Biggest shots in Pitt history

[BobbyMoPittFan]

The NCAA was using the NET when that happened.

Yes it was, but that was the first season Pitt was relevant since the NET had been established and we were still naive to the impact efficiency metrics had on the system. Our resumé 2 years ago was arguably just as good as last year's but our NET was 67(!) because it never occurred to us that putting the walk-ons in for garbage time would hurt our NET as much as it did. The following season we made a concerted effort to play our hardest for a full 40 minutes and our NET was up to 40 despite a similar resumé to 22-23.

 

[DT_PITT]

Was there at the Garden. Special moment. I think I read somewhere it was our last non conference win against a ranked team on the road until we just beat OSU.

The wasn’t a road game however. It was a neutral site.

 

[DT_PITT]

I seem to remember Lamar hitting a big 3 in a comeback against Syracuse at the Dome but don't recall the exact situation. @DT_PITT should know!

I’m guessing you are referring to the 2014 game in the Dome. The Panthers went down by 10 near midway of the 2nd half. Lamar drilled three really deep (27 -28 feet) threes in the span of about a minute for his own 9-2 run to cut the lead to three. It was a close game the rest of the way and we did take the lead on another Patterson three about five minutes later.

It was a great game but we ended up losing by 5 to #2 Cuse.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Yes it was, but that was the first season Pitt was relevant since the NET had been established and we were still naive to the impact efficiency metrics had on the system. Our resumé 2 years ago was arguably just as good as last year's but our NET was 67(!) because it never occurred to us that putting the walk-ons in for garbage time would hurt our NET as much as it did. The following season we made a concerted effort to play our hardest for a full 40 minutes and our NET was up to 40 despite a similar resumé to 22-23.

If it didn't actually occur to people how the NET was going to work, even though the NCAA told everyone what they were measuring, then those people were fools. If there were any coaches that didn't understand it (and that didn't have anyone on their staff that understood it) that would make them just about too dumb to allow near young adults on a regular basis.

Now if you want to say that many fans didn't realize how it would work, then sure, I agree. Heck, we have one here who after all these years can't stop talking about it but still doesn't understand it.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

If it didn't actually occur to people how the NET was going to work, even though the NCAA told everyone what they were measuring, then those people were fools. If there were any coaches that didn't understand it (and that didn't have anyone on their staff that understood it) that would make them just about too dumb to allow near young adults on a regular basis.

Now if you want to say that many fans didn't realize how it would work, then sure, I agree. Heck, we have one here who after all these years can't stop talking about it but still doesn't understand it.

Capel has publicly said he didnt understand it. And I dont think many coaches did. Not until recently. Especially since the NCAA sent out a confusing mixed message. "We aren't going to point differential anymore. We will only count offensive and defensive efficiency (aka point differential).

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Capel has publicly said he didnt understand it. And I dont think many coaches did. Not until recently. Especially since the NCAA sent out a confusing mixed message. "We aren't going to point differential anymore. We will only count offensive and defensive efficiency (aka point differential).

If there is any college basketball coach that does not understand what offensive and defensive efficiencies mean then they are dumber than a box of rocks.

People have been using metrics like that for literally decades at this point. A major college basketball coach that didn't/doesn't understand it would have to be willfully ignorant.

 

[BobbyMoPittFan]

Capel has publicly said he didnt understand it. And I dont think many coaches did. Not until recently. Especially since the NCAA sent out a confusing mixed message. "We aren't going to point differential anymore. We will only count offensive and defensive efficiency (aka point differential).

Bingo. The NCAA said, "Point difference doesn't matter. Except it does, we just call it 'net efficiency' now."

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Bingo. The NCAA said, "Point difference doesn't matter. Except it does, we just call it 'net efficiency' now."

Exactly. Is there anyone out there who pays attention to basketball (especially as closely as a coach does) who doesn't understand that them talking about your offensive and defensive efficiency is just a different way of talking about how badly you are beating teams?

If Jeff Capel, or any other coach, says that they didn't understand that being more efficient on offense means that you scored more points, and being more efficient on defense means that you allowed fewer points, then they are either lying to you or they are a moron. That's the only two choices.

 

[BobbyMoPittFan]

Exactly. Is there anyone out there who pays attention to basketball (especially as closely as a coach does) who doesn't understand that them talking about your offensive and defensive efficiency is just a different way of talking about how badly you are beating teams?

If Jeff Capel, or any other coach, says that they didn't understand that being more efficient on offense means that you scored more points, and being more efficient on defense means that you allowed fewer points, then they are either lying to you or they are a moron. That's the only two choices.

I'd argue he was a moron then, although I'd also argue that the NCAA was even more moronic to outright say that point differential doesn't matter but then make it matter even more than it did before by calling it "net efficiency". Then again, that's par for the course considering this *is* the NCAA after all.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Exactly. Is there anyone out there who pays attention to basketball (especially as closely as a coach does) who doesn't understand that them talking about your offensive and defensive efficiency is just a different way of talking about how badly you are beating teams?

If Jeff Capel, or any other coach, says that they didn't understand that being more efficient on offense means that you scored more points, and being more efficient on defense means that you allowed fewer points, then they are either lying to you or they are a moron. That's the only two choices.

Point blank. Do you think ALL 100ish major college basketball coaches fully understood that point differential was vitally important when NET was newish 2-3 years ago?

 

[Gep Dawg]

The wasn’t a road game however. It was a neutral site.

I think it was last win against non conference ranked opponent not on our home floor. So on the road in the more traditional sense that the team had to travel away from home to play this game. I even think it was technically a home game for Duke despite it being at the Garden.

But I get that the distinction NET has with neutral site games and road games changes that traditional definition these days

 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Was there at the Garden. Special moment. I think I read somewhere it was our last non conference win against a ranked team on the road until we just beat OSU.

tOSU wasn't ranked.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Point blank. Do you think ALL 100ish major college basketball coaches fully understood that point differential was vitally important when NET was newish 2-3 years ago?

Only the ones who are reasonably intelligent.

I mean good god, FANS (although not you) figured it out right away. If the people whose jobs in some way depend on it didn't understand it, and were too dumb to ask someone smarter than them what it all meant, then like I said, that coach was a moron.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Only the ones who are reasonably intelligent.

I mean good god, FANS (although not you) figured it out right away. If the people whose jobs in some way depend on it didn't understand it, and were too dumb to ask someone smarter than them what it all meant, then like I said, that coach was a moron.

I think most didnt understand it initially and for quite a few years. But not because they are a "moron." Its because a lot of coaches dont mess with that type of stuff. They live in the "just win" world. Now maybe they should have assigned a staff member or Math Major undergrad to figure it out. But I dont think they did. And the NCAA confused the crap out of everyone saying point differential doesnt matter except it does because we are renaming it.

 

[Pitt666]

I think most didnt understand it initially and for quite a few years. But not because they are a "moron." Its because a lot of coaches dont mess with that type of stuff. They live in the "just win" world. Now maybe they should have assigned a staff member or Math Major undergrad to figure it out. But I dont think they did. And the NCAA confused the crap out of everyone saying point differential doesnt matter except it does because we are renaming it.

I think they also balance it with injury risk and thinking the committee would look at more than that.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I think most didnt understand it initially and for quite a few years. But not because they are a "moron." Its because a lot of coaches dont mess with that type of stuff. They live in the "just win" world. Now maybe they should have assigned a staff member or Math Major undergrad to figure it out. But I dont think they did. And the NCAA confused the crap out of everyone saying point differential doesnt matter except it does because we are renaming it.

If someone tells you this is the major criteria we are going to judge your work on, and you don't understand what they are telling you, and you don't find someone who does understand to explain it to you, then you are, well....

I mean would you ever do that at work? If your boss gives you some sort of metric and tells you he's going to judge your performance on the metric and you have no idea what that metric measures or how you determine if you are doing well in that metric or doing poorly, do you just walk away and say "huh, I don't understand it so it must not be important"?