Starting five is ....

[steel_curtain]

Robinson with three 3's. Only problem is Robinson is the guy that is used to padding stats against cupcakes and not showing up in ACC conference games. At this point, albeit way early, at least he is making shots. That's a start and its better to be late than never. Everyone knows all of Pitt's power is in the frontcourt. But like I said, if we can hit 3's from the backcourt with just 1 player, we can get into the dance and get into the Sweet 16. 6-14 from 3 land, good start.

Pitt wins by 27

Game ball-Robinson-13 points, 3 assist, 1 turnover, 4-6 shooting, three 3's

The bad-

15 turnovers vs Gannon, 5 from Chris Jones
19 personal fouls
Mike Young shoots 0-6
Chris Jones

The ok

Gannon shoots 33% for the game
Pitt shoots 40% from 3, making 6

The better

Pitt gets 27 points from the backcourt

The good

Robinson
Artis
Slim Johnson

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Nix and Wilson did not play. Nix wlll redshirt. Wilson sick/injured? Or will he be redshirted also?

Wilson is nursing a hamstring injury.

 

[Pittbaseball11]

To anybody that was there, how did the defense look?

We know the offense will be fine, was Gannon's poor shooting percentage a result of good defense or being Gannon? 13 offensive rebounds surrendered on 37 missed shots isn't particularly inspiring.

 

[Zaratoughda]

Nix and Wilson did not play. Nix wlll redshirt. Wilson sick/injured? Or will he be redshirted also?

The word is that Wilson has been out over the last week or so. Doubt he will be RSed.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

To anybody that was there, how did the defense look?

We know the offense will be fine, was Gannon's poor shooting percentage a result of good defense or being Gannon? 13 offensive rebounds surrendered on 37 missed shots isn't particularly inspiring.

My main question too, which I think DT will address whenever he posts.

Didn't watch the game, but I'll take being ice cold for the first 5 minutes having the game well in hand by half. Especially after sweating out the exhibition game last year.

EDIT: Dixon seems to think we'll be good on defense, and he generally doesn't mince words if he thinks we are weak defensively.

https://twitter.com/CoachDixon">@CoachDixon</a>: I think we&#39;re going to be a very good defensive team, but I thought we committed too many fouls tonight.</p>&mdash; Pitt Basketball (@HailToPittHoops) <a href="

 

[thebadby2]

So, Chris jones is this years goat. Already.

If it makes you feel better, we can make him last year's goat as well.

He's weak.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

If it makes you feel better, we can make him last year's goat as well.

He's weak.

About as "weak" as Durand was, and everyone was pumped for him.

 

[Zaratoughda]

If it makes you feel better, we can make him last year's goat as well.

He's weak.

As I see it there are players that work hard OFF the court and there are those that work hard ON the court, and Jones has impressed as one of the latter type of players.

He hasn't shown much so far this season... not in practice nor the B/G game or the scrimmage and now the exhibition.. but we really need him to get his game going as THE man off the bench at SF and SG.

Hopefully we will see this once things settle down with the rotation and what not.

If not, he will have Cam Johnson and Milligan (at SG) breathing down his neck.

Yeah, was really a surprise that Dixon started Jones at SF over Artis... and CJ showed he is not ready for it and Artis came on off the bench. Maybe Jamel's D has not been that good at SF (Jones is probably the better defensive player there) and his shot has not been falling so maybe Dixon did it to motivate Jamel. If that was the case, it seemed to work as far as Jamel scoring.

 

[whirlybird optio]

To anybody that was there, how did the defense look?

We know the offense will be fine, was Gannon's poor shooting percentage a result of good defense or being Gannon? 13 offensive rebounds surrendered on 37 missed shots isn't particularly inspiring.

It's clear that Ododa will make an impact in the middle. Gannon got very few layups.

Pitt pressed a lot, especially when Milligan was in the game.

I think the thing people forget is how banged up this team was, and guys like Maia and jones just are not there physically right now. I think jones especially will get better once he gets further away from the injury.

I actually think the newcomers will be ok. To me, this team will either be a 6-7 seed in the NCAA tournament or another NIT year based upon the improvement, or lack thereof, of Artis, jones, young, and Jeter. Those 4 are the core of this team, and how much they improve will probably determine how far this team can go. Ododa, sterling smith, Milligan...those guys will be fine role players. But this team can't afford to have mike young look clueless at the rim as he did tonight, or Chris Jones falling over himself on every play.

 

[Pittbaseball11]

About as "weak" as Durand was, and everyone was pumped for him.

He's Tray Woodall, Talib Zanna, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, Lamar Patterson, and Antonio Graves. Just a guy who sticks in some people's craw for one reason or another. I mean, people were calling Brad Wanamaker a turnover machine and bitching about McGhee not being able to catch anything (despite his gaudy rebound numbers) until the day they left. Then they leave and we reminisce fondly on them.

If Jones has an extra star next to his name out of HS we are all super pumped about the guy who shot 36% from 3, averaged 8.5 points, and carried an A:TO ratio of 2 during his sophomore season.

I wish I were simple enough to allow my opinions to still be driven by a bunch of Bob Lichtenfels' after I see them in person.

 

[Pitt5593]

He's Tray Woodall, Talib Zanna, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, Lamar Patterson, and Antonio Graves. Just a guy who sticks in some people's craw for one reason or another. I mean, people were calling Brad Wanamaker a turnover machine and bitching about McGhee not being able to catch anything (despite his gaudy rebound numbers) until the day they left. Then they leave and we reminisce fondly on them.

If Jones has an extra star next to his name out of HS we are all super pumped about the guy who shot 36% from 3, averaged 8.5 points, and carried an A:TO ratio of 2 during his sophomore season.

I wish I were simple enough to allow my opinions to still be driven by a bunch of Bob Lichtenfels' after I see them in person.

Sterling Smith left a lot to be desired. His game mirrors Cam Wright. Can't believe he starts over Cam Johnson. Smith gives us nothing on the offensive end.

 

[whirlybird optio]

He's Tray Woodall, Talib Zanna, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, Lamar Patterson, and Antonio Graves. Just a guy who sticks in some people's craw for one reason or another. I mean, people were calling Brad Wanamaker a turnover machine and bitching about McGhee not being able to catch anything (despite his gaudy rebound numbers) until the day they left. Then they leave and we reminisce fondly on them.

If Jones has an extra star next to his name out of HS we are all super pumped about the guy who shot 36% from 3, averaged 8.5 points, and carried an A:TO ratio of 2 during his sophomore season.

I wish I were simple enough to allow my opinions to still be driven by a bunch of Bob Lichtenfels' after I see them in person.

With Chris, I think he kinda sometimes looks like he's lackadaisical out there, and at times he just kind of looks clumsy. Also, Chris has a tendency to miss shots about as bad as anyone I've seen. There have been much worse shooters, but Chris will miss at least one a game that looks so bad you can't really believe it.

That being said, he's a better player than most think, certainly a better player than he showed today. But all of those players on your list, at least almost all of them, got significantly better as upperclassmen. We will see if Chris fits the pattern.

 

[Pittbaseball11]

RE: Smith, he's shot well in the past. My hope is, and has been, that he's Ronald Ramon. Low usage role player. Doesn't have many assists, doesn't have many turnovers, doesn't draw many fouls, shoots infrequently but is accurate when he does. Cam used too many possessions last year, IMO. He was pretty good as a junior, not nearly as good last year when he tried to take on a larger role.

Some guys are just destined to be role players. That's not a knock. A good role player beats a guy who forces things any day of the week.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I know we cant resist but lets not read too much into this game. It is one exhibition game.

Lots of substitutions--Dixon trying to see what he has got and was experimenting.

Some players we expected to play well tonight didn't and players we didn't expect much from did more than expected.

Maia not yet fully recovered from injury had limited minutes. Wilson out injured. Nix was not used and seems sure to redshirt.

Per DT's dribbles a lot of zone played. I like that since we have so much more length (we could put 4 guys 6-7 and taller on the court together with a 6-3 to 6-5 point) if we wanted to be that long and tall--that kind of wingspan makes playing zone so much more effective (think Cuse's best defensive teams).

 

[DT_PITT]

I know we cant resist but lets not read too much into this game. It is one exhibition game.

Lots of substitutions--Dixon trying to see what he has got and was experimenting.

Some players we expected to play well tonight didn't and players we didn't expect much from did more than expected.

Maia not yet fully recovered from injury had limited minutes. Wilson out injured. Nix was not used and seems sure to redshirt.

Per DT's dribbles a lot of zone played. I like that since we have so much more length (we could put 4 guys 6-7 and taller on the court together with a 6-3 to 6-5 point) if we wanted to be that long and tall--that kind of wingspan makes playing zone so much more effective (think Cuse's best defensive teams).

I actually don't think we played any zone in the half court -- only the zone press, and then they slid back into man to man.

 

[Harve74]

I actually don't think we played any zone in the half court -- only the zone press, and then they slid back into man to man.

Very little , but I think maybe a few possessions. There were a few times we didn't follow a cutter through. Could have been a matchup zone but we've never used that before.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Thanks DT. Playing lots of man defense would also help explain the too many fouls Dixon remark-- especially if officials are calling things tightly per the new NCAA emphasis.

Did you see evidence of officials calling things more tightly than in the past?

I still like the idea of playing more zone with the length we now have--could also help with the fouls if the officials are calling it very tight--but maybe that is not currently in Dixon's plans?

Gonzaga game should be much more enlightening. Regardless, doubt we will really know this team's potential with any certainty before sometime in December. By then individual performances will be averaging out and we will know what to typically expect from each player rather than whether they played well, or not so well, in a single game or two or three.

 

[Harve74]

Thanks DT. Playing lots of man defense would also help explain the too many fouls Dixon remark-- especially if officials are calling things tightly per the new NCAA emphasis.

Did you see evidence of officials calling things more tightly than in the past?

I still like the idea of playing more zone with the length we now have--could also help with the fouls if the officials are calling it very tight--but maybe that is not currently in Dixon's plans?

Gonzaga game should be much more enlightening. Regardless, doubt we will really know this team's potential with any certainty before sometime in December. By then individual performances will be averaging out and we will know what to typically expect from each player rather than whether they played well, or not so well, in a single game or two or three.

Not DT, but the zebras certainly called obstruction or illegal screens tightly. They called a lot of ticky-tack fouls in the paint, on Gannon and on Ryan Luther. Yet, a couple times, they made no call when guys got knocked down. Certainly Gannon got to their 10th foul pretty early.

 

[KiwiJeff]

Sterling Smith left a lot to be desired. His game mirrors Cam Wright. Can't believe he starts over Cam Johnson. Smith gives us nothing on the offensive end.

Based on Smiths historical stats, that is a horrible analogy.

 

[whirlybird optio]

Based on Smiths historical stats, that is a horrible analogy.

Physically, Smith resembles Cam, so I can see the comparison. But Smtih is a much better shooter, and probably not nearly as athletic or as good a defender as Cam (pre foot injury Cam)

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Just watched the post game stuff on the official site.

(1) A short highlight video that basically didn't show much but a few Pitt buckets being scored and a a couple of defensive stops leading to transition to offense.

(2) Presser with Dixon, ANO and Robinson.

(3) Post game interview with Dixon by same young lady who did FB practice player interviews during FB fall camp in August.

Not too much we didn't already know--

A) Dixon officially stated he plans to redshirt Nix unless things change going forward (I presume that means only if injury to other bigs requires not redshirting him). Reason for redshirting given as Nix slowed by a few injuries and has a continued need to improve his conditioning.

B) Mentioned some guys had played better in the Georgetown scrimmage than they did vs Gannon (Luther mentioned as an example).

C) Wilson out with a hamstring injury.

D) Zach Smith sitting out as a transfer (so transferring from a Pitt branch campus is subject to same transfer rules as from any other school). Some of us weren't sure about his status since he is listed on the roster.

E) Dixon thought defensive intensity dropped in second half due to players relaxing when they had 20+ point lead.

F) Still high on Maia. Just said due to injury rehab Maia has missed too many practices and isn't yet ready to be what he can be for team (this apparently includes knowing how he is wanted to play on both offense and defense).

G) ANO mentioned he sees his primary role as rebounding and blocking/altering shots when he provides inside help defense when someone else's man is beaten.

Don't remember any more--

Here is a link (scroll down to "Top Videos")--
http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/

 

[Pittx9]

2 thoughts. Nix will be redshirting this season. Also, does anyone else think Artis still starts on Friday night? The kid's going to be our go-to scorer, I can't see a good reason to not start him despite the re-emphasis on defense. I think the other 4 starters are all more than serviceable on the defensive side of things.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Who starts is less important than who gets the most minutes. The five with the most minutes of PT isn't necessarily the same five that start--and this will be more true this year ; with, as Dixon said in his post Gannon presser, he has 10-11 guys who can play.

Artis will likely get top five minutes, whether he starts or doesn't, IMHO.

 

[Zaratoughda]

2 thoughts. Nix will be redshirting this season. Also, does anyone else think Artis still starts on Friday night? The kid's going to be our go-to scorer, I can't see a good reason to not start him despite the re-emphasis on defense. I think the other 4 starters are all more than serviceable on the defensive side of things.

I think we play the game against the Zags based on who our opponent is. Who starts down the line... against Purdue and the like... can be worked out in the four games we have between Gonzaga and Purdue.

 

[Pittx9]

I think we play the game against the Zags based on who our opponent is. Who starts down the line... against Purdue and the like... can be worked out in the four games we have between Gonzaga and Purdue.

Thanks for the input. I think for all the Dixon haters, if he were to do that would only prove he is a great coach that has greatly overachieved here (aside from some odd tourney losses.)