Florida State Game & Other Dribbles ...

[NCanton Panther]

Going to be really hard to win 2 in the ACC tourney now that we likely get a double bye. We may get in with just an NC St win, but an NC St win and one in ACC tourney will make us a lock now.

We may get in with an NC St win and one in the tourney but I don’t know how you can say that’s a lock. Still a lot of teams to jump over and just like the FLA ST win that did nothing for our NET or tourney pecking order, neither will an NC ST win. We are still relying on some key losses from other bubble teams.

 

[LivinWell]

To

Yeah it was great but Florida STate kept getting it in single digits late. Maybe there is a reason we didn’t move up in NET. Because NET expectation would have been a 30 point win. If you cannot see we struggled with their bigs in the last 9 minutes you are wearing Blue/Gold glasses.

To me the stuggle was during a 5 min stretch when Bub turned the ball over twice and mad some bad shots. We could have been up by 20 and instead let them cut the lead to less than 10. Thats hoops. Great win.

 

[303vND]

Blake will leave as the best long range shooter in Pitt history. Maile and Matthews were excellent, but were not routinely making contested 28 footers. Larry Harris was a great shooter but he was before the 3 point line.

The only thing left is for Blake is to make one those long ones as a buzzer beater game winner in the ACC tourney or NCAA tourney. I would love for him and for us to have that moment.

I'm glad you mentioned Scooch - if there was a 3 point line back when he played, he would have been the Pitt leading scorer forever.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

There's also the danger of too many mouths to feed, with balls and cash. You don't really need more than 3 primary scorers and then surround them with pieces who can step up.

FWIW, just exchanged texts with a friend of mine who is an assistant at NCSt @DT_PITT
"You guys aren't going to knock Pitt out are you?"
"In regardless. 44 NET. Maybe Dayton."

So the belief in coaching circles is they have done enough.

Coaches know the least about NET and bracketology so I wouldn't put any stock in that.

Pitt is going to have some decisions to make. They need to pay Lowe whatever it takes. And they also need a primary scorer to replace Hinson and Bub. That's not going to be cheap. I'm fine with Fede and GDG. Kante probably isnt even a 5, right? But they are going to have to make some moves because 4 of their 13 players cant be counted on to score and then you also have Austin, GDG, and Fede who arent great offensive players. Too much may be asked of Lowe, Leggett, Cummings, and the transfers.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

Conference tournament games are meaningless, except for the crowned champion. It's a myth that we need to do anything in the ACC Tournament.

 

[DSP1976]

I'm glad you mentioned Scooch - if there was a 3 point line back when he played, he would have been the Pitt leading scorer forever.

Mooney would have enjoyed the 3 point line as well.

 

[Franb]

I'm glad you mentioned Scooch - if there was a 3 point line back when he played, he would have been the Pitt leading scorer forever.

No way to know what anyone would have done if the 3 had been part of the game back then - defenses would have adjusted.

 

[Chairman Moe]

Moe-bservations:

* Last night I "joined" the game @ halftime. Not because of any superstitions, this time

* I love seeing the Panthers play with energy; on both ends of the court. Not one of their best defensive games but it was more than adequate

* I agree with some other posters (@MorningCoffee13 perhaps?) that the three to five minute lulls that Pitt displays, (allowing our opponents to reduce our big leads) is concerning. But as I reflect to the latter part of last nights contest, FSU went on their OWN three+ minute stretch without a FG. The game has ebbs and flows

* The Zoo's "tomahawk chant" during the last couple of minutes was quite loud on TV, and ESPN captured it well. Let kids be kids, but no court-storming for Panther fans, please!

* Speaking of kids ... watching the post-game interview with Coach Capel, J-Lowe, and Blake, I loved just how much these players are both capable and confident, but are "kids"! Blake tried his best to be "serious" but he's a playful dude

* Best in-game camera shot was of BH giving J-Lowe a huge hug after he assisted him with the record-breaking 3 pointer

* Captain Obvious here: the Panthers know how much a win vs NC St means on Saturday. If you recall, last year we had ND on the road for the final game, and that loss cost us a double-bye. I'd love to see a repeat of last year's Senior Day game when we took Syracuse to the woodshed

* Remember 1-5? What would the odds have been if Vegas would have (at that point) put a bet out that Pitt would be a double-bye?

* Last thought - cause I don't want to start a new post - is GDG talented enough to be our starting "4" next year, and become a Blake Hinson "replacement" as our 3-point threat?

* H2P and congrats on back-to-back 20 win seasons

 

[303vND]

No way to know what anyone would have done if the 3 had been part of the game back then - defenses would have adjusted.

If you can shoot, you can shoot. Defenses would have been extended by Scooch had range!

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Coaches know the least about NET and bracketology so I wouldn't put any stock in that.

Pitt is going to have some decisions to make. They need to pay Lowe whatever it takes. And they also need a primary scorer to replace Hinson and Bub. That's not going to be cheap. I'm fine with Fede and GDG. Kante probably isnt even a 5, right? But they are going to have to make some moves because 4 of their 13 players cant be counted on to score and then you also have Austin, GDG, and Fede who arent great offensive players. Too much may be asked of Lowe, Leggett, Cummings, and the transfers.

Actually, you have proven to know the least about Net, right @Joe the Panther Fan

 

[nycpanther98]

Hinson draining 3s from the South Side helped immensely in the 2nd half when FSU cut the lead in half and Pitt kept turning it over against the zone. Even though it felt like we didn't play anywhere close to our best on the defensive side it was still a comfortable win.

Next step, take care of business at home. Guessing the line opens -4.

 

[JS School]

* The Zoo's "tomahawk chant" during the last couple of minutes was quite loud on TV, and ESPN captured it well. Let kids be kids, but no court-storming for Panther fans, please!

I'm glad it came across well on TV. I thought The Zoo was terrific last night. I've seen some comments in other threads that The Zoo was lame or only about 30 kids were chanting. I have know idea what they were hearing, it seemed like The Zoo created about 90% of the noise. It's the rest of the fans that were lame.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Actually, you have proven to know the least about Net, right @Joe the Panther Fan

The funny thing is that he has already made a post about who is going to make the tournament this year, including listing a whole bunch of teams for whom something other than the NET is going to be far more important, again while saying that the only thing that matters is the NET.