Miami Game & Other Dribbles ...

[DT_PITT]

** How you feel about this game depends mostly upon your perspective, I suppose.

** One could easily view this as a strong performance on the road against a good team. Or maybe you saw a huge missed opportunity to get a big win for the NCAA Tournament for a team who is running out of chances to get one.

** Perhaps it’s wisest to proclaim that both are true. I liked so much of what I saw tonight. I saw a Coach trying new things. I saw different players stepping up to contribute. I also saw some resiliency and energy that’s been lacking in many of our losses.

** But there were things that weren’t so easy to like. We still leave too many shots open on the perimeter. There were too many easy buckets by men left alone in the paint. And our lack of focus and attention to detail in the last four seconds were our undoing. In other words, we just didn’t box out. That’s how you lose a game, especially a close game on the road.

** At the very least, tonight’s game should show one thing. This team isn’t packing it in. The players and the staff really are trying to find a way.

** And maybe they really have found something in Ryan Luther. It seems wise to ride him about as much as we can going forward. Since none of our post options can defend, the one who can score the best seems to make sense.

** And I was ready to give up on Chris Jones this year, until his personal 8-0 run pulled the Panthers back into this game. But I don’t know what to make of him going forward.

** I do know that I want to see more of Damon Wilson. I know that he’s erratic and undisciplined. But he’s full of energy and looks to make things happen on offense for a team where that’s often needed.

** Just about everyone was tired of seeing James Robinson. That is until his pair of threes almost snatched a victory for the Panthers. James is what he is. He’s not a very good player of course, but not quite the problem for this team that some believe.

** But James, Chris, Damon, Ryan, Sterling, Rafeal, Alonzo, and Cam – these are not where our focus should be. In fact, between all of the guys in this group, they did enough to win this game tonight.

** If this team is going to find enough wins to get to the NCAA tournament, it’s going to have to be on the backs of Mike and Jamel, and to a slightly lesser extent, Sheldon.

** These guys will need to score for the Panthers to win. 25 points like they got tonight just isn’t enough. 35 is more like a magic number for these three players. They could have gotten there if Jamel would have been closer to what we’ve come to expect from him offensively.

** But for too much of this game, Jamel looked to be floating. And in the final seconds, both Jamel and Mike failed to box out and get off their feet when they had the chance to secure the ball and send the game into OT. These are the plays leaders need to make. These are the plays these two need to make next time.

** And maybe they will make these plays next time. In fact, they better. Because the Panthers are running out of "next times" if they still want to make something of this season. Like all Panther fans, I sure hope they can!

 

[iMissTheOldDays]

Somehow every time I am at my anger peak after a loss like this , your dribbles always calm me down , so thank you

 

[DT_PITT]

Somehow every time I am at my anger peak after a loss like this , your dribbles always calm me down , so thank you

This team does a pretty good job of getting all of us to our anger peak.

 

[PittPoker]

** I do know that I want to see more of Damon Wilson. I know that he’s erratic and undisciplined. But he’s full of energy and looks to make things happen on offense for a team where that’s often needed.

** Just about everyone was tired of seeing James Robinson. That is until his pair of threes almost snatched a victory for the Panthers. James is what he is. He’s not a very good player of course

Great points here DT. I have been wanting to see more of Wilson for a while now, especially with James' struggles. Also maybe with you saying that Robinson isn't a very good player, people on here believe that more. or maybe not. Because really he isn't a very good player, not on a team like this at least.

Also remember a few weeks ago I asked if Luther should be starting and most everyone(including you I think) said no? Well I think it's time to maybe rethink that. It's crunch time now and Luther has contributed solidly. i think he needs to start.

And what did you think of Jamie's 2nd half starting lineup?? I thought that was a bad move and contributed to this loss.

 

[DT_PITT]

Great points here DT. I have been wanting to see more of Wilson for a while now, especially with James' struggles. Also maybe with you saying that Robinson isn't a very good player, people on here believe that more. or maybe not. Because really he isn't a very good player, not on a team like this at least.

Also remember a few weeks ago I asked if Luther should be starting and most everyone(including you I think) said no? Well I think it's time to maybe rethink that. It's crunch time now and Luther has contributed solidly. i think he needs to start.

And what did you think of Jamie's 2nd half starting lineup?? I thought that was a bad move and contributed to this loss.

I have absolutely no problem with the second half starting lineup. I'm not sure Luther should start, but perhaps his role should increase.

And I said that Robinson is not a very good player, which is to say that he's a decent enough player.

 

[bobfree]

Just an outstanding post. If I had the attention span and the ability to concisely word how I feel this would be my post as well as yours.

 

[DT_PITT]

Just an outstanding post. If I had the attention span and the ability to concisely word how I feel this would be my post as well as yours.

Much to my chagrin, I've needed to learn how to get better thinking of what to write after losses.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Wilson and Luther seem to be the only players actually improving. Wilson does some dumb stuff but he has a knack of getting to the basket and is unafraid. I like him to get Smith's minutes. We also saw Cam at the 2 for the first time this year I think.

 

[DT_PITT]

Wilson and Luther seem to be the only players actually improving. Wilson does some dumb stuff but he has a knack of getting to the basket and is unafraid. I like him to get Smith's minutes. We also saw Cam at the 2 for the first time this year I think.

Cam played about 10 minutes at the two during the BC game, much because of Chris Jones' injury for that game.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

Somehow every time I am at my anger peak after a loss like this , your dribbles always calm me down , so thank you

I'm not nearly as upset after this loss because we looked like we belonged for once. I just hope this doesn't end up being our one missed chance at a statement win. I'm afraid the rest of our games against ranked teams will look more like Virginia and Louisville rather last night against Miami.

 

[Jeffburgh]

I am not angry. I am sad. Sad that this is going where I feared it would.

You could say this was a good road performance and they showed some heart, and that would be true in a relative sense.

Because this team has so little heart and plays so poorly on the road, a close loss in a game where Miami did not play very well, seems good.

But, this was very likely the death knell for the NCAAs.

And, this team is more likely in the midst of a crash and burn than not.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

I thought going in Miami was overrated and when they looked asleep to start with late arriving crowd I thought Pitt had a real chance. Gonna need a couple major upsets to make it I think now but at least have to avoid the wheels totally falling off like last year at this point.

 

[Pittx9]

Here'es the thing, they showed enough that they could build of this, fix their mistakes, and go on a winning streak. However, the upcoming schedule might make that very, very hard to do.

 

[Jeffburgh]

I thought going in Miami was overrated and when they looked asleep to start with late arriving crowd I thought Pitt had a real chance. Gonna need a couple major upsets to make it I think now but at least have to avoid the wheels totally falling off like last year at this point.

Yep - I felt they could steal a win last night, and Miami set then up for it, as you noted, not playing with much fire until the second half gave them a REALLY big opening ...

The rest of the schedule is a B E A R.

It does not look good.

 

[thebadby2]

** How you feel about this game depends mostly upon your perspective, I suppose.

** One could easily view this as a strong performance on the road against a good team. Or maybe you saw a huge missed opportunity to get a big win for the NCAA Tournament for a team who is running out of chances to get one.

** Perhaps it’s wisest to proclaim that both are true. I liked so much of what I saw tonight. I saw a Coach trying new things. I saw different players stepping up to contribute. I also saw some resiliency and energy that’s been lacking in many of our losses.

** But there were things that weren’t so easy to like. We still leave too many shots open on the perimeter. There were too many easy buckets by men left alone in the paint. And our lack of focus and attention to detail in the last four seconds were our undoing. In other words, we just didn’t box out. That’s how you lose a game, especially a close game on the road.

** At the very least, tonight’s game should show one thing. This team isn’t packing it in. The players and the staff really are trying to find a way.

** And maybe they really have found something in Ryan Luther. It seems wise to ride him about as much as we can going forward. Since none of our post options can defend, the one who can score the best seems to make sense.

** And I was ready to give up on Chris Jones this year, until his personal 8-0 run pulled the Panthers back into this game. But I don’t know what to make of him going forward.

** I do know that I want to see more of Damon Wilson. I know that he’s erratic and undisciplined. But he’s full of energy and looks to make things happen on offense for a team where that’s often needed.

** Just about everyone was tired of seeing James Robinson. That is until his pair of threes almost snatched a victory for the Panthers. James is what he is. He’s not a very good player of course, but not quite the problem for this team that some believe.

** But James, Chris, Damon, Ryan, Sterling, Rafeal, Alonzo, and Cam – these are not where our focus should be. In fact, between all of the guys in this group, they did enough to win this game tonight.

** If this team is going to find enough wins to get to the NCAA tournament, it’s going to have to be on the backs of Mike and Jamel, and to a slightly lesser extent, Sheldon.

** These guys will need to score for the Panthers to win. 25 points like they got tonight just isn’t enough. 35 is more like a magic number for these three players. They could have gotten there if Jamel would have been closer to what we’ve come to expect from him offensively.

** But for too much of this game, Jamel looked to be floating. And in the final seconds, both Jamel and Mike failed to box out and get off their feet when they had the chance to secure the ball and send the game into OT. These are the plays leaders need to make. These are the plays these two need to make next time.

** And maybe they will make these plays next time. In fact, they better. Because the Panthers are running out of "next times" if they still want to make something of this season. Like all Panther fans, I sure hope they can!

One could easily view this as a strong performance on the road against a good team. Or maybe you saw a huge missed opportunity to get a big win for the NCAA Tournament for a team who is running out of chances to get one.

** Perhaps it’s wisest to proclaim that both are true.

Agree that is was both.

But for too much of this game, Jamel looked to be floating. And in the final seconds, both Jamel and Mike failed to box out and get off their feet when they had the chance to secure the ball and send the game into OT. These are the plays leaders need to make. These are the plays these two need to make next time.

That one lapse, that single failure to execute a fundamental box out, is what most directly cost us the game., I knew Young blew the box out in real time but I re-played that 3-4 times to see how it happened and it was just a total fundamental failure by both Young and to a lesser extent Artis. Young was lackadaisical on the play and slow to get into position. He was way too far away from the rim until it was too late. That;s not the kind of play those guys need to make "next time", but EVERY time--it's basketball 101, strictly a matter of fundamentals, effort and focus. Terrible. That's what;s maddening about Young. He is a helluva player, but that kind of failure is inexcusable.