Where we are and have been --by the numbers--

[DC_Area_Panther]

Sagarin's computers end of season Pitt ranking since 1999-2000 season (Howland's first year).

Non tourney years in red.

2000--131
2001-- 83
2002---19
2003---- 4
2004---- 6
2005---31
2006---12
2007---11
2008---19
2009----3
2010---26
2011---- 7
2012---59
2013---11
2014---20
2015---79
2016---36

Analyzing the last 5 years objectively--

A. Out last 5 seasons there were two real stinkers.

1. The 2011-2012 was mainly creditable to the injury plagued season where Ashton Gibbs was forced to play out of position and played most of the year injured and Trey Woodall was also injured and missed plenty of games. But we also lacked a rim protector.

2. In 2014-2015 we had no rim protector after Zanna left.

B. There were two good but not great seasons in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014

1. In 2012-2013 we had a real post in Steve Adams. We were the #11 team.

2. In 2013-2014 Talib Zanna as a RS Sr was enough of a shot blocker and rim protector that he was a decent low-post defender, Hence, we were #20.

3. Both of these seasons were consistent in results with results from the five season stretch from 2005-2006 season through 2009-2010 (12, 11, 19, 3, 26).

C. This season (2015-2016) was actually mediocre--and not as terrible as fans perceptions made it.

1. Being #36 and going 21-12 vs being #79 and going 19-15 was actually a decent improvement.

2. The two Senior transfer post players proved adequate for most of the OOC schedule and against ACC teams with weaker/shorter inside players. They actually helped Pitt to around Sagarin #21 at about the start od the ACC season.

D. The Future?

1. IMO, if Miligan and/or Kithcart adequately replace Robinson and some combo of Manigault, Nix and a potential transfer or recruit filling the one open ship can at least equal the limited contributions we got from Maia and Ododa we should tread water and make the tourney again as a high seed. If not--we are in that deep trouble most of us fear.

2. If we don't slip--or possibly actually improve at PG and are improved in the post we will be better than this year and probably back to where we were previously as a top15-ish team.

3. Despite all the theories bandied about bad guard play and bad coaching, IMHO, it all still comes down in the end to needing an ACC level rim defender and rebounder. If we have one/get one of those everyone and everything else will be better.

 

[steel_curtain]

Sagarin's computers end of season Pitt ranking since 1999-2000 season (Howland's first year).

Non tourney years in red.

2000--131
2001-- 83
2002---19
2003---- 4
2004---- 6
2005---31
2006---12
2007---11
2008---19
2009----3
2010---26
2011---- 7
2012---59
2013---11
2014---20
2015---79
2016---36

Analyzing the last 5 years objectively--

A. Out last 5 seasons there were two real stinkers.

1. The 2011-2012 was mainly creditable to the injury plagued season where Ashton Gibbs was forced to play out of position and played most of the year injured and Trey Woodall was also injured and missed plenty of games. But we also lacked a rim protector.

2. In 2014-2015 we had no rim protector after Zanna left.

B. There were two good but not great seasons in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014

1. In 2012-2013 we had a real post in Steve Adams. We were the #11 team.

2. In 2013-2014 Talib Zanna as a RS Sr was enough of a shot blocker and rim protector that he was a decent low-post defender, Hence, we were #20.

3. Both of these seasons were consistent in results with results from the five season stretch from 2005-2006 season through 2009-2010 (12, 11, 19, 3, 26).

C. This season (2015-2016) was actually mediocre--and not as terrible as fans perceptions made it.

1. Being #36 and going 21-12 vs being #79 and going 19-15 was actually a decent improvement.

2. The two Senior transfer post players proved adequate for most of the OOC schedule and against ACC teams with weaker/shorter inside players. They actually helped Pitt to around Sagarin #21 at about the start od the ACC season.

D. The Future?

1. IMO, if Miligan and/or Kithcart adequately replace Robinson and some combo of Manigault, Nix and a potential transfer or recruit filling the one open ship can at least equal the limited contributions we got from Maia and Ododa we should tread water and make the tourney again as a high seed. If not--we are in that deep trouble most of us fear.

2. If we don't slip--or possibly actually improve at PG and are improved in the post we will be better than this year and probably back to where we were previously as a top15-ish team.

3. Despite all the theories bandied about bad guard play and bad coaching, IMHO, it all still comes down in the end to needing an ACC level rim defender and rebounder. If we have one/get one of those everyone and everything else will be better.

This is decent data.

Take a look at the jumps between 2001 to 2002, 2005 to 2006, 2008 to 2009, 2015 to 2016.

The one constant is we returned the bulk of our scorers going into the next season. Remember losing Krauser was a major player loss, much more significant than Robinson, and we still got the big jump the following year with Fields.


This again reiterates why Im pretty excited for the most part going into next year. We still have a gaping hole at the 2 guard position, but are fairly sound at the other positions. And again, I think we have a big time prospect coming into this program with Kithcart. Assuming our only loss is Robinson, Im feeling pretty good going into next year.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

IMO, if we can get a post player or a combo of post players that gets us an average of 2 blocks, 8-10 boards, and 4-6 points (just 2-3 put backs of misses will do) per game; we will be a very much improved team.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Sagarin's computers end of season Pitt ranking since 1999-2000 season (Howland's first year).

Non tourney years in red.

2000--131
2001-- 83
2002---19
2003---- 4
2004---- 6
2005---31
2006---12
2007---11
2008---19
2009----3
2010---26
2011---- 7
2012---59
2013---11
2014---20
2015---79
2016---36

Analyzing the last 5 years objectively--

A. Out last 5 seasons there were two real stinkers.

1. The 2011-2012 was mainly creditable to the injury plagued season where Ashton Gibbs was forced to play out of position and played most of the year injured and Trey Woodall was also injured and missed plenty of games. But we also lacked a rim protector.

2. In 2014-2015 we had no rim protector after Zanna left.

B. There were two good but not great seasons in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014

1. In 2012-2013 we had a real post in Steve Adams. We were the #11 team.

2. In 2013-2014 Talib Zanna as a RS Sr was enough of a shot blocker and rim protector that he was a decent low-post defender, Hence, we were #20.

3. Both of these seasons were consistent in results with results from the five season stretch from 2005-2006 season through 2009-2010 (12, 11, 19, 3, 26).

C. This season (2015-2016) was actually mediocre--and not as terrible as fans perceptions made it.

1. Being #36 and going 21-12 vs being #79 and going 19-15 was actually a decent improvement.

2. The two Senior transfer post players proved adequate for most of the OOC schedule and against ACC teams with weaker/shorter inside players. They actually helped Pitt to around Sagarin #21 at about the start od the ACC season.

D. The Future?

1. IMO, if Miligan and/or Kithcart adequately replace Robinson and some combo of Manigault, Nix and a potential transfer or recruit filling the one open ship can at least equal the limited contributions we got from Maia and Ododa we should tread water and make the tourney again as a high seed. If not--we are in that deep trouble most of us fear.

2. If we don't slip--or possibly actually improve at PG and are improved in the post we will be better than this year and probably back to where we were previously as a top15-ish team.

3. Despite all the theories bandied about bad guard play and bad coaching, IMHO, it all still comes down in the end to needing an ACC level rim defender and rebounder. If we have one/get one of those everyone and everything else will be better.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

It is not as bad as some of our spoiled fans have convinced themselves. It hasn't been a five year slump as some believe. It was two bad years out of 5 and at least one of the bad years was Murphy's law and no thing to do with coaching.

Also, two of the five were totally consistent with the past higher level of performance (#11 and #20 nationally per Sagarin's computer).

 

[Piranha]

IMO, if we can get a post player or a combo of post players that gets us an average of 2 blocks, 8-10 boards, and 4-6 points (just 2-3 put backs of misses will do) per game; we will be a very much improved team.

Who? There is hardly anybody left on the board. We are not going to pull a legit rim protector out of thin air.

 

[moochanonymous]

Sagarin's computers end of season Pitt ranking since 1999-2000 season (Howland's first year).

Non tourney years in red.

2000--131
2001-- 83
2002---19
2003---- 4
2004---- 6
2005---31
2006---12
2007---11
2008---19
2009----3
2010---26
2011---- 7
2012---59
2013---11
2014---20
2015---79
2016---36

Analyzing the last 5 years objectively--

A. Out last 5 seasons there were two real stinkers.

1. The 2011-2012 was mainly creditable to the injury plagued season where Ashton Gibbs was forced to play out of position and played most of the year injured and Trey Woodall was also injured and missed plenty of games. But we also lacked a rim protector.

2. In 2014-2015 we had no rim protector after Zanna left.

B. There were two good but not great seasons in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014

1. In 2012-2013 we had a real post in Steve Adams. We were the #11 team.

2. In 2013-2014 Talib Zanna as a RS Sr was enough of a shot blocker and rim protector that he was a decent low-post defender, Hence, we were #20.

3. Both of these seasons were consistent in results with results from the five season stretch from 2005-2006 season through 2009-2010 (12, 11, 19, 3, 26).

C. This season (2015-2016) was actually mediocre--and not as terrible as fans perceptions made it.

1. Being #36 and going 21-12 vs being #79 and going 19-15 was actually a decent improvement.

2. The two Senior transfer post players proved adequate for most of the OOC schedule and against ACC teams with weaker/shorter inside players. They actually helped Pitt to around Sagarin #21 at about the start od the ACC season.

D. The Future?

1. IMO, if Miligan and/or Kithcart adequately replace Robinson and some combo of Manigault, Nix and a potential transfer or recruit filling the one open ship can at least equal the limited contributions we got from Maia and Ododa we should tread water and make the tourney again as a high seed. If not--we are in that deep trouble most of us fear.

2. If we don't slip--or possibly actually improve at PG and are improved in the post we will be better than this year and probably back to where we were previously as a top15-ish team.

3. Despite all the theories bandied about bad guard play and bad coaching, IMHO, it all still comes down in the end to needing an ACC level rim defender and rebounder. If we have one/get one of those everyone and everything else will be better.

Wasn't that 2011-12 year also the year of Khem Birch departure mid-season? So the red herring year ... Kinda speaks for itself, in more ways than one

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Thar in lies the problem. Jamie can not recruit anymore. And besides, do you realize how God darn awe full this team is? Center or not.

You clearly don't understand that the other players are not awful. They whole will be much better than the parts if we have even a decent 5. Lacking a decent five makes everyone else play subpar because they have to do things they aren't suited to do. IMHO, you are just plain wrong.

 

[Piranha]

You clearly don't understand that the other players are not awful. They whole will be much better than the parts if we have even a decent 5. Lacking a decent five makes everyone else play subpar because they have to do things they aren't suited to do. IMHO, you are just plain wrong.

Where is this 5 coming from? The staff should have been competent enough to have one in the fold. I agree with your point regarding the rim protector by the way.