The Downside- Pittsburgh I

[SWC75]

- When it was 30-10, I was thinking about how far this team had come. After struggling through the early season and then getting our act together, now we were going to tear teams apart with our unstoppable offense where everyone can score, our spacing is lethal and we can pass the ball like it was a ballet. I guess it was too easy. The rest of the game was SU 39 Pitt 50. We maintained a good lead during much of that but it seemed like a close game in which we were up by 10. As JB said after the game it was “never comfortable”, especially when Pitt finally broke through to cut it down to 3 points with 33 seconds left. Fortunately, we made the plays to win the game. Losing a game where we had a 20 point lead is not what this team needs right now.

- Elijah Hughes looked like an imposter who had stolen his uniform during the first half. Nothing he tried worked: missed shots, not getting rebounds, turning the ball over. It was amazing that we built a 20 point lead with a goose egg from the conference’s leading scorer. He finally broke the ice and wound up in double figures when he caught that pass for the dunk that clinched it.

- It’s great to have three guys who can rip the cords from 25 feet and it’s spectacular when it happens but that doesn’t mean they should jack it up as soon as they get down court without investigating the possibility of getting a higher percentage shot for themselves or someone else.

- We only missed 7 of 23 free throws. It seemed like a lot more, especially when Hughes, Boeheim and even Girard missed 5 of them.

- 13 turnovers is too many for a team with this many skilled players in a game that wasn’t all that fast-paced or well defended.

 

[OrangeFoo]

The game turned when Eli tried a 25 footer in the first 5 seconds of the shot clock late in the first half. Pitt got the long rebound and a 3. Then next possession, Buddy forces an iso again early in the shot clock... Pitt gets the rebound scores and the lead is down to 15. Game on!

After that sequence we never really got back into our motion offense. We got too dependent on Buddy and Eli hoisting 25 footers. The good thing about this team is we seem to find a bucket when we need it because this team has so many guys who can score in so many ways. But it would be nice to have maintained some of that focus on offense. Sid needs to stay out of foul trouble.

 

[SBU72]

The game turned when Eli tried a 25 footer in the first 5 seconds of the shot clock late in the first half. Pitt got the long rebound and a 3. Then next possession, Buddy forces an iso again early in the shot clock... Pitt gets the rebound scores and the lead is down to 15. Game on!

After that sequence we never really got back into our motion offense. We got too dependent on Buddy and Eli hoisting 25 footers. The good thing about this team is we seem to find a bucket when we need it because this team has so many guys who can score in so many ways. But it would be nice to have maintained some of that focus on offense. Sid needs to stay out of foul trouble.

During this stretch, SU had 4 straight trips with horrible offense. It was like they thought they could throw up anything and it would go in. A complete lack of focus. And worse the D followed right along! Let Pitt get right back in the game.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The title needs to be fixed. this was Pitt 1

 

[hoopsupstate]

- When it was 30-10, I was thinking about how far this team had come. After struggling through the early season and then getting our act together, now we were going to tear teams apart with our unstoppable offense where everyone can score, our spacing is lethal and we can pass the ball like it was a ballet. I guess it was too easy. The rest of the game was SU 39 Pitt 50. We maintained a good lead during much of that but it seemed like a close game in which we were up by 10. As JB said after the game it was “never comfortable”, especially when Pitt finally broke through to cut it down to 3 points with 33 seconds left. Fortunately, we made the plays to win the game. Losing a game where we had a 20 point lead is not what this team needs right now.

- Elijah Hughes looked like an imposter who had stolen his uniform during the first half. Nothing he tried worked: missed shots, not getting rebounds, turning the ball over. It was amazing that we built a 20 point lead with a goose egg from the conference’s leading scorer. He finally broke the ice and wound up in double figures when he caught that pass for the dunk that clinched it.

- It’s great to have three guys who can rip the cords from 25 feet and it’s spectacular when it happens but that doesn’t mean they should jack it up as soon as they get down court without investigating the possibility of getting a higher percentage shot for themselves or someone else.

- We only missed 7 of 23 free throws. It seemed like a lot more, especially when Hughes, Boeheim and even Girard missed 5 of them.

- 13 turnovers is too many for a team with this many skilled players in a game that wasn’t all that fast-paced or well defended.

Pitt turns teams over 24% of a teams possessions.

 

[sugrad68]

Just finished watching the game and this was the perfect definition of an ugly win. Won't hurt us but a 20 point victory would have been impressive. To win a game with Girardi and Hughes MIA was impressive. Letting PItt go 8-9 down the stretch was not impressive. This team keeps fading down the stretch in games and Boeheim the senior should understand that and do more to prevent it from happening. Thank you Buddy and Marek, and SIdibe while he was in there, for your excellent play. I might also add Guerrier to that list.

 

[sugrad68]

During this stretch, SU had 4 straight trips with horrible offense. It was like they thought they could throw up anything and it would go in. A complete lack of focus. And worse the D followed right along! Let Pitt get right back in the game.

The end of most games recently have been a copy of the ending of this game. Dribble, dribble, shoot a low-percentage shot at the end of the shot clock.

 

[Delmar]

Given our history, I never feel any lead against Pitt is safe. Maybe we exorcized a few demons by allowing them back in the game and then shutting the door. All the same, a win is a win.

 

[SBU72]

The end of most games recently have been a copy of the ending of this game. Dribble, dribble, shoot a low-percentage shot at the end of the shot clock.

This happened in the 1st half when Pitt cut the lead before half.