.  What I do find amusing is Pitt has its own on-campus basketball arena and can only draw 2800.  Some Pitt fans cry about having to play football at Heinz Field and cite its negative effect on attendance. 

[12HankQB]

They need time. I think they'll draw more recruits being in the ACC than the Big E. Once they have a little success in the conference. They'll be able to build no problem.

[knowitall]

There is quite a bit of nonsense posted in this thread.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Pitt basketball was the hardest ticket in town from 2003-2013.    The only reason they are drawing so poorly is because of the state of the program. 

[Crimson's Ghost]

They mentioned last night during the game that Pitt has the 2nd youngest team in Division I. There are 354 D-I teams. Couple that with an SOS of 38, and any coach would have trouble winning. And say what you want about improvement being made as the season goes on, but Pitt's opponents are getting better also. Give him a chance.

I have, probably more than most Pitt fans.  He’s even lost me. The team is getting worse, they aren’t the scrappy likable team they could be.  They’ve only come within single digits twice in conference play.  If they were playing hard and showing signs of life and still had this terrible record, I’d be all for it. But they aren’t even that.  They can’t play defense, they don’t hustle, and they don’t do anything on offense besides shoot 3’s if they aren’t turning the ball over.  

I was there on Sunday.  It’s pretty apparent the players and the coaches are basically going through the motions.  They played hard for four minutes than Louisville turned it into a Varsity vs. Freshman scrimmage.  

Being young is a nice excuse in December. It’s mid February.  They’ve played 26 games.  I don’t really buy the youth thing anymore.  Also just because they are young doesn’t mean they are going to get better.  There are 4-5 kids on the roster that should be playing at a St. Francis level program, not in the ACC.  So I don’t blame Stallings for struggling to win games with this team because not many coaches could.  But, he’s also the one that assembled the team. And the talent that he’s bringing in next year isn’t much better.  

They were up 16 to a team that hasn’t won an ACC road game in 3 years and lost by 23.  That’s really concerning.  At the beginning of the season I had no doubt Stallings would be here to start next season, I really am getting the feeling he won’t be here next season. 

[Crimson's Ghost]

There is quite a bit of nonsense posted in this thread.

I agree.

[konjo78]

I mean if rick pitino is found innocent of the things at louisville maybe pitt can snag him up. Thatll bring recruits

[Crimson's Ghost]

Pitt won’t be hiring slick Rick.