The Upside- Pittsburgh

[SWC75]

- Another valiant effort under increasingly trying circumstances. You can’t be pleased with everything this team does but you’ve got to respect them.

- And we need to have a little more respect for Trevor Cooney, assuming his back problem is a reason why his shooting has been so bad recently. He’s now missed his last 14 shots Any player whose main talent is for outside shooting is going to have slumps but not 0 for 14. And a back that stiffens up when you play is a better explanation for his trend of hitting his first shot and then missing than fatigue. The guy’s not 100% and hasn‘t been for a while now.

- Just when we needed a miracle to stay in this game, BJ Johnson and Ron Patterson found the range, hitting 7 of 10 shots and 4 of 5 three pointers for 20 points. Where was that all season?

- Rakeem Christmas, with Panthers draped all over him shot 8 for 14 for 20 points with 12 rebounds. How are we ever going to replace this guy? We’ll be rich in unknown quantities but I doubt will see production like from a center for quite a while.

- Somehow, we out-rebounded Pittsburgh by the sort of margin they usually out-rebounded us, 35-22. So how did we lose? I think the problem was too many Moses Malone rebounds- missed shots padding our stats in the first half when we won the boards 23-10 while shooting 28% from the field. 12 of our 15 offensive rebounds came in that half.

- Let’s face it. When you’ve guaranteed a winning record but can’t go to the post season the games you are playing are hardly of cosmic importance. You’d like to win them but it’s not a tragedy if you don’t. Imagine how this game would have felt if we needed it to get into the NCAAs. In a way it’s kind of more enjoyable to watch a close, competitive game under those circumstances. We lost a game but we haven’t really lost anything we woke up with this morning.

17-10, (8-6) with 4 more to go

LET’S GO ORANGE!!!!

 

[bballbeadle]

I understand what you mean about it almost being "enjoyable" to watch a competitive game without feeling like your heart is going to go all Alien on you. When we were within one point at the one minute mark, I was absolutely delighted but when we lost it, I didn't lose it.

I don't think I like feeling detached, but it's a reasonable coping mechanism.

So, Cooney's back is hurt. No wonder, with all of us (including me at times) throwing him under the bus so often! I know they don't like to let injuries become public, but that poor kid deserved better from the coaches and the fans. BJ and Buss stepped up when he was out. I know there is an interesting back story to this and I sure would like to hear it. Reminds me of how Gerry had a "groin pull" and later had spine surgery in Germany for multiple fractures.

Lord have mercy, what a season!

 

[newmexicuse]

If this Cooney back injury has been lingering shame on the staff for all of the 40 minute no rest outings.....

 

[Madbiker]

Second chance points were even at 8 each. But Pitt got their 8 with half the number of offensive rebs. In other words we had a lot of chances but didn't score on the extra shots. While there is a lot of focus on the late moving screen call that cost us, IMO the game was lost in the last 3 minutes of the first half when we got out scored 11-2...especially that 25 ft bomb Pitt threw in at the buzzer.