without Dixon,

[stuckinbig11]

we can play a Pitt team with only 5 guys on the court--much easier

 

[jdubs30]

Touche.

In all seriousness, a team full of Pitt players that have had success against the zone looked fairly clueless for the majority of the game. If it wasn't for offensive boards in the 1st half, they might have 12 pts. JB took away the middle right away and Pitt had no idea how to react. I would thnk if Dixon was still around, Pitt would have been more successful, but I'm happy that he's gone.

 

[hoopsupstate]

People never realized how well Robinson played against us the past four years. He was a tough point guard that allowed other players to just play. He got them into their sets and was always tough in the clutch. He was never a three point shooter, but he always made a dagger against SU. I'm sure Artist would love to have him back.

 

[FrancoPizza]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

 

[RF2044]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. They will make adjustments and I'm sure we'll be underdogs at the zoo.

So what? The final score was in no way indicative of how we dominated them. If we'd been intent on running up the score instead of shortening the game, we would have beaten them by a lot more than 11, and they wouldn't have outscored us in the second half.

 

[FrancoPizza]

So what? The final score was in no way indicative of how we dominated them. If we'd been intent on running up the score instead of shortening the game, we would have beaten them by a lot more than 11, and they wouldn't have outscored us in the second half.

Not that simple. We were out of rhythm once they went to their stalling 2-2-1 press. We simply had the advantage of milking the clock.

 

[RF2044]

Not that simple. We were out of rhythm once they went to their stalling 2-2-1 press. We simply had the advantage of milking the clock.

It IS that simple. I would have loved to see us beat them by more, to rub their noses in it. But teams don't often keep their foot on the throttle when they are up by so much.

Nothing to see here.

 

[gmoney44]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

We were in eating clock mode with 12 minutes left in the game. Tyler got in foul trouble and they got uncontested baskets in the last two minutes including a three with no time left. The finale score is not indicative of how bad they were dominated.

 

[FrancoPizza]

It IS that simple. I would have loved to see us beat them by more, to rub their noses in it. But teams don't often keep their foot on the throttle when they are up by so much.

Nothing to see here.

So you're expecting an easy win @Pitt? I think they will go after Lydon hard and try to get him in early foul trouble. We are a completely different team without him on both ends.

 

[jordoo]

Not that simple. We were out of rhythm once they went to their stalling 2-2-1 press. We simply had the advantage of milking the clock.

It is that simple. We reached a point in the game where we were content to take a lot of time off the clock on both ends regardless of us or them scoring. We actually held the lead and maybe extended it by a point or two half way through the second half. Yes they played better in that half but we controlled the game 100% as soon as Roberson checked in.

 

[jordoo]

So you're expecting an easy win @Pitt?

I expect us to make it hard for them to score early and to use a lot of clock to score throughout. I expect Gillon and Battle driving to be an even bigger part of the game plan offensively.

 

[obliterata]

People never realized how well Robinson played against us the past four years. He was a tough point guard that allowed other players to just play. He got them into their sets and was always tough in the clutch. He was never a three point shooter, but he always made a dagger against SU. I'm sure Artist would love to have him back.

Absolutely, they have no quality point guard this year. Louisville is going to kill them next game, I don't think Pitt will be able to handle the pressure they're going to get.

 

[jordoo]

Absolutely, they have no quality point guard this year. Louisville is going to kill them next game, I don't think Pitt will be able to handle the pressure they're going to get.

Agreed and for the same reason they struggle to stop guard penetration. Next game our offensive game plan will be based on Gillon and Battle driving and what we can get off of that.

 

[RF2044]

So you're expecting an easy win @Pitt? I think they will go after Lydon hard and try to get him in early foul trouble. We are a completely different team without him on both ends.

Quite a leap of logic you made there.

All I'm saying is that I don't see the same alarm bells you do with how we performed in the second half yesterday.

 

[OrangeDW]

People never realized how well Robinson played against us the past four years. He was a tough point guard that allowed other players to just play. He got them into their sets and was always tough in the clutch. He was never a three point shooter, but he always made a dagger against SU. I'm sure Artist would love to have him back.

Seriously. He might have surpassed Carl Krauser and Levance Fields as the Pitt guard who killed us the most times.

 

[OrangeDW]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

We were slowing the game down and playing differently with a mostly 20 point lead(they didn't make any ground until the last 5 minutes of the game).

Their little safety press did nothing but slow our tempo down...which we were doing any way.

 

[OrangeDW]

Not that simple. We were out of rhythm once they went to their stalling 2-2-1 press. We simply had the advantage of milking the clock.

It was a 1-2-2 press...without the back two. They were basically dropping back right away and it was just the 3 up top trying to trap. We had no problem tossing the ball back and forth until we crossed halfcourt. It served no purpose for them when they were down so much. It didn't force any turnovers or speed us up which was their only real chance.

 

[longtimefan]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

I expect they will use the press from the beginning on their own court. I also expect that our coaches will anticipate that move and attack the press much more aggressively. Yesterday, we were up by 20+ points before they pressed, and JB had no problems with Pitt's slowing the tempo and milking the clock on defense. Look for Battle and, especially, Gillon to split the double team and go to the hoop 2-on-1 or 3-on-2.

 

[OrangeDW]

I expect they will use the press from the beginning on their own court. I also expect that our coaches will anticipate that move and attack the press much more aggressively. Yesterday, we were up by 20+ points before they pressed, and JB had no problems with Pitt's slowing the tempo and milking the clock on defense. Look for Battle and, especially, Gillon to split the double team and go to the hoop 2-on-1 or 3-on-2.

Yeah exactly, we weren't even trying to attack their press because we didn't need to. We just needed to cross halfcourt, and use the clock. Which we did. If the game's close, the strategy and mentality changes. Every game is different. I'm sure they'll be tougher to beat on their court. It has nothing to do with them outscoring us the last 5 minutes of a game in which they were down 20 though.

 

[br801]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

It's nearly impossible to sustain the level of play Syracuse exhibited throughout most of the first half for an entire game. Pitt never was able to get back into the game and were rebuffed each time they made a run in the second half. The final margin was as close as they were able to get. The second half scoring yesterday means a lot less than you think it does.

 

[stuckinbig11]

They outscored us by 10 in the 2nd half. Their full court press got us out of rhythm and I think it'll be very hard to win the rematch unless we anticipate their adjustments.

and Lydon was watching from the bench

 

[FrancoPizza]

and Lydon was watching from the bench

I said earlier, if he gets in foul trouble, we're messed. I still have memories of Christmas "playing defense" with 4 fouls.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I said earlier, if he gets in foul trouble, we're messed. I still have memories of Christmas "playing defense" with 4 fouls.

I don't remember one game you expected us to win since you've joined the board so it isn't surprising.

 

[TheGov3304]

Johnson should do better than 2-10 (1-7 from 3) against us next time.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I agree that their press did bother us a little. I think the last 10-12 minutes of the game, the dominating theme was we were just trying to kill clock. That was more disruptive than their press.

One thing about this team though: they miss a lot of plays. There are many times where there is a pass that could be made, a drive that could be done, etc that is just missed by our players. All have been guilty of it, and hopefully it will improve. But for now, that weakness does make it hard for us to really force the action and take advantage when the other team presses or overplays in one part of their defense.

I have no doubt the next Pitt game will be very different than this one. But I'm just going to enjoy this one right now.