What the N Florida Win Hints

[DC_Area_Panther]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

 

[Cap pitt]

You would complain if you were hung with a new rope

 

[Wanstash21]

Lol

 

[NCanton Panther]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

Now that’s a big leap forward, comparing them to Gonzaga, Kentucky and Houston.

Baby steps, how bout we compare them to the sizable group that makes up the middle pack of the ACC.

 

[FlashLightningrod]

I learned a long time ago that scoring margins against common opponents don't mean schitt. In the last 6 years, Pitt won these games by a few points, if they even won at all. Now they are winning by 20+. Acknowledge their growth and improvement from the recent past. We will soon see what it means in conference.

 

[Jeffburgh]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

I for one am not getting too far out on this team. Further, this is going to be a one off w all the guys who will move on, and feel as though its a bit of a unicorn to pull so many random pieces together. Just happy to see kids playing as a team.

 

[JD1976]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

Ok so by your logic, is Pitt is 3x better than Michigan State based on results against Northwestern?

 

[sonofabit]

I for one am not getting too far out on this team. Further, this is going to be a one off w all the guys who will move on, and feel as though its a bit of a unicorn to pull so many random pieces together. Just happy to see kids playing as a team.

This sentiment about guys moving on - leaving the cupboard somewhat bare - look, it’s the new norm. Look where Pitt was a year ago — Bickering here about Jeffress’ abilities or Horton’s value. Random pieces are what a staff envisions starting in the spring. Maybe this staff figured a few things out. League play will give us an idea if this close-knit group can play for real. Fede and the new guards were scouted. Just as Mo was before last year. This random collection can’t be all from luck. Think Hinson won’t be hearing from other schools? Get used to slow starts with new teammates every year.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Ok so by your logic, is Pitt is 3x better than Michigan State based on results against Northwestern?

Bingo
It’s a silly comparison
We are also twice as good as Kansas by beating nc state by a larger margin

 

[mo cheeks]

I for one am not getting too far out on this team. Further, this is going to be a one off w all the guys who will move on, and feel as though its a bit of a unicorn to pull so many random pieces together. Just happy to see kids playing as a team.

I don't disagree, but I am hoping that this team has started the momentum in the right direction. Solid recruiting class coming in, Pitts style of play this year should be attractive to portal players, Capel seems to have become a better coach, with team playing together offensively/defensively, and having mostly good attitudes.

BTW, if the twins stay and work super hard, like I think they will, by their sophomore years, they could be really, really good. lots of ifs, but its a lot more than we have had in a long time. I prefer to be optimistic. Our board seems worn out by the past several years, trying to give it some energy :

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Comparative margins of victory in sports are meaningless. I'm going to wait and see how Pitt does against real competition, starting this week with Syracuse and UNC. Then comes January. We'll know more by Feb. 1.

But it has been fun watching these guys play up to this point. So we can appreciate that and hope for the best going forward. No guarantees.

 

[Jeffburgh]

This sentiment about guys moving on - leaving the cupboard somewhat bare - look, it’s the new norm. Look where Pitt was a year ago — Bickering here about Jeffress’ abilities or Horton’s value. Random pieces are what a staff envisions starting in the spring. Maybe this staff figured a few things out. League play will give us an idea if this close-knit group can play for real. Fede and the new guards were scouted. Just as Mo was before last year. This random collection can’t be all from luck. Think Hinson won’t be hearing from other schools? Get used to slow starts with new teammates every year.

I get it. Just that he and Stallings both went around trying to pull together teams in the transfer market and it was pretty rough until now. Luck played a role, both bad and good, so I guess he was due for things to break better.

I certainly like the HS kids he has coming in, just wish was a little more carry over, particularly at guard. Though IF Dior miraculously makes it back this year, that will give them a little bit of a head start going into next year.

 

[Jeffburgh]

I don't disagree, but I am hoping that this team has started the momentum in the right direction. Solid recruiting class coming in, Pitts style of play this year should be attractive to portal players, Capel seems to have become a better coach, with team playing together offensively/defensively, and having mostly good attitudes.

BTW, if the twins stay and work super hard, like I think they will, by their sophomore years, they could be really, really good. lots of ifs, but its a lot more than we have had in a long time. I prefer to be optimistic. Our board seems worn out by the past several years, trying to give it some energy :

Would certainly be a nice story if this helps HCJC to get things going the way we had envisioned when he first came on board.

 

[pittchagg]

It feels like this might be the kind of team he’s probably wanted to build since he’s been here - though ultimately it’s his responsibility for his prior rosters not fulfilling that vision. At the minimum, this feels like the kind of offensive structure that he’s been trying to implement. We’re doing some different things, but it’s not wildly different than what we’ve done before - we’re just executing better because he found guys who can make a shot.

I think he’d probably love to have a taller guard with Dior’s ability to penetrate as the primary ballhandler and let Nelly run around as a secondary ballhandler, and he’d definitely like to have Jeffress available for his defensive ability and awareness, but he’s built a nice roster - the kind of roster he’s been talking about all along - if he can keep them from wanting to kill each other. If he can keep building rosters that look and play like this, there’s a chance that we can be sustainable.

 

[pittjas]

It feels like this might be the kind of team he’s probably wanted to build since he’s been here - though ultimately it’s his responsibility for his prior rosters not fulfilling that vision. At the minimum, this feels like the kind of offensive structure that he’s been trying to implement. We’re doing some different things, but it’s not wildly different than what we’ve done before - we’re just executing better because he found guys who can make a shot.

I think he’d probably love to have a taller guard with Dior’s ability to penetrate as the primary ballhandler and let Nelly run around as a secondary ballhandler, and he’d definitely like to have Jeffress available for his defensive ability and awareness, but he’s built a nice roster - the kind of roster he’s been talking about all along - if he can keep them from wanting to kill each other. If he can keep building rosters that look and play like this, there’s a chance that we can be sustainable.

Also goes to show if you actually build a strong roster with some depth you can sustain some injuries/suspension, especially against the OOC. We lost Jeffress, Dior, and have had like 25% of what we though we’ve had from Hugley.

Whereas the last couple years an injury or two was the difference between winning or losing against The Citadel.

Once again, something he should get credit for (but also criticism for it taking this long).

 

[Jeffburgh]

It feels like this might be the kind of team he’s probably wanted to build since he’s been here - though ultimately it’s his responsibility for his prior rosters not fulfilling that vision. At the minimum, this feels like the kind of offensive structure that he’s been trying to implement. We’re doing some different things, but it’s not wildly different than what we’ve done before - we’re just executing better because he found guys who can make a shot.

I think he’d probably love to have a taller guard with Dior’s ability to penetrate as the primary ballhandler and let Nelly run around as a secondary ballhandler, and he’d definitely like to have Jeffress available for his defensive ability and awareness, but he’s built a nice roster - the kind of roster he’s been talking about all along - if he can keep them from wanting to kill each other. If he can keep building rosters that look and play like this, there’s a chance that we can be sustainable.

He sorely under recruited shooters until now, and tended to get guys who were a little more athletic. But, to this point anyways, this offense certainly looks a LOT better with guys who have more innate basketball skills and instincts along with having more three point shooters, as well as more of a unselfish mindset.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

You would complain if you were hung with a new rope

Jeesh! Was not meaning to come across as complaining or criticizing. Last season we would have struggled to beat N Florida by double digits and like most Pitt fans I'm pleased with the improvement over last season we are currently seeing.

The intended point was merely that if we are eventually to return in future seasons to having a perennial top 25 team; it will need to be one that is better than the decent the team we have been seeing over the last several games.

Here is Sagarin's computer's picture of the ACC following yesterday's games. "Recent Rating" added because IMHO it is probably more accurate than the overall which is lowered by the bad early results before the team "jelled." Note: These will be a little skewed because it doen's compare them to the recent ratings of the other ACC teams which will be different than the regular ratings shown.

12 Duke = 88.71
20 North Carolina = 86.57
23 Virginia = 86.17
30 Virginia Tech = 85.07
35 Pitt Home = 84.27 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
42 Pitt Home = 83.42
45 NC State = 83.13
46 Miami-Florida = 82.93
59 Pittsburgh = 81.84 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
64 Clemson = 80.90
69 Pittsburgh = 80.65
74 Syracuse = 79.97
77 Pitt Away = 79.41 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
93 Pitt Away = 77.88
96 Wake Forest = 77.54
98 Georgia Tech = 77.08
99 Notre Dame = 76.92
121 Florida State = 75.26
197 Boston College= 70.83
229 Louisville = 69.20

 

[pittchagg]

Would be curious to see what the recent rating is for the rest of the conference.

 

[Fredact]

I learned a long time ago that scoring margins against common opponents don't mean schitt. In the last 6 years, Pitt won these games by a few points, if they even won at all. Now they are winning by 20+. Acknowledge their growth and improvement from the recent past. We will soon see what it means in conference.

I learned a long time ago that scoring margins against common opponents don't mean schitt. In the last 6 years, Pitt won these games by a few points, if they even won at all. Now they are winning by 20+. Acknowledge their growth and improvement from the recent past. We will soon see what it means in conference.

Pitt has now beaten the spread in 7 consecutive games. That suggests Pitt is over performing expectations.

 

[GreatBear71]

I learned a long time ago that scoring margins against common opponents don't mean schitt. In the last 6 years, Pitt won these games by a few points, if they even won at all. Now they are winning by 20+. Acknowledge their growth and improvement from the recent past. We will soon see what it means in conference.

I totally agree. My prediction will be 7th or 8th in the ACC, and an NIT invitation. This would be a marker of improvement. Great if they are even better. I hope the crowds eventually come back like they were in the golden age of the Jamie Dixon era

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

You would complain if you were hung with a new rope

This is an insanely good line.

 

[PittPharm2002]

It hints we won a game we should win .
That’s nice

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

The fact that North Florida has the #2 SOS in an indictment of the sport.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The fact that North Florida has the #2 SOS in an indictment of the sport.

That probably doesn't include their game against one of your favorite kinds of schools, Trinity Baptist.

 

[pittchagg]

The fact that North Florida has the #2 SOS in an indictment of the sport.

They’ve played road games at Gonzaga, Washington, Kentucky and Houston. And us. Hard to find a noncon much tougher than that.

 

[Vader_Storm]

Jeesh! Was not meaning to come across as complaining or criticizing. Last season we would have struggled to beat N Florida by double digits and like most Pitt fans I'm pleased with the improvement over last season we are currently seeing.

The intended point was merely that if we are eventually to return in future seasons to having a perennial top 25 team; it will need to be one that is better than the decent the team we have been seeing over the last several games.

Here is Sagarin's computer's picture of the ACC following yesterday's games. "Recent Rating" added because IMHO it is probably more accurate than the overall which is lowered by the bad early results before the team "jelled." Note: These will be a little skewed because it doen's compare them to the recent ratings of the other ACC teams which will be different than the regular ratings shown.

12 Duke = 88.71
20 North Carolina = 86.57
23 Virginia = 86.17
30 Virginia Tech = 85.07
35 Pitt Home = 84.27 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
42 Pitt Home = 83.42
45 NC State = 83.13
46 Miami-Florida = 82.93
59 Pittsburgh = 81.84 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
64 Clemson = 80.90
69 Pittsburgh = 80.65
74 Syracuse = 79.97
77 Pitt Away = 79.41 (Sagarin Recent Rating)
93 Pitt Away = 77.88
96 Wake Forest = 77.54
98 Georgia Tech = 77.08
99 Notre Dame = 76.92
121 Florida State = 75.26
197 Boston College= 70.83
229 Louisville = 69.20

I rarely look at Sagarin, but I find this interesting with regard to next game.

Syracuse

#74 Sagarin
#81 Pomeroy
#83 Team Rankings
#123 Torvik
#147 NET

Pitt

#69 Sagarin
#72 Pomeroy
#74 Torvik
#75 NET
#85 Team Rankings


I use Torvik the most out of these.

 

[pittzap]

IMHO, comparative N Florida scores and this win appears to suggest how much further Pitt needs to go to become a highly ranked team.

PItt by 82-56 = 26 Compare to ranked teams vs N Florida --

Gonzaga by 104-63 = 41
Kentucky by 96-56 = 40
Houston by 76-42 = 34

Which is why you don’t comparative score. One game has nothing to do with another.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

If it was just comparing two individual games I would totally agree. But, when it involves multiple games it tends to become a trend or tendency. I will admit that three games is still a small sample; but, it does appear to be enough, IMHO, to at least "suggest" something.

 

[Vader_Storm]

If it was just comparing two individual games I would totally agree. But, when it involves multiple games it tends to become a trend or tendency. I will admit that three games is still a small sample; but, it does appear to be enough, IMHO, to at least "suggest" something.

The issue with our team, and its been an issue in the past since Capel has been here, is really weak team depth.

We had a 26 point lead at the 15 minute mark or so in the 2nd half. Capel went deep into the bench with the twins and Santos etc in the 2nd half.., and that lead quickly went down to 15 points before the starters were put back in to push the lead back up to 26.


Had the starters remained in the game and we used very little depth until the very end, we probably would of won by 35.


Does it matter? Well, it doesnt look as good for the team efficiency ranking sites like pomeroy and such to only win by 26.

1/3 deep into the season, we have a good looking starting 5 that looks good enough on paper for the NCAA's. But we have very, very shaky depth behind the starting unit which is the much larger issue at hand. Our bench is no where near good enough right now.

I wish the subs were kept to a minimum and I think Santos needs cut from the rotation completely at this point.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They’ve played road games at Gonzaga, Washington, Kentucky and Houston. And us.

And Duquesne!