The Downside - Pittsburgh I

[SWC75]

- I’m greedy. At any point in any game, Iw ant to win the rest of the game. When any team I am rooting for gets a big lead early, especially against a good team that you know is going to come back, I want my team to keep playing with the same intensity and to answer whatever scores the other team makes. I worry about the impact of blowing a huge lead on a team’s psyche, especially this one. We did answer for the most part when Pitt started a run but still, after the 22 point run, the rest of the game was 41-58, Pitt. That’s a little more of a 28 point lead than I care to surrender.

- Again we had three players play 40 minutes, another 36 and another 34. I know all the arguments about times outs, (of which there seem to be less this year), young players, it’s not the NBA where they play so many games. But we need more of a contribution from the bench than we are getting.

- The bench consisted of Taurean Thompson, who continues to have trouble guarding people and thus gets into foul trouble. It limited him to 10 minutes in this one.

- Pitt got to the line 23 times and made 20. It kept them within range to still have some hope. We got to the line 8 times and converted 7 of them, a great percentage but still -13 points from the line in a game we won by 11. At one point, Pitt had attempted 21 free throws to our 2. If we hadn’t otherwise dominated, we could have lost because of this.

- Part of the problem as that Pitt out-rebounded us, as they always seem to, 37-29, including 17 offensive rebounds that inevitably produce baskets, fouls and often both. It was a big reason for Pitt’s comeback. Fortunately, we had a big enough lead and made enough good plays to keep control of the game. But the next game will start 0-0.

 

[CaptainJ]

- I’m greedy. At any point in any game, Iw ant to win the rest of the game. When any team I am rooting for gets a big lead early, especially against a good team that you know is going to come back, I want my team to keep playing with the same intensity and to answer whatever scores the other team makes. I worry about the impact of blowing a huge lead on a team’s psyche, especially this one. We did answer for the most part when Pitt started a run but still, after the 22 point run, the rest of the game was 41-58, Pitt. That’s a little more of a 28 point lead than I care to surrender.

- Part of the problem as that Pitt out-rebounded us, as they always seem to, 37-29, including 17 offensive rebounds that inevitably produce baskets, fouls and often both. It was a big reason for Pitt’s comeback. Fortunately, we had a big enough lead and made enough good plays to keep control of the game. But the next game will start 0-0.

In my own way I tried to say that about the 2/11 game @Pitt in the over the top Stallings thread. Good post, as usual, SWC. Seeing that 41-58 in print reminds me of reading Bud's reply to Boeheim today.

 

[Delmar]

Your comment about keeping a lead reminded me of our football win at the Big House against Michigan when McNabb was here. We allowed 2 or 3 late touchdowns --including one on the last play --and I was really angry about that. It made an historical rout just another victory.

The basketball season is long enough that the point differential of one game doesn't mean much. In football, it means more. Still, this was as lop-sided an 11 point win as I remember ever seeing.

 

[bballbeadle]

I am with you, SWC! I am with you!

-Greedy Beadle

 

[Cusefan0307]

The main lineup is plus 42 over the last two games and that doesn't count Taurean. We have won the last 2 by a combined 26 points so that means Taurean is a -16. He's going to be a good player here, but he kills us when he's in the games because he is sooo bad defensively.

 

[CaptainJ]

Somehow I envision Two3Zone(whose system I am following) and 690 West reassuring us that we still covered the spread, and to simmer down.

But I'm with everyone who enjoys seeing the opponent thoroughly destroyed. I feel like I'm on fire, maybe The Terminator can aid me?

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Our defensive rebounding could use some work but our rebounding numbers on the offensive end are bound to go down when we're shooting as well as we have been (and I feel like we turn the ball over a lot more, also cutting down on rebound opportunities.)

 

[CaptainJ]

Our defensive rebounding could use some work but our rebounding numbers on the offensive end are bound to go down when we're shooting as well as we have been (and I feel like we turn the ball over a lot more, also cutting down on rebound opportunities.)

I think playing zone instead of a traditional boxing out of your man is going to tend to keep it that way on the defensive end, though I am sure some years or periods are better than others. You're right about the offensive end with the shots going down. Either way, that's one aspect that makes Robey more exciting than Thompson(whom I still suspect Boeheim may start just to be able to Boeheim him, and teach him).

 

[SoBeCuse]

The main lineup is plus 42 over the last two games and that doesn't count Taurean. We have won the last 2 by a combined 26 points so that means Taurean is a -16. He's going to be a good player here, but he kills us when he's in the games because he is sooo bad defensively.

This team could really do some damage if he can step it up defensively. Looks bad though. Wrong angles, bad awareness, etc. I think he wants to be a 4 or 3 on offense, ha. Talented kid, no doubt.

 

[sugrad68]

Great post SWC. I expected a comeback by Pitt in the 2nd half. SU simply couldn't play at the incredible level they did both offensively and defensively in the 1st half. We did keep the margin at 21 well into the 2nd half. When Lydon went out, at the end of the first half and in the second half, Pitt made their big moves. I agree that the main negative was Pitt's offensive rebounding. 3 straight times in the 2nd half Pitt rebounded their misses and scored. But that has been our weakness all year.