Key quotes from Dixon's post-game

[UPitt '89]

"This is a game we should have won."

Not "Louisville was the better team, and we fought hard." Jamie knows this was a missed opportunity against a wounded team.

"Eight point lead with the crowd going... we have to be able to close it out."

Translation: "why can't these guys absorb the message about defending?"

"We're a good free throw shooting team and we didn't shoot well from the line."

and

"When you run good offense and get to the free throw line and then don't get any points out of it - that is devastating."

But what do I know? He didn't say that missing a layup or a 3-pointer was "devastating". He said getting to the line and coming away with zero points is devastating.

It is deflating. They're called free throws for a reason.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

It's less devastating that the 7 treys and final made 9 FGA by louisville.

We missed 2 FT in the second half was with 16:19 left in the game..and we had the lead after both misses.
stop it.

 

[UPitt '89]

It's less devastating that the 7 treys and final made 9 FGA by louisville.

We missed 2 FT in the second half was with 16:19 left in the game..and we had the lead after both misses.
stop it.

Jamie disagrees with you.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Jamie disagrees with you.

That's fine.

He also disagrees with me about pressuring the perimeter and not sagging off of shooters around the arc.

 

[UPitt '89]

That's fine.

He also disagrees with me about pressuring the perimeter and not sagging off of shooters around the arc.

Actually... he seemed to agree with you about not sagging off shooters around the arc. His frustration at his players sagging on threes was palpable during the post game presser. He just isn't getting through to Artis and Jeter especially on this point.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Actually... he seemed to agree with you about not sagging off shooters around the arc. His frustration at his players sagging on threes was palpable during the post game presser. He just isn't getting through to Artis and Jeter especially on this point.

we entered the game ranked #204 in 3 point defense.

And it's been a HUGE problem for Pitt defensively for years.

 

[bobfree]

we entered the game ranked #204 in 3 point defense.

And it's been a HUGE problem for Pitt defensively for years.

This. And this is and has been a MAJOR problem

 

[UPitt '89]

we entered the game ranked #204 in 3 point defense.

And it's been a HUGE problem for Pitt defensively for years.

It's been a problem for the past two seasons..... but not before that, really.

Opponents' 3P% (in conference games only, eliminates the cupcakes) the past 10 years:

2016: 40.7%
2015: 40.4%
2014: 35.3%
2013: 28.3%
2012: 33.4%
2011: 30.6%
2010: 31.4%
2009: 33.2%
2008: 33.1%
2007: 31.2%

Very clearly, this hasn't been a problem "for years".... it's a problem with this particular group of players.

This is a Jeter, Artis, Young, Jones, Robinson, etc. problem. Not a Jamie problem. He teaches good 3point defense, as evidenced by the numbers from 2007 to 2013 above.

 

[Panthervision]

It's been a problem for the past two seasons..... but not before that, really.

Opponents' 3P% (in conference games only, eliminates the cupcakes) the past 10 years:

2016: 40.7%
2015: 40.4%
2014: 35.3%
2013: 28.3%
2012: 33.4%
2011: 30.6%
2010: 31.4%
2009: 33.2%
2008: 33.1%
2007: 31.2%

.

Hey 89. I bet if you did an opponent's overall FG% it would be even more drastic. Defense with this group is atrocious.

 

[pittizit]

they constantly find the open man on the perimeter...most shots are uncontested 3's...terrible basketball IQ by the players

 

[UPitt '89]

Hey 89. I bet if you did an opponent's overall FG% it would be even more drastic. Defense with this group is atrocious.

No doubt.

But I still submit this is a recent problem with *THIS* group. As recently as 2013, we were a pretty decent defensive team. Of course, that 2013 team had a 7-foot rim protector.

 

[TiredRam97]

No doubt.

But I still submit this is a recent problem with *THIS* group. As recently as 2013, we were a pretty decent defensive team. Of course, that 2013 team had a 7-foot rim protector.

Adams masked a lot of the perimeter defensive deficiencies as well. It's much easier to ignore getting beat off the dribble repeatedly when you have a 7 footer altering/blocking shots.

 

[TheMadStork]

Adams masked a lot of the perimeter defensive deficiencies as well. It's much easier to ignore getting beat off the dribble repeatedly when you have a 7 footer altering/blocking shots.

Agree with this. But, what would be even better, imo, is a guy or two who knows how to play even a little interior defense. Young and Jeter look lost and confused on way too many defensive possessions. As soon as they get confused on when and where to help (which is often!) the whole defense breaks down.

Even with the way we play conservative d on 3pt shooters, how can the guards trust that if they go out to challenge the 3 pt shooter even a little bit that the guy won't drive by them and get an easy layup or dish for a jam? A shot blocker would be great, but even competent interior d would be better.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

It's been a problem for the past two seasons..... but not before that, really.

Opponents' 3P% (in conference games only, eliminates the cupcakes) the past 10 years:

2016: 40.7%
2015: 40.4%
2014: 35.3%
2013: 28.3%
2012: 33.4%
2011: 30.6%
2010: 31.4%
2009: 33.2%
2008: 33.1%
2007: 31.2%

Very clearly, this hasn't been a problem "for years".... it's a problem with this particular group of players.

This is a Jeter, Artis, Young, Jones, Robinson, etc. problem. Not a Jamie problem. He teaches good 3point defense, as evidenced by the numbers from 2007 to 2013 above.

It's a big problem in season/tournament ending games for years.
Not every game.

 

[DT_PITT]

Adams masked a lot of the perimeter defensive deficiencies as well. It's much easier to ignore getting beat off the dribble repeatedly when you have a 7 footer altering/blocking shots.

It wasn't that so much (shot blocking) as it was how good and quick Steve was at hedging. It completely changed our perimeter defense from the year before.

 

[TiredRam97]

It wasn't that so much (shot blocking) as it was how good and quick Steve was at hedging. It completely changed our perimeter defense from the year before.

Agreed. I should have simply said his presence masked a lot of difficiencies.

 

[bobfree]

It's a big problem in season/tournament ending games for years.
Not every game.

Absolutely. And our annual weak non conference schedule might mask it and alter our % and ranking but make no mistake it's been a problem for awhile. We play a sag help defense concept by nature. Which is fine....other teams do it and are successful (uva) just like we were at one time. But is challenging and extremely tough to do when you have less than ideal athleticism at the 1-2-3 positions

 

[Joe Magarac]

No doubt.

But I still submit this is a recent problem with *THIS* group. As recently as 2013, we were a pretty decent defensive team. Of course, that 2013 team had a 7-foot rim protector.

And who recruited this group of jolly good fellows?

 

[Delpanther]

"This is a game we should have won."

Not "Louisville was the better team, and we fought hard." Jamie knows this was a missed opportunity against a wounded team.

"Eight point lead with the crowd going... we have to be able to close it out."

Translation: "why can't these guys absorb the message about defending?"

"We're a good free throw shooting team and we didn't shoot well from the line."

and

"When you run good offense and get to the free throw line and then don't get any points out of it - that is devastating."

But what do I know? He didn't say that missing a layup or a 3-pointer was "devastating". He said getting to the line and coming away with zero points is devastating.

It is deflating. They're called free throws for a reason.

I would describe the above as the "Litany of a Losing Team". Average teams find a way to lose- every loss attributable to a slight different reason but the common factors in Pitt losses are a lack of mental toughness at crunch time and maddening inconsistency on offense and defense.

 

[Seneca_Valley]

I would describe the above as the "Litany of a Losing Team". Average teams find a way to lose- every loss attributable to a slight different reason but the common factors in Pitt losses are a lack of mental toughness at crunch time and maddening inconsistency on offense and defense.

So true. All teams look good in spurts but mediocre ones always find a way to lose; some nights on the offensive end and others on the defensive side.

 

[pittbb80]

So true. All teams look good in spurts but mediocre ones always find a way to lose; some nights on the offensive end and others on the defensive side.

Yup. This team is just not good enough. Not sure why that's so hard to figure out. They clearly are poor defensively and are not skilled enough offensively to make shots at key times in the game. People talk about not making stops down the stretch but they were almost as bad on the offensive end in hitting open shots. If they were more consistent on offense, they'd have won last night and a few others this year as well.

 

[KiwiJeff]

And who recruited this group of jolly good fellows?

Steven A Smith

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Steven A Smith

Mandatory Bill Barton reference

 

[UPitt129]

It's been a problem for the past two seasons..... but not before that, really.

Opponents' 3P% (in conference games only, eliminates the cupcakes) the past 10 years:

2016: 40.7%
2015: 40.4%
2014: 35.3%
2013: 28.3%
2012: 33.4%
2011: 30.6%
2010: 31.4%
2009: 33.2%
2008: 33.1%
2007: 31.2%

Very clearly, this hasn't been a problem "for years".... it's a problem with this particular group of players.

This is a Jeter, Artis, Young, Jones, Robinson, etc. problem. Not a Jamie problem. He teaches good 3point defense, as evidenced by the numbers from 2007 to 2013 above.

Here I 100% agree with you. The defensive players are the problem, not Dixon.

 

[UPitt129]

And who recruited this group of jolly good fellows?

Always the same, tired response.

 

[noelr]

we entered the game ranked #204 in 3 point defense.

And it's been a HUGE problem for Pitt defensively for years.

Probably 225 after duke on sunday

 

[bobfree]

Always the same, tired response.

Ya and you're super original

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Always the same, tired response.

You got to love these guys the cleverness is beyond description. I started using the ignor option it's very useful especially since they never say anything of value.