Originally posted by thebadby2:
I get your point, but at least for me, it's more the way we lose than the loss itself. Soft, slow, tentative, passive, fundamentally poor, afraid to get our uniforms dirty. I could go on and on, and there is plenty of criticism for everyone involved, but one thing that stood out to me tonight as being symbolic of what's wromg with this team was how many loose balls we didn't even go after let alone get, with Mike Young being a multiple offender in that department. If NCSU had played even mediocre D, and if they took better shots they would have beat us by 30.
If we have any competitors on this team they certainly hide it well.
As Bilas said about 100 times, this is a real departure from Pitt basketball since Ben Howland took over. My favorite quote from him tonight was "Pitt has become a little more fun to play against." Just ask Cat Barber and Trevor Lacey.
Can't close the book on this season fast enough.
The loose ball thing drives me nuts. It lead me to scream at the TV last night. Several times.
There is not much a kid can do about being slower laterally than the opponent. Guys can only improve their quickness a little.
There is not much a player can do when the NC St. guards are hitting 25 footers with hands in their face and throwing in blind over the shoulder tosses. Barber had a career game and once Lacey got in a zone, he was unstoppable.
But when the ball is loose on the floor and you know your team needs every edge it can get to win, there is no excuse for standing there and watching the opponent hustle to get or keep possession.
This team badly needs an injection of toughness.
Not every player can get more talented. Every player CAN get tougher and hustle more. In the old days, a practice where guys did nothing but dive on the floor over and over again after loose balls would have been happening today but in these kinder and gentler days, that's probably out if the question. But, it looks like it is needed.
Another specific area where coaching might have an effect is being ready to do something with the ball when you receive a pass. Multiple times last night and really, much of the season, players catch a pass and then start setting their feet and posture to get their bodies in position to start a play. Artis and Jones are perhaps the worse offenders because they should be capable catch and shoot guys and pretty much have the green light to do that.
Maybe the team has gotten too casual with being ready to respond immediately to every pass by being lulled by a slower pace. Ball movement has been slower this year, possibly because we seem to have few skilled passers. But crisp passing and having your feet set in something resembling the triple threat position when receiving a pass should lead to an easier shot and a more effective offense.
The same problem exists on defense. Players are too often unready and reach ibstead of moving their feet abd getting into position to prevent an attack. I can understand why a guy might not want to step in front of Beejay Anya when that runaway freight train is blasting toward the basket but stepping into the opening created when another defender follows the cutter might prevent Anya from ever starting to drive.
