** I’ll start this story tonight with 2 minutes remaining in the game when James missed an open jumper and Ryan got the tip in to give the Panthers a one point lead.
** My almost always highly positive friend who I sit with went into an anti-James tizzy at the time, saying he never wanted James to shoot it again.
** Of course, I reminded him that it was a good shot, but he countered that nothing James shoots is ever a good shot. He wanted anyone else shooting it. Maybe Jamel or Chris, but not James. I reminded him that James was shooting 4-10 at the time, and he was playing really well, but that mattered not.
** So in those last two minutes, Jamel and Chris missed threes.
** But after Wake hit a three after a botched play with a half minute, I told my Son to gather his coat and we moved to the end of the aisle until James hit a three to tie.
** So I moved back to my seat and smacked my friends’ head a number of times in jubilation.
** That was the first time I almost left this game.
** When Ryan Luther missed both foul shots with nine seconds in OT #1, I told my son, let’s go, we are leaving for sure.
** We stood near the TV just next to the exit elevator awaiting our final demise. But instead, James stole the ball and got fouled. I said to the dozen or so others watching there, “did we just see that?”
** Of course, James only hit one, and the game went to OT #2. My Son asked, “what are we doing now?” “Back to our seats!” I replied, a bit to his dismay.
** With 1.1 seconds to go in the final OT, as Mike went to the line for the last time, I said to my Son them, “Now we can leave.” “No!” he demanded. “We are staying to the very end!”
** This was certainly one of the weirdest games I’ve ever watched at the Pete. In no way was it satisfying or even moderately pleasing, but it was oddly fun.
** Fun enough, that it was memorable enough for me to say that I was certainly very glad that I was among the remaining 4,000 or so there at the end, even if I barely made it there.
** It was memorable enough because the much maligned James Robinson played as well as he can play, which in this game made him a leader and a difference maker. Because of James, for the moment anyway, we are still in the tournament. It was points, and big shots, and huge rebounds, perfect ball handling, steals and steadiness.
** Oh, and 1,000 points for his career. Congrats James.
** A couple games ago, if I didn’t say it, I certainly thought it. That is, I didn’t think Chris Jones should be on the court anymore.
** And since that time, Chris has scored 39 points in his last three games. Shows you what I know.
** What we all know is that the Panthers need better guard play to play better. They got that, even though it didn’t mean that the whole Panthers' team played better. But it was enough to carry the day when Mike and Jamel didn’t look ready to carry the day
** I should add that Jamel looked to relax a little and play better in the second OT. And congrats to him for also scoring his 1,000th point.
** Still, Mike and Jamel combined for 12-32 shooting with 8 turnovers. It’s clear that teams are going to double both of them and make others on the Panthers beat them. Against Wake, that’s what happened. Well, barely.
** We barely won. And we are barely still in the tournament. But we did win and we are still in the tournament. That’s the reality I hope all Pitt hoops fans will join me in embracing for now.
** I certainly get it that if we play again like we did tonight, we will probably lose all five of our remaining five games. That’s the other reality for all Pitt Hoops fans.
** Early in this game was some of the absolute worst defense I’ve seen this bad defensive Pitt team play all year long. I mean … we surrendered 32 points in 21 possessions minutes in the first 12 minutes. That’s simply off the charts bad on your home court against a team with just one win in 14 ACC tries.
** But somehow, we only surrendered one more point the rest of the half.
** And somehow we managed to win this game. Somehow, we are still alive to get into the NCAA Tournament.
** Somehow, we still need to win three of our next five. But five hours ago, we needed to win four of our next six. So there’s that!
** I just hope I'll be staying to the end for the Louisville and Duke games too!
** My almost always highly positive friend who I sit with went into an anti-James tizzy at the time, saying he never wanted James to shoot it again.
** Of course, I reminded him that it was a good shot, but he countered that nothing James shoots is ever a good shot. He wanted anyone else shooting it. Maybe Jamel or Chris, but not James. I reminded him that James was shooting 4-10 at the time, and he was playing really well, but that mattered not.
** So in those last two minutes, Jamel and Chris missed threes.
** But after Wake hit a three after a botched play with a half minute, I told my Son to gather his coat and we moved to the end of the aisle until James hit a three to tie.
** So I moved back to my seat and smacked my friends’ head a number of times in jubilation.
** That was the first time I almost left this game.
** When Ryan Luther missed both foul shots with nine seconds in OT #1, I told my son, let’s go, we are leaving for sure.
** We stood near the TV just next to the exit elevator awaiting our final demise. But instead, James stole the ball and got fouled. I said to the dozen or so others watching there, “did we just see that?”
** Of course, James only hit one, and the game went to OT #2. My Son asked, “what are we doing now?” “Back to our seats!” I replied, a bit to his dismay.
** With 1.1 seconds to go in the final OT, as Mike went to the line for the last time, I said to my Son them, “Now we can leave.” “No!” he demanded. “We are staying to the very end!”
** This was certainly one of the weirdest games I’ve ever watched at the Pete. In no way was it satisfying or even moderately pleasing, but it was oddly fun.
** Fun enough, that it was memorable enough for me to say that I was certainly very glad that I was among the remaining 4,000 or so there at the end, even if I barely made it there.
** It was memorable enough because the much maligned James Robinson played as well as he can play, which in this game made him a leader and a difference maker. Because of James, for the moment anyway, we are still in the tournament. It was points, and big shots, and huge rebounds, perfect ball handling, steals and steadiness.
** Oh, and 1,000 points for his career. Congrats James.
** A couple games ago, if I didn’t say it, I certainly thought it. That is, I didn’t think Chris Jones should be on the court anymore.
** And since that time, Chris has scored 39 points in his last three games. Shows you what I know.
** What we all know is that the Panthers need better guard play to play better. They got that, even though it didn’t mean that the whole Panthers' team played better. But it was enough to carry the day when Mike and Jamel didn’t look ready to carry the day
** I should add that Jamel looked to relax a little and play better in the second OT. And congrats to him for also scoring his 1,000th point.
** Still, Mike and Jamel combined for 12-32 shooting with 8 turnovers. It’s clear that teams are going to double both of them and make others on the Panthers beat them. Against Wake, that’s what happened. Well, barely.
** We barely won. And we are barely still in the tournament. But we did win and we are still in the tournament. That’s the reality I hope all Pitt hoops fans will join me in embracing for now.
** I certainly get it that if we play again like we did tonight, we will probably lose all five of our remaining five games. That’s the other reality for all Pitt Hoops fans.
** Early in this game was some of the absolute worst defense I’ve seen this bad defensive Pitt team play all year long. I mean … we surrendered 32 points in 21 possessions minutes in the first 12 minutes. That’s simply off the charts bad on your home court against a team with just one win in 14 ACC tries.
** But somehow, we only surrendered one more point the rest of the half.
** And somehow we managed to win this game. Somehow, we are still alive to get into the NCAA Tournament.
** Somehow, we still need to win three of our next five. But five hours ago, we needed to win four of our next six. So there’s that!
** I just hope I'll be staying to the end for the Louisville and Duke games too!
