NoIT
NoIT
I really don't really follow much college basketball outside of the tournament and Big Ten play but I did see last night that Pitt is last in the Big East and lost something like 7 straight. I know we have some Pitt guys here on the board but I was wondering are they in danger of a below .500 season or do you expect a better second half of the season from them? They looked pretty decent playing on the road at #1 Syracuse last night. Thoughts?
Re: NoIT
I'm surprised that it took you til last night to learn of Pitt's basketball woes. Thought you were more observant than that. Hopefully Pitt will win more than they lose this year and get an invite to the NIT. They can use the practice.
Re: NoIT
Everybody has down years now and then. Syracuse, UCONN, North Carolina...they've all occasionally had poor seasons. UCONN was in the NIT the year before winning the national championship. Pitt has been real good for the past decade so I guess it's just their time to be down. Steven Adams is a big time recruit who should help right away next year. He is a legit one and done type. The thing with the one and dones is Dixon hasn't had the most success with that type of player, see Khem Birch. Pitt won't be down long with a coach the quality of Jamie.
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Crimson's Ghost
- Moderator Team
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- Joined: June 24th, 2011, 10:43 am
Re: NoIT
Well generally speaking here are simply Pitt's problems.....
Pitt is playing without 2 very important positions.
Travon Woodall is hurt, and it truly does make a difference, especially when he is the only true Point Guard with game experience on the roster. The backup is Isaiah Epps, and that was a poor read by Brandin Knight and Jamie Dixon, this kid looks over his head in the Big East. A 100% healthy Woodall, they likely don't lose 7 straight.
This forces Gibbs, our best scoring threat, to play nearly 40 minutes. He also has the responsibility of guarding the other team's PG, handle the ball, and still be the best scorer. Its tough for him. You look at Syracuse, not one guy plays more than 30 minutes a game.
The other position Pitt lacks is a Center. Khem Birch was not ready for Big East play, losing him hurts, but the 7 game losing streak is on with him out there. Dante Taylor was a bust, its fair to say this. He's been through 2 1/2 seasons and he still is weak at scoring the Basketball. For a 5 star prospect, it should be embarrassing on his part. He clearly was not worth the rating. Talib Zanna is still somewhat raw, but I like what I see from him. He has a better scoring feel and is an OK rebounder. Still just a sophomore. The problem with these three guys is their inconsistency and toughness. Toughness is Pitt's trademark, and these guys do not have that. Gary McGhee was not a talented player, but he was physically imposing and he knew how to play big, and rebound....and he would score when fed the ball underneath. Nasir Robinson is Pitt's best big man, he is 6-5.
So without the lack of a True PG, and a physical big man.....Its pretty clear to see why this is happening. Its shocking to just about everybody. SI had Pitt preseason ranked 8, same with the Coaches and AP. Dixon has done way more with less of a team than this. The guys that were expected to step up their game have not. Its hard for the expectations to include that an average Dante Taylor would suddenly be a formidable Big East big man, and thats a lot of what the preseason hype was based on.
Next season is looking promising for several reasons......
1. Travon Woodall will be back at full health. He may play some this February, but him back as a senior will be beneficial. He was averaging 12 points and 7.5 assists per game. James Robinson is a top 60 recruit out of DeMatha HS. He is a heady player and is a 6-3 physical player, drawn some comparisons to Deron Williams. If we get half the player of Deron Williams, we'll be alright.
2. Steven Adams. The nations 4th rated recruit. We saw what happened with Birch and Taylor, but this guy seems legit. A brief look. in an
Adidas camp, Adams put up 36 and 15 on star UConn freshmen, Andre Drummond. He recently scored 23 and 10 over Narleans Noel(a top 5 player in the class of 2013) in his first HS game. Adams is rated as a better player then Cody Zeller by some accounts. If Pitt gets a guy of that caliber watch out. Also with Birch out, Pitt has room to add another player. A Power Forward seems to be the position they are searching for.
Upon looking at next season......I would start this lineup, and it is capable of being a Top 10 team.
PG Travon Woodall 5-11 Sr.
SG John Johnson 6-1 So.
SF LaMarr Patterson 6-5 Jr.
PF Talib Zanna 6-9 Jr.
C Steven Adams 6-11 Fr.
6Man Dante Taylor. 6-9 Sr
7Man JJ Moore 6-7 Jr
8Man James Robinson 6-3 Fr
Pitt is playing without 2 very important positions.
Travon Woodall is hurt, and it truly does make a difference, especially when he is the only true Point Guard with game experience on the roster. The backup is Isaiah Epps, and that was a poor read by Brandin Knight and Jamie Dixon, this kid looks over his head in the Big East. A 100% healthy Woodall, they likely don't lose 7 straight.
This forces Gibbs, our best scoring threat, to play nearly 40 minutes. He also has the responsibility of guarding the other team's PG, handle the ball, and still be the best scorer. Its tough for him. You look at Syracuse, not one guy plays more than 30 minutes a game.
The other position Pitt lacks is a Center. Khem Birch was not ready for Big East play, losing him hurts, but the 7 game losing streak is on with him out there. Dante Taylor was a bust, its fair to say this. He's been through 2 1/2 seasons and he still is weak at scoring the Basketball. For a 5 star prospect, it should be embarrassing on his part. He clearly was not worth the rating. Talib Zanna is still somewhat raw, but I like what I see from him. He has a better scoring feel and is an OK rebounder. Still just a sophomore. The problem with these three guys is their inconsistency and toughness. Toughness is Pitt's trademark, and these guys do not have that. Gary McGhee was not a talented player, but he was physically imposing and he knew how to play big, and rebound....and he would score when fed the ball underneath. Nasir Robinson is Pitt's best big man, he is 6-5.
So without the lack of a True PG, and a physical big man.....Its pretty clear to see why this is happening. Its shocking to just about everybody. SI had Pitt preseason ranked 8, same with the Coaches and AP. Dixon has done way more with less of a team than this. The guys that were expected to step up their game have not. Its hard for the expectations to include that an average Dante Taylor would suddenly be a formidable Big East big man, and thats a lot of what the preseason hype was based on.
Next season is looking promising for several reasons......
1. Travon Woodall will be back at full health. He may play some this February, but him back as a senior will be beneficial. He was averaging 12 points and 7.5 assists per game. James Robinson is a top 60 recruit out of DeMatha HS. He is a heady player and is a 6-3 physical player, drawn some comparisons to Deron Williams. If we get half the player of Deron Williams, we'll be alright.
2. Steven Adams. The nations 4th rated recruit. We saw what happened with Birch and Taylor, but this guy seems legit. A brief look. in an
Adidas camp, Adams put up 36 and 15 on star UConn freshmen, Andre Drummond. He recently scored 23 and 10 over Narleans Noel(a top 5 player in the class of 2013) in his first HS game. Adams is rated as a better player then Cody Zeller by some accounts. If Pitt gets a guy of that caliber watch out. Also with Birch out, Pitt has room to add another player. A Power Forward seems to be the position they are searching for.
Upon looking at next season......I would start this lineup, and it is capable of being a Top 10 team.
PG Travon Woodall 5-11 Sr.
SG John Johnson 6-1 So.
SF LaMarr Patterson 6-5 Jr.
PF Talib Zanna 6-9 Jr.
C Steven Adams 6-11 Fr.
6Man Dante Taylor. 6-9 Sr
7Man JJ Moore 6-7 Jr
8Man James Robinson 6-3 Fr
Re: NoIT
Thanks, as I said I really don't follow college basketball outside of the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament. I knew they lost a few tough ones but I didn't realize they lost 7 straight. I figured there were some injury problems as well as maybe a young team.
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sheldoncooper
- Freshman
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- Joined: January 19th, 2012, 9:09 am
Re: NoIT
is there anyone out there who'd thought Penn state's basketball team would have more conference wins than Pitt's team at this point in the season?
Re: NoIT
....sheldoncooper: For what it's worth...
....Sagarin has Pitt ranked 93 in the nation in college basketball in his latest rankings. PSU is ranked 130. Pitt is ranked 10th in the Big East out of 16 teams. PSU is rated dead last in the Big Ten which has 12 teams. So what is the significance of how many wins you have in the conference?
....Sagarin has Pitt ranked 93 in the nation in college basketball in his latest rankings. PSU is ranked 130. Pitt is ranked 10th in the Big East out of 16 teams. PSU is rated dead last in the Big Ten which has 12 teams. So what is the significance of how many wins you have in the conference?
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Colonel Mustard
- Official BleacherCoach
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- Joined: October 25th, 2011, 9:51 pm
Re: NoIT
Yeah who cares about actual wins and losses when you have some guys computer rankings to go by, HA!
Re: NoIT
I guess we stopped tracking wins and losses in college basketball. We're gonna go by SOS*Wins-OOC Losses+Team Uniform Color/Travel Miles = Number of days of sun on university last year (Visits by Dick Vitale + Number of breathe mints Digger Phelps used on your campus) / White boys on team.