I am going to bump this thread when KST makes the NCAAT

[Sean Miller Fan]

KST is not a good team. Neither are we. The difference is the conference they play in. The Big 12 is a fabulous RPI league. They rarely have any Top 4 seeds (ie teams extremely difficult to beat). Most of the league is between that 5 seed to 11 seed range. Then you have a team or 2 in the NIT with a decent RPI and usually just 1 bad team but never like 8-24 bad. So what does this mean? You win most of your home games in the Big 12, pull out 1 or 2 on the road, go 9-9 or even 8-10 and to the DANCE you go!

Contrast that with the ACC. It has 4 blue bloods (Lou and UVa arent but I will count them for the purpose of this post). The ACC has 4 teams of 1 or 2 seed caliber and that's a regular occurrence. They also have 3-5 teams which are utter garbage and RPI anchors. What's this mean? You cant beat Duke, UNC, Lou, or UVa. The 3-5 garbage teams dont help you. So your only chance for quality wins is vs those middle of the pack teams. Splitting those isnt enough.

Pitt is better than KST. Yet KST is going to the NCAAT. Pitt will not make the NIT.

 

[AlFromDadeville]

If Pitt makes the NCAAs and K state goes to the NIT do we all get to eat pot brownies and laugh at this?

 

[Blair_45]

I think Pitt will make the NIT this year and if things go well and they happen to pull an upset or two in ACC play they can possibly be an NCCA Tournament bubble team.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think Pitt will make the NIT this year and if things go well and they happen to pull an upset or two in ACC play they can possibly be an NCCA Tournament bubble team.

Its impossible for this Pitt team to make the NCAA Tournament. It has 6 built-in losses to UNC, Lou, Duke, and UVa. We would have to go 10-4 vs the rest of the league and we aren't ready for that. If we were in the Big 12 or Big East, then yea, maybe.

 

[Ski11585]

Cool.

How’s it different from the old BE?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Cool.

How’s it different from the old BE?

Its a lot different.

Duke and UNC have lottery picks, Top 5 picks. UConn had great teams not usually with these amount of lottery picks. Besides UConn and us, there was no other constant dominant team who was unbeatable. Louisville was there. They are here. Both leagues have garbage at the bottom. The big difference is from 3-11 or so, the Big East had a ton good RPI but beatable teams. The ACC doesnt have enough of those. You have 4 unbeatable teams. 4-6 garbage teams and only 4-5 "middle class" teams. There aren't enough chances for quality wins in the ACC for the reasons I mentioned.

 

[Ski11585]

Its a lot different.

Duke and UNC have lottery picks, Top 5 picks. UConn had great teams not usually with these amount of lottery picks. Besides UConn and us, there was no other constant dominant team who was unbeatable. Louisville was there. They are here. Both leagues have garbage at the bottom. The big difference is from 3-11 or so, the Big East had a ton good RPI but beatable teams. The ACC doesnt have enough of those. You have 4 unbeatable teams. 4-6 garbage teams and only 4-5 "middle class" teams. There aren't enough chances for quality wins in the ACC for the reasons I mentioned.

I think you're tremendously downplaying how good the Big East was. If you want to count Duke and UNC, that's fine (even though I've pointed out that they had low seeds plenty often). But Virginia is basically Pitt at it's peak, so it's not like a nontraditional school can't excel in the ACC.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think you're tremendously downplaying how good the Big East was. If you want to count Duke and UNC, that's fine (even though I've pointed out that they had low seeds plenty often). But Virginia is basically Pitt at it's peak, so it's not like a nontraditional school can't excel in the ACC.

UVa is a step above Pitt at its peak but I'll give you that. I maintain that Bennett is the best coach on the planet. If he's not, he's in the Top 5 and a sure-fire HOF'er. So, yea, if BC or Wake or anyone luck into a HOF coach, then yea anyone can be Virginia but its hard to get that lucky. Pitt lucked into a HOF coach as well, which was the reason for their rise. Well, he was headed there but the last 10 or so years, he's been pretty mediocre but still Dixon is a really good coach.

I know the Big East was very good. In fact, its BETTER than this ACC. I am saying its harder to make the NCAAT out of the ACC due to wide chasm between the top, the middle, and the bottom.

 

[levance2]

I think Pitt will make the NIT this year and if things go well and they happen to pull an upset or two in ACC play they can possibly be an NCCA Tournament bubble team.

Pitt will not make the NIT.

 

[levance2]

Pitt is better than KST. Yet KST is going to the NCAAT. Pitt will not make the NIT.

Pitt is rated #81 in Pomeroy which is nowhere near a team that deserves to make the NCAAT.

 

[CapelsCranberryz]

If Pitt makes the NCAAs and K state goes to the NIT do we all get to eat pot brownies and laugh at this?

yes

 

[pittjas]

Pitt is rated #81 in Pomeroy which is nowhere near a team that deserves to make the NCAAT.

We’re also 7 games into the season

 

[pittchagg]

Pitt is rated #81 in Pomeroy which is nowhere near a team that deserves to make the NCAAT.

Definitely not right now. But beat two top-100 kenpom teams in Northwestern and Rutgers to go with a neutral site (and potentially a Q1) win over Kansas State, and you're moving in the direction of doing the things you need to do OOC to get there. The kenpom will rise when the schedule steps up as we move into conference play - where we've already got a Q1 win against Florida State.

But this team's tournament hopes are going to come down to what they do in the ACC. 7-8 wins in conference play might get it done if Northwestern and Rutgers end up being Q2 wins and they're able to collect a few more Q1 scalps.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Pitt will not make the NIT.

Why do you say that? We seem like a classic NIT bubble team so far.

They are willing to take at large bid teams with a losing conference record. They had 8-10 Notre Dame as a #1 seed. 8-10 Temple and Oklahoma were in. They had a 7-11 Indiana two years ago as a 3 seed.

It's unclear how they'll deal now with the 20 team conference schedule for ACC teams but my guess is you could possibly sneak in at 8-12 and a few other decent wins (say...Florida State, Kansas State, and Northwestern?) but are in decent shape at 9-11.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Putting that kind of unreasonable expectation on this team of even making the NIT is just ridiculous. We are still at least a couple of years away from that. Maybe next year if we get a few breaks and our schedule, especially in OOC, is easier and some ACC teams get worse while we get better. But if we can get to 17 total wins this year, that will be an accomplishment.

We don't have the players/talent to be an NIT team yet. Just sit back and enjoy what we do have.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Putting that kind of unreasonable expectation on this team of even making the NIT is just ridiculous. We are still at least a couple of years away from that. Maybe next year if we get a few breaks and our schedule, especially in OOC, is easier and some ACC teams get worse while we get better. But if we can get to 17 total wins this year, that will be an accomplishment.

We don't have the players/talent to be an NIT team yet. Just sit back and enjoy what we do have.

Fwiw I was only rejecting the confidence of Levance2's claim. I think my pre-season prediction was only 6 conference wins (which is progress, albeit slow), just hoping to be happily surprised.

I don't expect an NIT appearance this year and overall believe in Coach Capel, root for Pitt no matter what, and guess that it may take most of his 7 year contract just to get back into bubble-zone. It's hard to recruit both very well and clean. You typically win with NBA-ready players or efficient seniors, and probably do not have either yet.

 

[FireballZ]

Putting that kind of unreasonable expectation on this team of even making the NIT is just ridiculous. We are still at least a couple of years away from that. Maybe next year if we get a few breaks and our schedule, especially in OOC, is easier and some ACC teams get worse while we get better. But if we can get to 17 total wins this year, that will be an accomplishment.

We don't have the players/talent to be an NIT team yet. Just sit back and enjoy what we do have.

Your knowledge of sports could fit on the wing of a gnat. Stick to jogging.

 

[Ski11585]

Putting that kind of unreasonable expectation on this team of even making the NIT is just ridiculous. We are still at least a couple of years away from that. Maybe next year if we get a few breaks and our schedule, especially in OOC, is easier and some ACC teams get worse while we get better. But if we can get to 17 total wins this year, that will be an accomplishment.

We don't have the players/talent to be an NIT team yet. Just sit back and enjoy what we do have.

It would be very worrisome if Pitt is "a couple" years away from the NIT.

 

[levance2]

We’re also 7 games into the season

7 games is over 20% of the season and our rating has gotten 14 points worse.

 

[oldpantherfan]

UVa is a step above Pitt at its peak but I'll give you that. I maintain that Bennett is the best coach on the planet. If he's not, he's in the Top 5 and a sure-fire HOF'er. So, yea, if BC or Wake or anyone luck into a HOF coach, then yea anyone can be Virginia but its hard to get that lucky. Pitt lucked into a HOF coach as well, which was the reason for their rise. Well, he was headed there but the last 10 or so years, he's been pretty mediocre but still Dixon is a really good coach.

I know the Big East was very good. In fact, its BETTER than this ACC. I am saying its harder to make the NCAAT out of the ACC due to wide chasm between the top, the middle, and the bottom.

Dude, do your ever say anything good about Pitt ?
Ive ready many of your posts and I'm confused and don't understand how or why you call yourself a fan.
Everyone is enjoying the win and then you show up with this negative post and continue to counter positive responses with more negative.
If you have no faith or belief in Pitt sports (ever) why do you post here ?
And when -yes i said when,not if- Pitt qualifies for the post season will you eat your words or better yet just stop (with the negative post) ?

 

[pittjas]

7 games is over 20% of the season and our rating has gotten 14 points worse.

All I’m saying is what were rated now doesn’t mean much.

We could win 9 more ACC games and be 10-10 and we would be ranked much higher. And that’s semi-realistic. Or we could finish at like 6-14 and be where we are now or a tad lower...

Either way it’s silly to make bold statements about our future based only on ratings based off of preseason factors and 5-7 games for most teams

 

[levance2]

Why do you say that? We seem like a classic NIT bubble team so far.

They are willing to take at large bid teams with a losing conference record. They had 8-10 Notre Dame as a #1 seed. 8-10 Temple and Oklahoma were in. They had a 7-11 Indiana two years ago as a 3 seed.

The problem is there really is no such thing as an NIT bubble. You are either on the NCAA bubble or you don't make the NIT. Last year Clemson and NCSt were 9-9 and made the NIT.

People are really over-valuing KSU, NW, and Rutgers as OOC wins. Those are NCAA bubble teams, at best. We lost at home by 15 to WVU, who is a bubble team.

An ACC team absolutely can make the NIT with a losing conference record, but they have to have done something OOC or your ACC wins have to be big upsets. Finishing 8-12 or 9-11 against the bottom half of the ACC isn't anything to get excited about.

If you flip the results of FSU and WVU and Pitt doesn't shtt the bed against Nicholls, I'd feel very differently, but that's also hoping that we manage to beat NW and Rutgers, which aren't locks by any means.

 

[levance2]

All I’m saying is what were rated now doesn’t mean much.

We could win 9 more ACC games and be 10-10 and we would be ranked much higher. And that’s semi-realistic. Or we could finish at like 6-14 and be where we are now or a tad lower...

Either way it’s silly to make bold statements about our future based only on ratings based off of preseason factors and 5-7 games for most teams

Or you can look at the data and conclude we're not playing well so far, and thus we have to get way better to have any chance of doing what you suggest. We are #244 in turnovers, #333 in 3P%, and #194 in 2P%. Do you honestly think a team playing like that is going to make the postseason?

We've got a giant hole to dig ourselves out of.

 

[bayardstreet]

What shade of blue would you assign to Louisville and Virginia. They both are pretty darn close to Blue Blood status having national champion banners.

Big 12 is a terrific conference. ACC is what it is.

 

[pittjas]

Or you can look at the data and conclude we're not playing well so far, and thus we have to get way better to have any chance of doing what you suggest. We are #244 in turnovers, #333 in 3P%, and #194 in 2P%. Do you honestly think a team playing like that is going to make the postseason?

We've got a giant hole to dig ourselves out of.

Well I agree with you then. We are not going to make any type of postseason tourney if we don’t start playing better.

But there’s no “hole to dig ourselves out of”... I don’t know what you mean by that because our past turnovers or field goal percentage really means nothing going forward...

Bottom line is I have no idea how this seasons going to go. I think at times we’ll look really good, and other times we’ll be terrible. But our KenPom/Sagarin ratings are going to change so much once we get in to ACC play that it’s foolish to take whereever we are now as a really good measuring stick of where we’ll end up

 

[levance2]

But there’s no “hole to dig ourselves out of”... I don’t know what you mean by that because our past turnovers or field goal percentage really means nothing going forward...

Come on. Your field goal % after a fifth of the season indicates a lot about who you are as a team. Can we improve? Absolutely. But even with improvement, we are probably improving from bad to mediocre, not good or great.

My point is that we’re not a good team with fluky losses (like FSU). We are a bad team with bad stats and one giant black mark of Nicholls State. That’s a lot to overcome to have any shot at a postseason. Best case scenario: we sweep the remaining OOC and still have to win some improbable ACC games.

And for those who want to discount Nicholls, they just lost a neutral site game against #325 by double digits. They are an awful team that a program like Pitt has no reason to ever lose to.

 

[California Panther]

UConn had great teams not usually with these amount of lottery picks. Besides UConn and us, there was no other constant dominant team who was unbeatable.

Big John Thompson not pleased.

 

[Pizzaboy2]

K-state was predicted to come in 9th in the Big 12 in almost all the preseason polls.Wvu anywhere from 5-9 in the same poll.No way K-state makes the NCAA Tourney this year. Wvu will be about .500 in the Big12 and maybe be on the outside looking in come Match. Im saying 8-10 in the Big 12.

 

[bayardstreet]

WVU looks like a shoe in for the NIT

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

If Pitt makes the NCAAs and K state goes to the NIT do we all get to eat pot brownies and laugh at this?

I’ll be your huckleberry , regardless

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Fwiw I was only rejecting the confidence of Levance2's claim. I think my pre-season prediction was only 6 conference wins (which is progress, albeit slow), just hoping to be happily surprised.

I don't expect an NIT appearance this year and overall believe in Coach Capel, root for Pitt no matter what, and guess that it may take most of his 7 year contract just to get back into bubble-zone. It's hard to recruit both very well and clean. You typically win with NBA-ready players or efficient seniors, and probably do not have either yet.

I think some people don’t really recognize how absolute rock bottom Pitt hit under two years of stallings gutting the program and leaving nobody who is a consistent acc type player .

This is best case scenerio a howlands like rebuilt of 3/4 years in the making

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think some people don’t really recognize how absolute rock bottom Pitt hit under two years of stallings gutting the program and leaving nobody who is a consistent acc type player .

This is best case scenerio a howlands like rebuilt of 3/4 years in the making

Howland rebuilt much faster but also inherited a much better team than what Capel had. He inherited Greer and Hawkins and Ralph did us an enormous favor signing Knight and Brown who remained with Pitt after Howland took over.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Howland rebuilt much faster but also inherited a much better team than what Capel had. He inherited Greer and Hawkins and Ralph did us an enormous favor signing Knight and Brown who remained with Pitt after Howland took over.

Willard brought in talent, but did not install discipline, teamwork, and hard work. That is where Howland took over, and turned things around.

 

[Bethlehemjohn]

Kansas St had a shot at making they tourney. At this point, I'd take WVU over them.

 

[Blair_45]

Its impossible for this Pitt team to make the NCAA Tournament. It has 6 built-in losses to UNC, Lou, Duke, and UVa. We would have to go 10-4 vs the rest of the league and we aren't ready for that. If we were in the Big 12 or Big East, then yea, maybe.

I’m not gonna sit here and say it’s an absolute slam dunk that Pitt is gonna lose all 6 of those games you speak of the 4 with UNC and Louisville both home and away, at Duke, and Virginia at home. I could see them pulling an upset at home in at least one of the home games they have against UNC, Louisville, or Virginia. I don’t give them much of a chance playing on the road at Chapel Hill, at Cameron Indoor, or Louisville. But look what Stephen F Austin did last night winning at Duke so you just never know what can happen.

I think this Pitt team has enough talent that if things go right for them in any of those home games with UNC,Lou, or UVA they can def pull an upset in 1 of those 3 games. In fact I’ll go on record saying I think they will win one of those games. I think even if they go 9-11 in conference with the right wins it could be enough to get them on the bubble for the tournament and it will definitely be good enough to get them into the NIT.

I look at Pitt’s schedule and I do see them being able to win at least 6-8 games in the ACC. If they can’t even do that then shame on them and it will show that this program has not really made any progress under Capel from last season to this season.