College Basketball 1/9-1/15

[Crimson's Ghost]

Penn State #82 KenPom 15-9 Overall (3-8 Big Ten)

@ Ohio State 7:00 Wednesday Big Ten Network
Maryland 8:30 Saturday Big Ten Network

Penn State managed to pick up their third conference win on Saturday by beating Nebraska at home by 13. After an 0-6 start in B1G play, the Lions are managing to find a way to finish games of late. They have two ranked teams on the schedule this week, but I don't think Ohio State or Maryland are all that great, both winnable games for Penn State.

Pitt #92 KenPom 16-8 Overall (5-5 ACC)

@ Louisville 8:00 Wednesday Root
North Carolina 12:00 Saturday WTAE

Pitt is currently riding a three game winning streak, and they do have a "signature" win by beating top 20 Notre Dame two weeks ago. They beat Syracuse yesterday without senior starter Cam Wright for most of the game. Unlike Penn State, I do think Pitt controls their own destiny to make the NCAA Tournament - albeit quite the longshot. Pitt has 8 games left, but three really tough games coming up - Pitt has to steal one of those games and UNC on Saturday may be a possibility. The Pete has provided big game atmosphere recently, and the team seems to be feeding off of that. Plus, I think UNC is a little overrated.

Saint Francis #213 KenPom 13-10 Overall (7-5 NEC)

Central Connectibut State Thursday 7:00
LIU-Brooklyn Saturday 1:00

As it stands now, SFU would host a first round NEC tournament game, and that has to be their goal to finish in the top 4. The Flash have two home games this week against teams lower than them in the standing, they need both. Head up to the DeGol Arena if you have the chance.


Duquesne #249 KenPom 7-14 Overall (2-8 A10)

George Washington Wednesday 7:00
@ UMass Saturday 4:00

The Dukes have two of the better A10 teams on the schedule this week, not a promising venture for them.

[El-Moldo]

What a coincidence. Nebraska lost to PSU by 13. Nebraska only had 13 points in the first half. Expected more from Nebraska and Minnesota this year, after their big successes last year.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Nebraska was fringe top 25 in the preseason. A lot of people expected more from them. The Big Ten looks pretty ordinary after Wisconsin. Nobody is really stepping up to finish in second place.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Pitt hung tough for about 30 minutes, and the talent of Louisville wore them down. And by that, I mean Montrezl Harrell just owned them in the paint. Still, Pitt missed some opportunities to stay in the game. In the end, Pitt lost by 13 on the scoreboard, but Louisville high water mark was 16 or 17. Pitt was awful at the foul line today, and could have broken up Louisville's big run or even built a bigger lead, but it is what it is. Louisville is a top ten team playing at home, Pitt isn't....Louisville did what they had to, Pitt hung as tough as they could. Even in a game that Harrell dominated down low, Artis and Young battled and still put up fairly good numbers. Pitt also went without Cam Wright, and were reduced to using a walk-on as their third guard in this one.

Pitt needs the game Saturday to hang onto their slim NCAA Tournament hopes, and by slim....I mean really slim. They close out the year with 4 winnable games, and they need to beat either UNC at home on Saturday, or UVA on the road Monday. Carolina seems more likely. Pitt has played well at the Pete this year, and have scored two big wins there the past two weekends, I won't put it past them to take down the Tar Heels.

[abpk2903]

Is Pitt a young team?

[Crimson's Ghost]

By their standards, yeah they're pretty young. Pitt is a program that has generally had their most success with a lot of good seniors each year that kind of wait their turn, and that isn't the case this season.

Pitt will only lose Cameron Wright after this season basically. Last night they started 4 sophomores and a junior.

Pitt will have back both forwards, Young and Artis who will both finish the season averaging around 13 points. They'll bring back Robinson to be a rare four year starter. They'll have Jones and Newkirk and Jeter, all guys that have shown glimpses this season. On top of that, Pitt is bringing in a four star guard from NYC, Damon Wilson. They'll also have Durand Johnson back for a season (MAYBE) and he was a guy many expected to be the leading scorer of this year's team, and they'll also have a promising kid Cameron Johnson who had shoulder surgery after appearing in some games early this season. The big thing with Pitt right now heading into next year, I believe they are a fringe top 25 team, but one that should make the NCAA's, they could be a top ten team if they land Chieck Diallo a 5 star Center from New York by way of Africa. Pitt is in the running, and he's Damon Wilson's HS teammmate. Normally Pitt doesn't land 5 stars, but Jamie has managed to reel in 3 in the pas 6-7 years, so he could be the 4th.

So young this year, tournament next year OR possibly really good team next year if they get Diallo.

[abpk2903]

So I understand the goal is to get into the tourney this year but do you think a NIT bid could actually be more helpful for the program. From the handful of times I've seen Pitt this year, they have little to no chance of getting out of the 1st weekend if they even can figure out a way to get there.

The NIT is a tourney they could win. They would have the chance to simulate a tournament run for the future and ultimately could get to play a few games in NYC (which ironically is where they seem to be recruiting the most of their talent). I think a lot of times the value of the NIT gets overlooked and I think young teams get a lot more out of it than a 1 or 2 and done in the NCAAs.

[PLDragons24]

I would argue that you always want to go to the NCAA's even if it's one and done. You want to always have that culture of expecting to be there every year. I would rather go one and done in the NCAA's than win the NIT.

[Crimson's Ghost]

I get why people say that, but making the tournament and losing the first round is still better than winning the NIT. Rather than win the NIT, they should view these last 8 games as a playoff type mentality and scratch and claw to get to the NCAA. Making the tournament with their backs against the wall would equate to the same pressure the NIT would provide.


Pitt failed to make the tournament one time in the past 13 or 14 years, they ended up winning the CBI and I suppose it did help a few of the guys like Lamar Patterson, but it's hard to say on my end since I didn't watch any of the games in that tournament.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Now if they get into the NIT, which I'm 98% sure that's where they'll end up, I hope they have a good showing.