One Thing That Concerns Me Moving Forward

[GoldenPather5]

First off, this is not meant to be a negative thread. I love watching this team and think Capel has really assembled a quality team and at this point I'm just nit picking. The Fastbreak/transition offense needs to improve down the stretch as the games become more meaningful. The ability to get capitalize on those easy baskets when it matters is going to decide who is going to raise that trophy in Greensboro this year.

I'm not basing this observation on this game. I actually don't even look at either FSU games as they are a matchup nightmare with their size and length when you factor in most of the time we have Elliot and Cummings on the court at the same time. Anyway, far too often these last eight games, Pitt has had too many odd man breaks that have resulted in zero points. Coming into today, Pitt ranks 224th in the country with only 8.33 PPG in fastbreak points and the best way to generate that is off steals where they are in the 300.. It isn't a big factor in Pitt's success.

I'm not worried about the stat itself, I'm more worried that when Pitt has generated those steals that lead into that Fastbreak that it has been ugly. We've had some easy breaks missed because either A) the attacking guard, more often than not, doesn't draw or create contact with the lead defender. B) The attack angles of the wings have been bad where the secondary can easily defend both.


Maybe I'm just a little cranky and nitpicking but I think this is one spot where they can easily improve and take their game to the next level.

 

[sonofabit]

I cringe maybe just a bit when Hinson is leading the way because the refs see his size and any bodies left along the way means an automatic charge. Other than that, I think (the lack of)rebounding is what hurts with the need for everyone to try and help out. Nike is freakishly athletic but others not so much. Think the tempo of play is just fine as it is.

 

[Jeffburgh]

It depends on who is in the breakout. Nike is high end converting transition baskets, one of the best at doing it I have seen at Pitt (particularly when its not a dunk).

Everyone else is an average or slightly below athlete, and other than Burton struggles to convert in contested transition.

That said Nelly seems to convert fairly well attacking the basket in half court for his size.

 

[UPitthoops]

The issue is the lack of passing on the break. Whoever has the ball almost always takes it themselves rather than dishing.

 

[Protes]

Our biggest concern going forward remains our poor defensive rebounding.

 

[Duneaux Harm]

First off, this is not meant to be a negative thread. I love watching this team and think Capel has really assembled a quality team and at this point I'm just nit picking. The Fastbreak/transition offense needs to improve down the stretch as the games become more meaningful. The ability to get capitalize on those easy baskets when it matters is going to decide who is going to raise that trophy in Greensboro this year.

I'm not basing this observation on this game. I actually don't even look at either FSU games as they are a matchup nightmare with their size and length when you factor in most of the time we have Elliot and Cummings on the court at the same time. Anyway, far too often these last eight games, Pitt has had too many odd man breaks that have resulted in zero points. Coming into today, Pitt ranks 224th in the country with only 8.33 PPG in fastbreak points and the best way to generate that is off steals where they are in the 300.. It isn't a big factor in Pitt's success.

I'm not worried about the stat itself, I'm more worried that when Pitt has generated those steals that lead into that Fastbreak that it has been ugly. We've had some easy breaks missed because either A) the attacking guard, more often than not, doesn't draw or create contact with the lead defender. B) The attack angles of the wings have been bad where the secondary can easily defend both.


Maybe I'm just a little cranky and nitpicking but I think this is one spot where they can easily improve and take their game to the next level.

Well take solace in the statistic about where Pitt ranks in terms of points scored on three pointers. I don’t remember the exact number but we were really good. Great numbers of 3 pointer points can really propel a team in a tournament setting when other teams Just haven’t had time to prepare for that.