Louisville Game & Other Dribbles ...

[DT_PITT]

** Some wins feel pretty good. Occasionally they can be euphoric.

** Conversely, most losses are disappointing. Some are really disappointing. But for me, I have to confess this one even stings a little more than usual.

** In fact, I’m stinging so much I considered not offering a post game entry today. But I’ve always pledged to write in the good and the bad. So perhaps this won’t be my best effort, but at least hopefully it will be a little bit better of an effort than our Panthers put forward today on the defensive glass.

** But this one stings a little more than usual not because of the loss in itself, but more because this is the first loss that makes me worry that this team isn’t quite the team that I thought they might be.

** I’ll readily acknowledge this could easily be an overreaction.

** So let’s be clear that I’m not yet offering any kind of predictions that our tournament berth is moving toward the bubble.

** And even if this team was most everything we thought they might be, we were always going to lose a minimum of three more ACC games after Duke, and this one was on the list of games we might lose.

** So there’s that.

** But it’s still a game I believed we should win, and I’m a bit troubled that we didn’t.

** Or maybe it’s just as simple as needing to figure out how to improve our defensive rebounding.

** This has been a real problem for us at times this year. This was the first time it cost us a win.

** Also when we needed stops down the stretch, our defense failed us.

** Louisville scored on their final four possessions and 9 of their final 10 possessions. We were up 2 when that streak started. The math is pretty simple. We lost by four.

** What adds to the sting is that we did enough good things offensively to win this. We shot well enough and took care of the ball well enough. And we scored extra points over average on a great night at the foul line.

** On the offensive end down the stretch, we showed enough poise, and truly benefited from the full return of Damian Dunn.

** For whatever reason, Damian was seemingly the only Panther who could be counted on to clear the defensive glass, especially in the second half.

** But all of the Panthers, including Damian made gaffs on the defensive end. Long story short, this team has a long way to go to figure out how to defend ball screens as a team. A couple times we went under the screen without secondary help, leaving Reyne Smith way too much room to torch us.

** Reyne may be a pretty decent player, but he’s not nearly as good as the Panthers allowed him to be today.

** While I don’t necessarily question Capel’s second half strategy to play his main five for all but 2 minutes in the second half, I do wonder exactly what he’s thinking. Has he lost confidence in GDG? And if so, I’m not exactly sure why because it didn’t appear to me to me that his defense or rebounding was particularly worse than that of anyone else.

** And Cam can’t or shouldn’t be considered the main culprit for the Panthers’ defensive struggles. But he had several issues with his own man at times, his help was untimely, and his boxing out on the defensive glass was hard to locate.

** Otherwise, while much of the needed defensive effort was there, communication and attention to detail on that end was not.

** Nonetheless, if you enjoy college hoops as much as most of us do, you know that just a few days after a stinging loss, there’s an opportunity for one of those satisfying wins.

** On the road at Florida State would be one such win. So even if this loss brings some thoughts that maybe the team isn’t quite what we thought they were, a win on Wednesday gets us back on that path.

 

[Chairman Moe]

** Some wins feel pretty good. Occasionally they can be euphoric.

** Conversely, most losses are disappointing. Some are really disappointing. But for me, I have to confess this one even stings a little more than usual.

** In fact, I’m stinging so much I considered not offering a post game entry today. But I’ve always pledged to write in the good and the bad. So perhaps this won’t be my best effort, but at least hopefully it will be a little bit better of an effort than our Panthers put forward today on the defensive glass.

** But this one stings a little more than usual not because of the loss in itself, but more because this is the first loss that makes me worry that this team isn’t quite the team that I thought they might be.

** I’ll readily acknowledge this could easily be an overreaction.

** So let’s be clear that I’m not yet offering any kind of predictions that our tournament berth is moving toward the bubble.

** And even if this team was most everything we thought they might be, we were always going to lose a minimum of three more ACC games after Duke, and this one was on the list of games we might lose.

** So there’s that.

** But it’s still a game I believed we should win, and I’m a bit troubled that we didn’t.

** Or maybe it’s just as simple as needing to figure out how to improve our defensive rebounding.

** This has been a real problem for us at times this year. This was the first time it cost us a win.

** Also when we needed stops down the stretch, our defense failed us.

** Louisville scored on their final four possessions and 9 of their final 10 possessions. We were up 2 when that streak started. The math is pretty simple. We lost by four.

** What adds to the sting is that we did enough good things offensively to win this. We shot well enough and took care of the ball well enough. And we scored extra points over average on a great night at the foul line.

** On the offensive end down the stretch, we showed enough poise, and truly benefited from the full return of Damian Dunn.

** For whatever reason, Damian was seemingly the only Panther who could be counted on to clear the defensive glass, especially in the second half.

** But all of the Panthers, including Damian made gaffs on the defensive end. Long story short, this team has a long way to go to figure out how to defend ball screens as a team. A couple times we went under the screen without secondary help, leaving Reyne Smith way too much room to torch us.

** Reyne may be a pretty decent player, but he’s not nearly as good as the Panthers allowed him to be today.

** While I don’t necessarily question Capel’s second half strategy to play his main five for all but 2 minutes in the second half, I do wonder exactly what he’s thinking. Has he lost confidence in GDG? And if so, I’m not exactly sure why because it didn’t appear to me to me that his defense or rebounding was particularly worse than that of anyone else.

** And Cam can’t or shouldn’t be considered the main culprit for the Panthers’ defensive struggles. But he had several issues with his own man at times, his help was untimely, and his boxing out on the defensive glass was hard to locate.

** Otherwise, while much of the needed defensive effort was there, communication and attention to detail on that end was not.

** Nonetheless, if you enjoy college hoops as much as most of us do, you know that just a few days after a stinging loss, there’s an opportunity for one of those satisfying wins.

** On the road at Florida State would be one such win. So even if this loss brings some thoughts that maybe the team isn’t quite what we thought they were, a win on Wednesday gets us back on that path.

Three key factors to this loss:

1) first four minutes it seemed we were hesitant to shoot; especially threes. IIRC. 5-5 at the first media timeout should've been in our favor

2) the turnover when we were up 18-10 was a killer. Pitt had gone on a run, granted, and was in a position to increase their lead. It quickly faded and they played from behind the rest of the first half

3) rebounds and second chance points. Yes, the defense needs to improve, some, but after stopping your opponent and not securing the rebound makes you have to continue playing defense

It's going to be tough for the remaining 14 games. Got to find the toughness in this group to defend, rebound, and share the ball. And, find a couple of go to guys off the bench that will light a spark. Delalic got no minutes and Beebah very few as well. JDG has been shooting the 3-ball well lately. Where was he?

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Three key factors to this loss:

1) first four minutes it seemed we were hesitant to shoot; especially threes. IIRC. 5-5 at the first media timeout should've been in our favor

2) the turnover when we were up 18-10 was a killer. Pitt had gone on a run, granted, and was in a position to increase their lead. It quickly faded and they played from behind the rest of the first half

3) rebounds and second chance points. Yes, the defense needs to improve, some, but after stopping your opponent and not securing the rebound makes you have to continue playing defense

It's going to be tough for the remaining 14 games. Got to find the toughness in this group to defend, rebound, and share the ball. And, find a couple of go to guys off the bench that will light a spark. Delalic got no minutes and Beebah very few as well. JDG has been shooting the 3-ball well lately. Where was he?

With 14 games remaining, not including the ACCT, it seems to me that we'll need to win 10 of them. And the wins we do get will need to be against the better conference teams. This one hurts because 'Ville was one of the wins we should be counting on at home. How many wins in a row have we had at home before this one? 14?

Rebounding and defense again.

 

[Chairman Moe]

With 14 games remaining, not including the ACCT, it seems to me that we'll need to win 10 of them. And the wins we do get will need to be against the better conference teams. This one hurts because 'Ville was one of the wins we should be counting on at home. How many wins in a row have we had at home before this one? 14?

Rebounding and defense again.

I thought we were on a 15 game home winning streak but I could be wrong

 

[HailToPitt1985]

I thought we were on a 15 game home winning streak but I could be wrong

Maybe it was. 14 or 15, either way that's a nice streak. Too bad we couldn't hold home court today.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

I'd like to add a couple of positives from this stinging loss that I can't help but notice:

1) Lowe. He scored 24 points and 6 assists and was giving an all out effort on offense on every play. Someone need to get him some hip, elbow and shoulder pads. He hits the floor hard a lot.
2) Dunn. He had a slow start but came around with 15 points and 8 rebounds. At least he was rebounding and showing some effort on defense. If it weren't for him and Zack, I hate to think how badly we would have lost.

 

[Protes]

Not much to say. Rebounding has been our Achilles heel. If it doesn't improve, we can kiss any chance of an NCAA-run goodbye, and perhaps any chance of an NCAAT at all.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

This feels like our worst "new year" team of the last three. I still fail to see how people have called it the best. Hinson was a cheat code, and the only way we were ever going to make up for his absence was going to be to improve in other areas: namely, defense and rebounding. Well, we haven't.

And, on a sum of all parts basis, what we gained at the 5 (arguably nothing from an overall standpoint) isn't close to what we lost at the 4. And the bench is only marginally better. I mean, we did have the 6th man of the year twice in a row. I thought we were deeper this season, but apparently Capel doesn't think so.

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

I am not impressed with Lowe's or defense. At all. That white boy from Louisville was hitting wide open set shots. WTH

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Unlike the Duke game this was a game the Panthers should’ve won.

Give Louisville credit they took advantage of their second chances .

A good number of them came after Pitt played good D and to rub salt in the wound they drained a three .

The two teams couldn’t have been more different on the boards . Louisville attacked the boards while Pitt was passive .

So far from the guys who get minutes for the Panthers there’s no natural rebounder among them .

I’d sacrifice some offense and play Papa more and see if he can get it done on the boards .

Complaining about the refs is pointless , but they called so many phantom fouls today it was pathetic.

Tough loss

 

[NCanton Panther]

Three key factors to this loss:

1) first four minutes it seemed we were hesitant to shoot; especially threes. IIRC. 5-5 at the first media timeout should've been in our favor

2) the turnover when we were up 18-10 was a killer. Pitt had gone on a run, granted, and was in a position to increase their lead. It quickly faded and they played from behind the rest of the first half

3) rebounds and second chance points. Yes, the defense needs to improve, some, but after stopping your opponent and not securing the rebound makes you have to continue playing defense

It's going to be tough for the remaining 14 games. Got to find the toughness in this group to defend, rebound, and share the ball. And, find a couple of go to guys off the bench that will light a spark. Delalic got no minutes and Beebah very few as well. JDG has been shooting the 3-ball well lately. Where was he?

If you’re going to mention specific plays, I’ll play along and give you the 2 I thought were the killers, especially considering they gapped at the end of the game when every play was critical.

1. I think we were up 72-70 at the time or it might have been 72-72. Ville inbounding from the baseline to the left of their basket, Leggett defending the inbounds pass and Lowe on Smith. Smith comes around a screen to the bear corner, Lowe loses him big time around the screen, Smith gets an easy inbounds pass in the corner snd drains the 3.

2. Might have been Ville’s very next possession or one later. Smith or Hadley shooting a 3 from the left side with Corhen defending. The shit is short iff the rim and back towards Corhen and the shooter. Corhen just stood there after the shot went up, no attempt to box out or anything. So of course, the shooter steps right around Corhen, collects the easy offensive rebound and. Ille ends up with a critical 2 points they shouldn’t have.

3. I said 2 but can now think of a third one on the offensive side down the stretch. Lowe made a good move to get around his defender and had an easy unrushed bunny on the right side of the basket but unfortunately missed it.

 

[NCanton Panther]

Unlike the Duke game this was a game the Panthers should’ve won.

Give Louisville credit they took advantage of their second chances .

A good number of them came after Pitt played good D and to rub salt in the wound they drained a three .

The two teams couldn’t have been more different on the boards . Louisville attacked the boards while Pitt was passive .

So far from the guys who get minutes for the Panthers there’s no natural rebounder among them .

I’d sacrifice some offense and play Papa more and see if he can get it done on the boards .

Complaining about the refs is pointless , but they called so many phantom fouls today it was pathetic.

Tough loss

I agree there were s lot of phantom goul calks but I don’t think yhey influenced the outcome much.

Seemed like this ref crew called a lot of anticipatory fouls, a guy driving to the hoop and at a defender and the ref just expecting there to be foul worthy contact and blowing the whistle rather than watching yo see if there was any actual contact.

 

[pittbb80]

The top three reasons why Pitt lost are

1. Rebounding
2. Rebounding
3. Rebounding

That’s it. That’s the list. Whether or not they can improve (can’t get much worse). Will determine whether or not they can make the dance To a large extent rebounding is about toughness and want to. If I’m Capel I’m spending at least 50 pct of practice focusing on rebounding

 

[DT_PITT]

If you’re going to mention specific plays, I’ll play along and give you the 2 I thought were the killers, especially considering they gapped at the end of the game when every play was critical.

1. I think we were up 72-70 at the time or it might have been 72-72. Ville inbounding from the baseline to the left of their basket, Leggett defending the inbounds pass and Lowe on Smith. Smith comes around a screen to the bear corner, Lowe loses him big time around the screen, Smith gets an easy inbounds pass in the corner snd drains the 3.

2. Might have been Ville’s very next possession or one later. Smith or Hadley shooting a 3 from the left side with Corhen defending. The shit is short iff the rim and back towards Corhen and the shooter. Corhen just stood there after the shot went up, no attempt to box out or anything. So of course, the shooter steps right around Corhen, collects the easy offensive rebound and. Ille ends up with a critical 2 points they shouldn’t have.

3. I said 2 but can now think of a third one on the offensive side down the stretch. Lowe made a good move to get around his defender and had an easy unrushed bunny on the right side of the basket but unfortunately missed it.

All good observations. Especially #2 - a bad play by Cam. On #1, I kinda tipped my cap to Smith. That was a tough shot, but by that point we had already given him all the confidence in the world he could make that.

 

[PittAU]

This was a terrible loss and I don’t mean because Louisville isn’t any good. It’s because we were out worked.

As others have said, rebounding is a “want to” part of basketball. Cam is 6’10”, he’s got to get more than four or five rebounds. Being obliterated on the offensive boards was embarrassing. It led to Louisville having 13 shots more than our guys. The guys were gassed, too. The Spaniards have to start playing better.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

This is as good a place as any to throw this in, but what in the heck were we thinking at the end of the game? Down two and Louisville gets an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left. We have a foul to give.

There are two choices here. We have a foul to give, so you either foul twice quickly, putting them on the line with something around 32 seconds left and you see what happens. Or you don't foul, you buckle down on defense, you get a stop and somehow manage to get a defensive rebound with around 18-20 seconds on the clock and you see if you can hit a tying or winning shot at the end.

Instead, we do the absolutely stupidest thing possible. We let 8-9 seconds go off the clock, and then we foul. But we don't foul twice to put them on the line, we foul once so they can run and extra 8 or 9 seconds off the clock. Meaning when they finally shoot the ball there are now only 8 seconds left. And when the make the shot the game is all but over and you lose.

For the record, I would have fouled twice and tried to extend the game. But you only have two choices there. And somehow, idiotically, we didn't pick either one of them.

 

[Franb]

This is as good a place as any to throw this in, but what in the heck were we thinking at the end of the game? Down two and Louisville gets an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left. We have a foul to give.

There are two choices here. We have a foul to give, so you either foul twice quickly, putting them on the line with something around 32 seconds left and you see what happens. Or you don't foul, you buckle down on defense, you get a stop and somehow manage to get a defensive rebound with around 18-20 seconds on the clock and you see if you can hit a tying or winning shot at the end.

Instead, we do the absolutely stupidest thing possible. We let 8-9 seconds go off the clock, and then we foul. But we don't foul twice to put them on the line, we foul once so they can run and extra 8 or 9 seconds off the clock. Meaning when they finally shoot the ball there are now only 8 seconds left. And when the make the shot the game is all but over and you lose.

For the record, I would have fouled twice and tried to extend the game. But you only have two choices there. And somehow, idiotically, we didn't pick either one of them.

Especially with as poorly as they shot free throws, fouling twice seems like the best choice there.

 

[PittHOFs]

This is as good a place as any to throw this in, but what in the heck were we thinking at the end of the game? Down two and Louisville gets an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left. We have a foul to give.

There are two choices here. We have a foul to give, so you either foul twice quickly, putting them on the line with something around 32 seconds left and you see what happens. Or you don't foul, you buckle down on defense, you get a stop and somehow manage to get a defensive rebound with around 18-20 seconds on the clock and you see if you can hit a tying or winning shot at the end.

Instead, we do the absolutely stupidest thing possible. We let 8-9 seconds go off the clock, and then we foul. But we don't foul twice to put them on the line, we foul once so they can run and extra 8 or 9 seconds off the clock. Meaning when they finally shoot the ball there are now only 8 seconds left. And when the make the shot the game is all but over and you lose.

For the record, I would have fouled twice and tried to extend the game. But you only have two choices there. And somehow, idiotically, we didn't pick either one of them.

Amen! Pitt has a tendency of dumbness in all sports. Not sure what the deal is with this.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Especially with as poorly as they shot free throws, fouling twice seems like the best choice there.

That was what I thought while sitting there. How are you not fouling and making a team that shot them so poorly have to make a couple. And then if necessary, a couple more. And a couple more.

But once you don't foul right away, OK, I can get behind that too. Just play 20 seconds of solid defense and pray you get the defensive rebound and see how the chips fall. But you can't let time run off the clock and then foul just once. That makes literally no sense what so ever.

 

[NCanton Panther]

This is as good a place as any to throw this in, but what in the heck were we thinking at the end of the game? Down two and Louisville gets an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left. We have a foul to give.

There are two choices here. We have a foul to give, so you either foul twice quickly, putting them on the line with something around 32 seconds left and you see what happens. Or you don't foul, you buckle down on defense, you get a stop and somehow manage to get a defensive rebound with around 18-20 seconds on the clock and you see if you can hit a tying or winning shot at the end.

Instead, we do the absolutely stupidest thing possible. We let 8-9 seconds go off the clock, and then we foul. But we don't foul twice to put them on the line, we foul once so they can run and extra 8 or 9 seconds off the clock. Meaning when they finally shoot the ball there are now only 8 seconds left. And when the make the shot the game is all but over and you lose.

For the record, I would have fouled twice and tried to extend the game. But you only have two choices there. And somehow, idiotically, we didn't pick either one of them.

Yeah I forgot to mention that one on my list of plays. Don’t know what Leggett was thinking there, or the coaches if they gad instructed him to do that.

So many plays at the end that could be mentioned. I guess it all means that we just stunk it up at the end when the game was on the line and up for grabs.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Don’t know what Leggett was thinking there, or the coaches if they gad instructed him to do that.

I think he was told to foul on purpose.

I assumed it was just us waiting too long to realize we needed to foul and we were going to do it again.

And they we didn't.

 

[NCanton Panther]

That was what I thought while sitting there. How are you not fouling and making a team that shot them so poorly have to make a couple. And then if necessary, a couple more. And a couple more.

But once you don't foul right away, OK, I can get behind that too. Just play 20 seconds of solid defense and pray you get the defensive rebound and see how the chips fall. But you can't let time run off the clock and then foul just once. That makes literally no sense what so ever.

It was still a one-possession game with more than sufficient time left if they got a stop so I don’t think I would have intentionally fouled them twice and put them on the line.

Wasn’t the problem that the 1st foul gave Ville another 8 seconds on the shot clock so playing for a stop then wouldn’t have left much time on the clock anymore?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Wasn’t the problem that the 1st foul gave Ville another 8 seconds on the shot clock so playing for a stop then wouldn’t have left much time on the clock anymore?

Yes, the first foul gave Louisville another 8 or 9 seconds.

After you fouled the first time you have to foul the second time. Like I said, I can see playing it out and not fouling. But you can't foul just once. You simply can't.

 

[CCHS82]

Someone on the pay board said that Capel told them not to foul. I didn’t listen to the post game.

 

[NCanton Panther]

Yes, the first foul gave Louisville another 8 or 9 seconds.

After you fouled the first time you have to foul the second time. Like I said, I can see playing it out and not fouling. But you can't foul just once. You simply can't.

Ok, sounds like we’re on the same page then. You either don’t foul or you foul twice

 

[DT_PITT]

Ok, sounds like we’re on the same page then. You either don’t foul or you foul twice

A real lack of poise in the final minute by the staff and the players.

 

[pittbb80]

Yes, the first foul gave Louisville another 8 or 9 seconds.

After you fouled the first time you have to foul the second time. Like I said, I can see playing it out and not fouling. But you can't foul just once. You simply can't.

FWIW Capel was asked about this and he said he did not tell them to foul. Just a brain cramp by Ish I believe if was. He made some shots but overall another bad game for Ish. Hes playing out of control

 

[HailToPitt1985]

It seems a bunch of players and coaches didn't have their best games all at the same time today.

I'm still concerned about the lack of energy and execution with basic fundamentals with this team. This isn't the first time it's happened, and I'm not talking about the obvious horrible losses at Miss. St. and Duke. We need 10 more wins before the ACCT. It won't be easy if the coaches and players keep ignoring fundamentals.

 

[OhioPanther99]

I'd like to add a couple of positives from this stinging loss that I can't help but notice:

1) Lowe. He scored 24 points and 6 assists and was giving an all out effort on offense on every play. Someone need to get him some hip, elbow and shoulder pads. He hits the floor hard a lot.
2) Dunn. He had a slow start but came around with 15 points and 8 rebounds. At least he was rebounding and showing some effort on defense. If it weren't for him and Zack, I hate to think how badly we would have lost.

I disagree about Lowe. Very few trips where he tries to get anyone involved. Although, I blame Capel for part of this. I think he tends to play way out of control, and many of the fouls on him were gifts today.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

FWIW Capel was asked about this and he said he did not tell them to foul. Just a brain cramp by Ish I believe if was.

Even if that is the case, after he did commit the foul then you simply have to foul again. Because if you don't, you run the risk of exactly what happened happening. They made a basket and essentially ended the game. At that point you have to make the team that couldn't shoot foul shots all day make the front end of a one and one. And if necessary, make them do it again and again.

 

[AllegeneeGenacGenac]

After the Duke game when some people were complimenting Corhen for a moderate increase in effort and energy, I said that we aren't going to reach our potential if this is the best he can do.

It's starting to look like that was the best he can do.

 

[Tvax1]

bold from the OP:
"While I don’t necessarily question Capel’s second half strategy to play his main five for all but 2 minutes in the second half, I do wonder exactly what he’s thinking. Has he lost confidence in GDG? And if so, I’m not exactly sure why because it didn’t appear to me to me that his defense or rebounding was particularly worse than that of anyone else."

lots of good points in the OP and the comments above so won't repeat too much but what I wanted to ask because I can't think of a good explanation of is the minutes the twins got, 10 and 1 each

I think JC really screwed up subbing with Dunn's minutes now throwing everything off for him and while I think Dunn needs minutes and is earning it, I want more for the twins and Brandin too

I will add that the ref situation was poor and DID influence Jaland's defense which is less than great at times but made it even worse as he had to avoid getting #4

someone maybe on the game thread said they didn't think Pitt got or looked tired, I disagree and think subbing needed to happen to inject energy even if for short bursts

JC and the entire team all contributed to this loss

is Ish fouling at the end a sign of his lack of BB IQ? he seems to not quite sense how he might adjust what he tries to do on offense but I do think JC always wants he and Lowe to be aggressive, so imo Ish should look to kick out a bit more

 

[Sam Young 23]

Gdg was being abused on the defensive end. Cummings is just not physical enough yet. You needed Dunn in the game with Austin to rebound. I would of gave Kante some more minutes. He at least plays with a toughness.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I am not impressed with Lowe's or defense. At all. That white boy from Louisville was hitting wide open set shots. WTH

I thought it was one of Lowe's worst defensive efforts I've seen. Outside of guarding his man, his help defense was slow or non-existent.

While he carried us on the offensive end, he was pretty bad on the defensive side.

Also, Pitt had 5 offensive rebounds and gave up 17. You aren't going to win many games with that disparity.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Gdg was being abused on the defensive end. Cummings is just not physical enough yet. You needed Dunn in the game with Austin to rebound. I would of gave Kante some more minutes. He at least plays with a toughness.

GDG either gets his ankles broken off the dribble by some stretch 4 or he gets bullied down in the paint by someone who plays closer to the rim. The only time he looks competent on defense is if the opposing roster sucks and trots out some unathletic scrub for him to guard. So... he should be fine against Boston College, I guess.

He has some redeeming aspects to his game, but overall he screams "mid-major," and I'm just curious when this experiment is going to end. Throw in the fact that his shooting has been mostly atrocious this season, and my goodness... what a gaping abyss.

 

[NCanton Panther]

I thought it was one of Lowe's worst defensive efforts I've seen. Outside of guarding his man, his help defense was slow or non-existent.

While he carried us on the offensive end, he was pretty bad on the defensive side.

Also, Pitt had 5 offensive rebounds and gave up 17. You aren't going to win many games with that disparity.

I thought his defense was bad yesterday as well although part of it the latter part of the 2nd half I attributed to his foul situation. There were a few plays where he didn’t even attempt to provide any help defense which again I assumed was because of his fouls.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

I think the part of this that pisses me off the most is that I was able to take my wife to a game for the first time in years. Then Pitt goes and farts away the game with lack of effort and execution and poor coaching. Her analysis after the game: "this game sucks!". She was right.

 

[Tvax1]

I think the part of this that pisses me off the most is that I was able to take my wife to a game for the first time in years. Then Pitt goes and farts away the game with lack of effort and execution and poor coaching. Her analysis after the game: "this game sucks!". She was right.

how good or bad was the crowd? the Louisville coach stated a couple times it was a tough environment(I know they all say that) while it didn't sound or look that way on TV

 

[HailToPitt1985]

how good or bad was the crowd? the Louisville coach stated a couple times it was a tough environment(I know they all say that) while it didn't sound or look that way on TV

The crowd that was there wasn't bad. Maybe 8000. Announced was 9000 and change but I don't think that many showed up. The students were back and they were loud, but not more than in any other game. The loudest reactions were with the obvious poor officiating and missed calls/phantom calls. But the crowd wasn't any louder or tougher than in any other conference game we play.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The crowd that was there wasn't bad. Maybe 8000. Announced was 9000 and change but I don't think that many showed up.

Wasnt bad? That is a horrific crowd for an NCAAT team playing another NCAAT team on a Saturday afternoon.