Johnson - Kid played 40 minutes. He played hard the whole game, made some mistakes but clawed his way to 17 points. I think some of his turnovers are due to guys fumbling the ball around, but he also commits some unforced errors. He can clean it up, but 6 turnovers from your PG are always going to be tough to overcome, however they shake out. He knocked down some big 3's, and he's quick enough that he can slice the zone and he did a few times. Overall good showing, but I think there's room for improvement when he goes up against Syracuse again.
McGowens - He never got into a rhythm today, and maybe the early cut on his face that forced him to miss time played a part in that. He's good from 3 when he's open, but he isn't at the point where he can shoot contested jumpers with success. I know the best part of his game is off the bounce and getting to the line, and the zone neutralizes that. But he needs to score more than 7 points for Pitt to win road conference games.
Wilson-Frame - He's basically the only zone-buster on the team. He played mostly within the offense until the end, then he had to jack some bad looks up when Pitt was down double digits. I think coming off the bench moving forward is a good thing for him and this team. Some guys handle it better than others, and I think it works for him.
Brown - It just wasn't his day. I think he's made a ton of strides, but he still has a long way to go. BUT, I don't think he's a lost cause or anything. The FSU/Louisville games show there is a lot of potential there. He needs to really work on catching and finishing through contact.
N'dir - You have to wonder if he's fully healthy yet. Capel kept him on the bench, but gave them a few positives plays in the second half.
Ellison - He's not cut out for being the middle man in the zone. I thought he played some nice defense at times, but that wasn't a good spot for him today and it showed.
Toney - He rebounded and defended well, but got bullied inside when he went up for shots. He's going to get stronger over time, but seems outmatched and undersized when he is inside on offense. I'm not sure that's entirely his fault, he can't help it.
Davis - He was invisible today. Played 5 minutes and didn't record one thing in that sheet. He can shoot, but he's also reluctant. I know the big thing with him is just to shoot it sometimes. The coaches want him to be more aggressive.
Chukwuka - He got two minutes today. It's funny how a season changes. There were points where he definitely seemed better than Brown and would be the starter moving forward, and now he's not getting many minutes at all. He's just very limited.
NOW ALSO, let's remember another team was playing today. Syracuse is good, their defense is generally tough, and Tyus Battle was the most talented player on the floor. The Orange have guys that can rise up and hit shots from the perimeter, and Pitt just didn't and it showed. That team just beat Duke in Cameron Indoor, so they're good. Nothing they did today really surprised me.
McGowens - He never got into a rhythm today, and maybe the early cut on his face that forced him to miss time played a part in that. He's good from 3 when he's open, but he isn't at the point where he can shoot contested jumpers with success. I know the best part of his game is off the bounce and getting to the line, and the zone neutralizes that. But he needs to score more than 7 points for Pitt to win road conference games.
Wilson-Frame - He's basically the only zone-buster on the team. He played mostly within the offense until the end, then he had to jack some bad looks up when Pitt was down double digits. I think coming off the bench moving forward is a good thing for him and this team. Some guys handle it better than others, and I think it works for him.
Brown - It just wasn't his day. I think he's made a ton of strides, but he still has a long way to go. BUT, I don't think he's a lost cause or anything. The FSU/Louisville games show there is a lot of potential there. He needs to really work on catching and finishing through contact.
N'dir - You have to wonder if he's fully healthy yet. Capel kept him on the bench, but gave them a few positives plays in the second half.
Ellison - He's not cut out for being the middle man in the zone. I thought he played some nice defense at times, but that wasn't a good spot for him today and it showed.
Toney - He rebounded and defended well, but got bullied inside when he went up for shots. He's going to get stronger over time, but seems outmatched and undersized when he is inside on offense. I'm not sure that's entirely his fault, he can't help it.
Davis - He was invisible today. Played 5 minutes and didn't record one thing in that sheet. He can shoot, but he's also reluctant. I know the big thing with him is just to shoot it sometimes. The coaches want him to be more aggressive.
Chukwuka - He got two minutes today. It's funny how a season changes. There were points where he definitely seemed better than Brown and would be the starter moving forward, and now he's not getting many minutes at all. He's just very limited.
NOW ALSO, let's remember another team was playing today. Syracuse is good, their defense is generally tough, and Tyus Battle was the most talented player on the floor. The Orange have guys that can rise up and hit shots from the perimeter, and Pitt just didn't and it showed. That team just beat Duke in Cameron Indoor, so they're good. Nothing they did today really surprised me.
