Always thought this team's

[DC_Area_Panther]

regular season ceiling was 16-17 wins. Hoped that, at a bare minimum, this team would get to a 0.500 record by the end of the ACC Tourney--but never really hoped for more. It is somewhat disappointing that neither result seems likely at this point. It sure looks like 15-17 is the most likely final record---just a tad better than last year's 14-19.

Nevertheless, both positive results are still mathematically possible with the second (reaching 0.500) more possible than the first. Two ways this team could get to a final record of at (but not over) 0.500 are--

(1) Going 1-1 in the last 2 regular season games and 0-1 in ACCT = 16-16.
(2) Going 0-2 in last 2 regular season games and 2-1 in ACCT = 17-17.

I would be happy with either option at this point.

Lots of fan speculation on this board that this team has given up mentally. IMHO, not convinced that is necessarily so. I suspect that similar to last year's team the lack of overall ACC-level talent (especially in the lack of both quality bigmen and 3-point shooters) and depth of talent has caught up with a team that played over its head (talent wise) for much of the season and has burned out. Hoping it can get re-energized enough to grab a game or two at the end of the season and/or in the ACCT like last year's team was able to do.

Hope springs eternal!

 

[CougarClaws]

regular season ceiling was 16-17 wins. Hoped that, at a bare minimum, this team would get to a 0.500 record by the end of the ACC Tourney--but never really hoped for more. It is somewhat disappointing that neither result seems likely at this point. It sure looks like 15-17 is the most likely final record---just a tad better than last year's 14-19.

Nevertheless, both positive results are still mathematically possible with the second (reaching 0.500) more possible than the first. Two ways this team could get to a final record of at (but not over) 0.500 are--

(1) Going 1-1 in the last 2 regular season games and 0-1 in ACCT = 16-16.
(2) Going 0-2 in last 2 regular season games and 2-1 in ACCT = 17-17.

I would be happy with either option at this point.

Lots of fan speculation on this board that this team has given up mentally. IMHO, not convinced that is necessarily so. I suspect that similar to last year's team the lack of overall ACC-level talent (especially in the lack of both quality bigmen and 3-point shooters) and depth of talent has caught up with a team that played over its head (talent wise) for much of the season and has burned out. Hoping it can get re-energized enough to grab a game or two at the end of the season and/or in the ACCT like last year's team was able to do.

Hope springs eternal!

I guessed an 18 win ceiling shortly before camp. And that could still happen! Someone needs to have a hot shooting game to break them out of this tailspin.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

regular season ceiling was 16-17 wins. Hoped that, at a bare minimum, this team would get to a 0.500 record by the end of the ACC Tourney--but never really hoped for more. It is somewhat disappointing that neither result seems likely at this point. It sure looks like 15-17 is the most likely final record---just a tad better than last year's 14-19.

Nevertheless, both positive results are still mathematically possible with the second (reaching 0.500) more possible than the first. Two ways this team could get to a final record of at (but not over) 0.500 are--

(1) Going 1-1 in the last 2 regular season games and 0-1 in ACCT = 16-16.
(2) Going 0-2 in last 2 regular season games and 2-1 in ACCT = 17-17.

I would be happy with either option at this point.

Lots of fan speculation on this board that this team has given up mentally. IMHO, not convinced that is necessarily so. I suspect that similar to last year's team the lack of overall ACC-level talent (especially in the lack of both quality bigmen and 3-point shooters) and depth of talent has caught up with a team that played over its head (talent wise) for much of the season and has burned out. Hoping it can get re-energized enough to grab a game or two at the end of the season and/or in the ACCT like last year's team was able to do.

Hope springs eternal!

We as a university have to stop recruiting shooting guards that can’t shoot. Goes back several coaches. With no threat of an outside shot, a starting 2 or 3 is virtually useless in my opinion.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

I predicted 16-15 regular season, and 1-1 in ACC tournament. Hopefully it still happens.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It sure looks like 15-17 is the most likely final record---just a tad better than last year's 14-19.

Again, no it isnt. How many times do I have to say this is the worst the ACC has ever been? 15-17 this season is considerably worse than 14-19 last year. You cant just look at records. What if Pitt decided to play in the NEC this season and went 20-12. Would that be an improvement?

 

[Chescat]

Again, no it isnt. How many times do I have to say this is the worst the ACC has ever been? 15-17 this season is considerably worse than 14-19 last year. You cant just look at records. What if Pitt decided to play in the NEC this season and went 20-12. Would that be an improvement?

How many times do I have to tell YOU that your opinions are not facts. DC
stated an opinion, your reply.......no it isn't. Maybe you're right, maybe he is
or isn't right. The point being that YOUR opinions are in your mind factual
where as they are merely opinions and nothing more. You gave a rational explanation supporting your opinion, but that too is still an opinion.....and
THAT is a fact.
Try and get this into your thick ass skull and maybe some of us will have
some respect for your ideas. You might then not have to remind us that
SMF knows basketball.
36000+ posts.....Get a life!

 

[Chescat]

regular season ceiling was 16-17 wins. Hoped that, at a bare minimum, this team would get to a 0.500 record by the end of the ACC Tourney--but never really hoped for more. It is somewhat disappointing that neither result seems likely at this point. It sure looks like 15-17 is the most likely final record---just a tad better than last year's 14-19.

Nevertheless, both positive results are still mathematically possible with the second (reaching 0.500) more possible than the first. Two ways this team could get to a final record of at (but not over) 0.500 are--

(1) Going 1-1 in the last 2 regular season games and 0-1 in ACCT = 16-16.
(2) Going 0-2 in last 2 regular season games and 2-1 in ACCT = 17-17.

I would be happy with either option at this point.

Lots of fan speculation on this board that this team has given up mentally. IMHO, not convinced that is necessarily so. I suspect that similar to last year's team the lack of overall ACC-level talent (especially in the lack of both quality bigmen and 3-point shooters) and depth of talent has caught up with a team that played over its head (talent wise) for much of the season and has burned out. Hoping it can get re-energized enough to grab a game or two at the end of the season and/or in the ACCT like last year's team was able to do.

Hope springs eternal!

I'd be totally shocked if they pull out another win. You basically
explained why it won't happen. Howeve I'd be surprised and elated
if they did pull one out of the hat somehow.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

My hope was to inch forward and end with arrow up with realistic thought taking a big step then in yr 3. Still 3 games left but right now wheels are off and seems to be deteriorating by the minute.

 

[tetonpanther]

I think the team is exhausted JC literally playing 40 minutes every game. Toney tre Z all playing 35 plus minutes it wears you down.

 

[PittFamily2]

My hope was to inch forward and end with arrow up with realistic thought taking a big step then in yr 3. Still 3 games left but right now wheels are off and seems to be deteriorating by the minute.

In order to inch forward a team needs to make constant incremental improvements each game or stretch of games setting a higher low and higher high performance range levels in all areas.

This team doesn't appear to learn much from previous disappointments or great performances.

IMO one of the big issues is they don't play like a team. They play a lot of two on five and three on five
basketball. No leader or leaders.

Tough team to coach.

Maybe with some additions and subtractions team dynamics improve next year.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

How many times do I have to tell YOU that your opinions are not facts. DC
stated an opinion, your reply.......no it isn't. Maybe you're right, maybe he is
or isn't right. The point being that YOUR opinions are in your mind factual
where as they are merely opinions and nothing more. You gave a rational explanation supporting your opinion, but that too is still an opinion.....and
THAT is a fact.
Try and get this into your thick ass skull and maybe some of us will have
some respect for your ideas. You might then not have to remind us that
SMF knows basketball.
36000+ posts.....Get a life!

This year's team being worse isnt a fact but its pretty close to that.

 

[Chescat]

This year's team being worse isnt a fact but its pretty close to that.

Exactly, thank you! When you write it like that it comes off as your
opinion or viewpoint. I have no problem with your viewpoint or
opinion. As for, this year's team being worse isn't a fact, but it's
pretty close to that.....well, I actually agree with you.

Just my two cents, if you give us your opinions as opinions and
not facts, and leave out the chest thumping, I told you so, from an
all knowing poster, IMO you'll get a much better reaction on here.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Exactly, thank you! When you write it like that it comes off as your
opinion or viewpoint. I have no problem with your viewpoint or
opinion. As for, this year's team being worse isn't a fact, but it's
pretty close to that.....well, I actually agree with you.

Just my two cents, but if you give us your opinions as opinions and
not facts, and leave out the chest thumping, I told you so, from an
all knowing poster, IMO you'll get a much better reaction on here.

FWIW—my original meaning was “mathematically” better in that 15-17 is better mathematically than 14-19. I wasn’t commenting on whether this year’s team was objectively better than last year’s given the relative strength of schedule variation. That being said, the Sagarin ratings support SMF’s point. Last year Pitt ended #98. Currently It is #117.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

FWIW—my original meaning was “mathematically” better in that 15-17 is better mathematically than 14-19. I wasn’t commenting on whether this year’s team was objectively better than last year’s given the relative strength of schedule variation. That being said, the Sagarin ratings support SMF’s point. Last year Pitt ended #98. Currently It is #117.

Not a good look for our program.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

FWIW—my original meaning was “mathematically” better in that 15-17 is better mathematically than 14-19. I wasn’t commenting on whether this year’s team was objectively better than last year’s given the relative strength of schedule variation. That being said, the Sagarin ratings support SMF’s point. Last year Pitt ended #98. Currently It is #117.

All things being equal, the performance of this year's team has been the most disappointing that I can remember since Willard's last year. Capel completely lost this team. Blame the players, blame him, blame whatever but it was bad. The 0-19, I wasnt "disappointed" because I kept saying we could go 0-19 so I I expected it. And Stallings's first year, I dont remember having this level of disappointment. I blamed Artis and Young for checking out and kinda wrote off the season. But that's the only season that comes close.

 

[Chescat]

FWIW—my original meaning was “mathematically” better in that 15-17 is better mathematically than 14-19. I wasn’t commenting on whether this year’s team was objectively better than last year’s given the relative strength of schedule variation. That being said, the Sagarin ratings support SMF’s point. Last year Pitt ended #98. Currently It is #117.

Good point. I'm not surprised at all by our #117 being worse than last
year's #98. The sad part is this team should be performing better given
strength of schedule and also IMO better personnel.
Once the injuries hit we went into a free fall and haven't bounced back.
We are not the same team we were three weeks ago. There's a lot of
reasons for this, but they shouldn't be in the midst of such a long losing
streak.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Good point. I'm not surprised at all by our #117 being worse than last
year's #98. The sad part is this team should be performing better given
strength of schedule and also IMO better personnel.
Once the injuries hit we went into a free fall and haven't bounced back.
We are not the same team we were three weeks ago. There's a lot of
reasons for this, but they shouldn't be in the midst of such a long losing
streak.

Injuries? Toney missed 2 games (I think we won 1) and Murphy missed 3 or 4. If you cant overcome that, geez.

 

[Chescat]

Injuries? Toney missed 2 games (I think we won 1) and Murphy missed 3 or 4. If you cant overcome that, geez.

Here's how I saw the injuries affecting us. Hamilton went out, and we
then had a rotation of Brown and Coulibaly, instead of Hamilton, Brown, and
occasionaly Coulibaly. I saw a major difference on the inside when that
occured. On top of that Murphy was also injured, and that gave Drumgoole
who has given us nothing, major minutes. We now had Coulibaly on the floor
at the same time as Drumgoole for far more minutes. I saw that as part of
the unraveling of this team. We haven't bounced back since. Murphy is a
shell of the player he was earlier. Hamilton since returning has given us
very little. Drumgoole and Coulibaly is not a strength when they make up
40% of the players on the floor. This is what I mean when I say "we are not
the same team we were three weeks ago."

 

[AlFromDadeville]

Here's how I saw the injuries affecting us. Hamilton went out, and we
then had a rotation of Brown and Coulibaly, instead of Hamilton, Brown, and
occasionaly Coulibaly. I saw a major difference on the inside when that
occured. On top of that Murphy was also injured, and that gave Drumgoole
who has given us nothing, major minutes. We now had Coulibaly on the floor
at the same time as Drumgoole for far more minutes. I saw that as part of
the unraveling of this team. We haven't bounced back since. Murphy is a
shell of the player he was earlier. Hamilton since returning has given us
very little. Drumgoole and Coulibaly is not a strength when they make up
40% of the players on the floor. This is what I mean when I say "we are not
the same team we were three weeks ago."

AKC gives them more than Hamilton. Hamilton is a total waste. Almost down to Murphy’s level although not quite that far.

 

[Chescat]

AKC gives them more than Hamilton. Hamilton is a total waste. Almost down to Murphy’s level although not quite that far.

Lately that's true. However the point was back when we were
winning (before he was injured) he was part of the rotation.
Coulibaly was hardly even seeing the floor. The team rotation
was Hamilton and Murphy. We were a different team then, and
we were plaing like it. Stay with the time line.....BEFORE the
injuries. NOW they're playing like crap, I agree.

 

[CougarClaws]

AKC gives them more than Hamilton. Hamilton is a total waste. Almost down to Murphy’s level although not quite that far.

Hamilton somehow managed to raise my very-low expectations for him this season, then didn't even meet my original practically non-existent ones.

Impressive.

 

[CougarClaws]

AKC gives them more than Hamilton. Hamilton is a total waste. Almost down to Murphy’s level although not quite that far.

On the other hand, AKC is going to be a very nice old-school Big East Pitt type player in the not too distant future. A slippery scorer around the basket, and an all-around good teammate. Will be interesting to see what competing against Hugley does for him next season.

 

[gary2]

Here's how I saw the injuries affecting us. Hamilton went out, and we
then had a rotation of Brown and Coulibaly, instead of Hamilton, Brown, and
occasionaly Coulibaly. I saw a major difference on the inside when that
occured. On top of that Murphy was also injured, and that gave Drumgoole
who has given us nothing, major minutes. We now had Coulibaly on the floor
at the same time as Drumgoole for far more minutes. I saw that as part of
the unraveling of this team. We haven't bounced back since. Murphy is a
shell of the player he was earlier. Hamilton since returning has given us
very little. Drumgoole and Coulibaly is not a strength when they make up
40% of the players on the floor. This is what I mean when I say "we are not
the same team we were three weeks ago."

I agree. It does seem though the the decrease in Hamiton's time is also part coaching decision. I think that is a mistake.

 

[CougarClaws]

Lately that's true. However the point was back when we were
winning (before he was injured) he was part of the rotation.
Coulibaly was hardly even seeing the floor. The team rotation
was Hamilton and Murphy. We were a different team then, and
we were plaing like it. Stay with the time line.....BEFORE the
injuries. NOW they're playing like crap, I agree.

It had been a relatively good season til then.....