This is your (our) chance to reinvent Pitt basketball

[QuitCallingMeWanny]

Exactly. You have to be able to outscore an opponent. Good defense is great but if someone is hot it doesn't matter how good your defense is frankly. You have to be able to counter.

You can win a lot of games with defense but if you cannot score you are going to end up losing when it counts.

Virginia was cited but they also have a bona fide star scorer in Brogdon. And who was the other guy who graduated last year? They were scorers.

Pitt sometimes plays slow on purpose on offense which at times doesn't let a star play with the flow of the game and stay hot.

Julius Page is the last player I can remember from Pitt who could straight score. (From the perimeter)

I think there was one other after him but I forget his name.

Then you must have "misremembered" because Julius Page could not "straight score".......He was probably the best lockdown defender Pitt ever had though

 

[damase2331]

Yea, Tony Bennett and Virginia have really been struggling playing that way.

UVa seems to be Pitt of 2004 through 2011. Great Regular seasons and losing in the NCAAT due to style of play. Maybe they will prove me wrong this year, but I have felt that UVA is Pitt of 5/10 years ago. Tough Defense etc but not enough offense to win in March.

Hence UVa losing in R32 last year, and this year reminds of Pitt in 2004, they trounced there 2nd round opponent this year, lets see if they pull a Pitt and lose in the Sweet 16.

 

[FourPanthers]

Seen plenty of teams hit a hot player and they countered with a hot player of their own.


I mean, if you are satisfied with the current state of Pitt basketball then by all means, stay the same. See how that nets you recruits in the ACC and down the road.

I just think Pitt needs a new style to draw better and more athletic recruits that shows a clear path to the NBA.

I see tons of recruits who are good choose colleges over Pitt that shouldn't happen if Pitt is an upper tier program because what a lot of what blue bloods have that scares off some recruits (lack of playing time), Pitt doesn't have.

You have Diallo who would rather play 10-15 mins a game (if that) instead of go to pitt and star. The Ellensons, Dunns, Bentils, etcs who choose regional teams.

Most players aren't choosing Pitt because their style isn't very conducive to get to the NBA easily.

Opening up the style would do wonders.

Question, what style does Duquesne play? Why don't they win with that super exciting style! In the last 13 years Pitt won a lot more than it lost being "boring" and Duquesne lost a lot more tha it won being "open".

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

Having good D is good. But you have to be able to score also. Slowing down to a crawl and sucking the life out of the game doesn't lead to championships.

That's classic coming from a UNC fan. You *do* know your history, right? Dean Smith... four corners... slow the game to a crawl and suck the life out of it? Until they added the shot clock specifically to combat his style.

It's OK... just giving you a history lesson.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

That's classic coming from a UNC fan. You *do* know your history, right? Dean Smith... four corners... slow the game to a crawl and suck the life out of it? Until they added the shot clock specifically to combat his style.

It's OK... just giving you a history lesson.

And of course the worst part of that strategy was that with his teams generally being so much more talented than the opposition it should have been a completely unnecessary strategy. Nothing says "brilliant coaching" like employing a strategy that keeps an opponent that you ought to be squashing within a couple baskets the whole game.

What was the old line? Dean Smith, the only person would could hold Michael Jordan under 20 points.

 

[tuckshop]

Coach dale - how many times we going to pass before we shoot? Coach smith - 216

 

[imajericho]

UVA today is a perfect example of why that style can't win championships. UVA has never been to a final four under Bennet. And they have had the talent.

 

[WCSordill]

Exactly. You have to be able to outscore an opponent. Good defense is great but if someone is hot it doesn't matter how good your defense is frankly. You have to be able to counter.

You can win a lot of games with defense but if you cannot score you are going to end up losing when it counts.

Virginia was cited but they also have a bona fide star scorer in Brogdon. And who was the other guy who graduated last year? They were scorers.

Pitt sometimes plays slow on purpose on offense which at times doesn't let a star play with the flow of the game and stay hot.

Julius Page is the last player I can remember from Pitt who could straight score. (From the perimeter)

I think there was one other after him but I forget his name.

And we lost a Sweet Sixteen game against Okie State at the Meadowlands because Julius couldn't throw the ball in the ocean. Nor could anyone else for Pitt that night.

 

[NTOP]

Seen plenty of teams hit a hot player and they countered with a hot player of their own.


I mean, if you are satisfied with the current state of Pitt basketball then by all means, stay the same. See how that nets you recruits in the ACC and down the road.

I just think Pitt needs a new style to draw better and more athletic recruits that shows a clear path to the NBA.

I see tons of recruits who are good choose colleges over Pitt that shouldn't happen if Pitt is an upper tier program because what a lot of what blue bloods have that scares off some recruits (lack of playing time), Pitt doesn't have.

You have Diallo who would rather play 10-15 mins a game (if that) instead of go to pitt and star. The Ellensons, Dunns, Bentils, etcs who choose regional teams.

Most players aren't choosing Pitt because their style isn't very conducive to get to the NBA easily.

Opening up the style would do wonders.

How many Vandy players are in the NBA??

 

[TD_6082]

How many Vandy players are in the NBA??

Festus Ezeli plays for the Warriors. I think John Jenkins is still in the league.

 

[yiana]

UVA today is a perfect example of why that style can't win championships. UVA has never been to a final four under Bennet. And they have had the talent.

Hardly

 

[Piranha]

Hardly

What does "hardly" mean? They blew it yesterday, and clearly had more talent than SU.

 

[vegasgreed]

Ben Livingstonitt reached out to Kevin Stallings just HOURS after Dixon left. Dixon accepted TCU job Monday, Stallings contacted before 5 p.m. same day.

As i posted yesterday, stallings was the guy from the get go. This whole Todd Turner angle sucks. I don't believe Barnes stint as Pitt's AD will be a long one. I'm sure Todd Turner will help place him at his next job.

 

[DrZZ#2]

Yea, Tony Bennett and Virginia have really been struggling playing that way.

How did they finish up?