Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

92 thoughts on “Pitt Basketball: Pitt at Clemson Open Game Thread”

  2. I liked Pitt when it was 8.5. Crucial game for Pitt. Almost a must win.
    Expect to see 2/3 zone from the outset. Hopefully Capel has been teaching a few set plays and having them move without the ball.

    The main way tobstart to beat the 2/3 is a pass to the foul line. Pitt has been abysmal at making that pass.

    Sometimes you have to set a screen to get that pass started. H2P

    Have a great game!

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    1. Hope he’s not watching this game. Every time they have a recruit around they play the worst games of the season.

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  5. How many games has it been this year that have gone OT and delayed the start of a Pitt game? Seems like at least 4.

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  10. Pitt with more turnovers than shots made. Clemson is supposed to be a bad three point shooting team. Go figure…

    Bad basketball…

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  11. I think this team’s confidence and energy is broken. I doubt they’ll win another ACC game this year. Maybe one more at home if that.

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  12. Ok time the F out. 14-0 run for Clemson. Pitt may not score 14 more in the half. Clemson clogging the driving lanes and Pitt keeps driving 1 on 4.

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    1. Bad basketball…

      Brown throws up a three Lyke it doesn’t matter if he makes it or not. He needs to learn how to rebound.

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  13. Complete Lack of poise. The guards lack confidence right now. Wilson-Frame must step up and lead this team.

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  16. I thought this team couldn’t shoot???? This is a blow out. I am very disappointed. Hey Voice. Your right. This team has lost confidence and poise.

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  17. Our gueards obviously have some talent, but they are killing us by trying to drive into multiple defenders on almost every possession.

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    1. There is no other talent on this team other than Toney and he is hurt. Hard to win when it is 5 on 2.

      Embarrassing…

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  18. Clemson is shooting lights out from beyond the arc. It’s going to be beyond reach soon if Pitt doesn’t slow them down.

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  20. Remember that MissingWlat said that this would happen. We are still way undermanned against most ACC teams.

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  21. Dan, as a coach can you get that confidence back? This late in the season can Pitt change it’s approach to become a better perimeter shooting team?

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  26. Pitt with 7 turnovers and 7 shots made with 4 minutes left in the first half. Down 24 points – ouch!

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  27. Just stunning incompetence by Pitt.

    “voice” I saw it last two games. Pitt looked and acted defeated. It is very hard to get confidence back when you are so undermanned. Everyone’s seen and scouted “all our tricks”. Thus cutting off Pitt’s drives to the basket has practically eliminated our defense!

    I had a 15-16 yr old AAU team that had the best players in our little MD county. When we played in DC tourneys, sometimes we were down 30 at the half. Every once in a while you can come back from that but game after game blowouts weigh heavily on a teams psyche.

    Bottom line… we may have seen Pitt’s last ACC win this season!

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  31. This is the first loss of the year that I put on the coaches. Totally unprepared and undisciplined. No game plan and no adjustments. Can’t just say “oh well, they’re freshmen”…. Watch carefully (and Dan knows more than most of us) and you will see bad or no off-ball movement, bad footwork and spacing and lazy defense. AND, this is a bad team we are playing.

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  32. Pitt is 4 for 8 from the free throw line. Very hard to watch.

    The Legend of Bagger Vance is on the Golf Channel.

    Later…

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  33. When a team hits this many 3s there is obviously no perimeter defense. And I haven’t heard Brown’s name mentioned so far. He has totally disappeared. Pitt is getting beat in every phase of the game. I can’t watch much longer.

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  34. One last thing… if we are getting beat by 30, clear the bench!

    Let’s see if Davis and others can play. McGowen is obviously hurt, Brown has disappeared, leave X Man in and sit the rest. They can learn in the bench. They’re not suddenly going to regain their confidence.

    What’s the diff losing by 30 or 50??

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  35. For much of the year, Pitt has not been very good at shooting the Basketball let alone THREEs.

    Now Teams seem to have caught on to Johnson and his “Bag of Tricks.”

    Obviously, that can be a problem when the other Team shoots “Lights out!”

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  36. McGowens needs to sit. He’s not bringing anything to the table right now. Maybe he’s hurt like Dan says. But whatever the reason, he’s a liability at the current moment.

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  40. Didn’t see any of the game, but glad to see we won the second half. 😊

    There will be a game or two a season when a team gets on a roll and shots lights out. We ran into that tonight.

    Go Pitt.

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  41. Every player is not a scoring threat, but every player can play solid defense, and every big can simply box out on the boards. As some have already said, this game tonight was shades of the last two seasons.

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    1. I guess three Pitt FR are better than two. Toney must be the glue on D, because there was no resistance to keeping Clemson from scoring in the first half – none!

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  42. Like I said the formula has been written on how to beat Pitt BB at this point in time. And I can’t think of too many ACC coaches that are unable to implement that formula what to beat Pitt. We will need a lights out shooting game in the future to realy have any chance of winning on the road in the ACC.

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  43. Switching to FB news – miami picked up a 2* WR from “the transfer portal” and two NO * lineman – one D and one O.

    Must be building depth? Imagine if Pitt did that.

    VT’s HC is struggling to keep his team together in year three, Duke and Cuse are losing good starting QB’s and someone mentioned yesterday that UVA would be favored to win the Coastal in 2019. I Lyke Pitt’s chances as we start the year as the defending Coastal champs against UVA and Duzz has owned the Cavs.

    Now if we could only find a way to beat UNC.

    H2P!

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      1. The U is in desperation mode
        I wouldnt pattern recruiting after their approach this year
        They need bodies because of a coaching change
        Pitt needs body due to poor recruiting and development of players
        Big difference

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        1. Pitt should recruit a full offensive line every year. Even if 2-3 are MAC level guys with development potential. If half of them wash out you still have 6-7 serviceable linemen ready to go each year. It’s a numbers game. At least until they can start landing some big fish

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  44. I hear ya Rick..
    And Devonshire is to announce next week on PSN live feed.
    Hoping Pitt lands Wahab today if nothing else to get some mojo rising.
    Heading to the indoor golf range tomorrow to shake the rust off…since rust never sleeps.

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    1. not sure I could make it to indoor range (If there is one near hear – Cranberry) Wind chill is approaching -10. I do remember Christmas Eve in 1983 when wind chill was -40 in Lawrence County

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    2. Let me know how you lyke the indoor facility – I’ve never played on a simulator – interesting thought when you wake up to minus 5 degree temperatures.

      This past Sunday the temperature was 42 and breezy – I could probably play in 35 degree weather if no breeze and the sky was sunny.

      Then again, that is Spring golf in Erie.

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  45. How bad do we need Wahab? Last night … Pitt’s two centers combined for 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 blocks, and 0 steals.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Those two performances are on the HC. Why we have open scholarship spots with this team’s make-up, baffles me.

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      1. it must be divine intervention that Pitt BB cannot recruit quality centers and Pitt FB cannot recruit quality OL

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  46. Odd fact: One of the vendors at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium is Chick-fil-a which doesn’t open on Sunday, and they will be closed this Sunday for the Super Bowl. I’m not criticizing them, in fact I kind of admire them … kind of refreshing in this day and age.

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  47. on a positive BB note …. Pitt FB commit Kyi Wright scored his 1000th point last night for Farrell HS. When I grew up, Farrell was THE team in WPa basketball.

    Wright is 6’3 235 … recruited as a LB but also played QB on the state title team. He obviously is a pretty good athlete. It will be interesting to see what Pitt dos with him

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  48. Edward J. McCluskey was the head coach back then. Uniontown was another powerhouse back in those days as well..

    If I had a pair of ice skates I could literally skate my way up to the local shopping center. Our roads are B A D!!

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    1. Ike…at Baldwin, we played his Uniontown team each year. They were tough and intimidating.
      I was scared when their kicking units took the field. No team was more intimidating to play. We were 0-14 against them when we beat them on a trick play in my Junior year 1967 A Hook and lateral. That set up our big game with also undefeated Mt Lebanon where we got smoked.
      My dad knew him personally as our whole family was from Uniontown

      Also, their band was second to none.

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  50. Actually I am…. was suppose to be in Aspinwall this morning but that ain’t happening. So my barefoot streak continues.

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  52. Lucky we got our two ACC wins early. Not going to win any on the road. The team is worn down, the freshman have never played this much ball before. Doubt the team gets a second wind. Obviously they need more bodies and a shooter or two.
    Too be honest, last night was what I expected this year. McGowens has had his big games at home. Teams now know if you take away the drives and make Pitt shoot from the outside game over.
    Capel needs transfers badly for next year.

    Played on a simulator last winter to get ready for Myrtle Beach. Very enjoyable, but I think that is how I got the worst golfer’s elbow from hitting those mats. Still hurting and I haven’t played since October. If you hit down on the ball like me, only use the tees. Taking my clubs to FL on the 17th, hoping it is not a waste of time.

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    1. Every Spring I used to a 4 day golf outing in Myrtle Beach with printing bus. buds. I would practice my ass off indoors to get ready the first few times. Of course each round had a good supply of liquor as did each dinner and post dinner. By the third day most of us. Outdoor barely Could stand let alone swing a club. Then I learned a good lesson. Practice drinking…not golf !!

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  53. Thanks for the warning Gordon…I am working on trying to clip my irons more anyway. Already have sore elbows and shoulders from years of lifting heavy.
    Good luck in Florida!

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  55. I.m old enough to remember some real winters in Western PA. A two day cold snap and everyone thinks the world is ending, pretty funny. In my day they never canceled public school for cold weather and Pitt never closed. I remember walking up Cardiac Hill by the stadium, it was so cold and the wind so fierce, I thought I might die before I got to the top of Chesterfield. One year in the late seventies it stayed below freezing for a month and a half with more than a few days when it id didn’t get above zero. The Parkway East was like a toboggan run with five foot ice banks on both sides. The snow base at seven springs was over 10 feet deep.
    Not exaggerating, ah the good old days.

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  56. I am heading for the Pennsy Polar Vortex in an hour…have to take my brother to th hospital tomorrow for a procedure and look after my Mom…should be interesting “comin ’round the mountain.”

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  58. This may be a hint of good news for Pitt as Devonshire is allowing PittsburghSportsNow to broadcast his commitment live next week from Aliquippa High School. I’m hoping that his decision to allow PSN broadcast it means that Pitt may have the upper hand in getting the commitment.

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  59. heard on the news that Allegheny College canceled classes today for the first time in 200 years … which is something since they are in a snowbelt.

    Question … are these weather guys reporting live in hurricanes any crazier than these poor local reporters who are reporting live on I79 accidents or Homewood fires, etc in minus wind chill weather?

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  60. GC, that year in the 70s was so bad I had to keep a blanket on the engine overnight on my VW bug…twice I forgot it was on and shredded it.

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    1. Funny, I had a bug too, they were great in the snow. We had a garage so no problem in the morning, I do remember you had to use different oil in the winter and on those very cold days the heater was useless, and the windshield wouldn’t defrost. Cars are so much better today, you had to change the points and plugs on a bug every time you changed the oil. Of course it didn’t cost $500 every time something went wrong with your car, it cost $200 to switch out an engine on a bug.

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    2. It was 1976. I remember that well. I was dropping off my girlfriend on a Sunday night and it was so cold my heater didn’t work. I could hardly see on the way home. It was like -15 out.

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  61. Pitt related news (people from yesteryear)

    — Ashton Gibbs now an assistant at Duquesne

    — Brian Angelicho, former GA and then asst under Wanny, now Redskins TE coach

    — Matt Cavanaugh promoted to Redskins offensive assistant

    — Sal Sunseri back at Alabama as LB coach

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  62. ^^ Fran, reminds me of a similar story. Use to duck pin bowl years ago… Came home late one super duper cold night and had to get up early for work. Went out to start my car and heard this terrible loud screeching sound and a puff of what looked like smoke. I thought my engine blew up… Opened up the hood of the car and holy heck. A cat had climb up and was warming up on my engine block and must have fell asleep. Well the engine fan put that cat to sleep for good. Put a pair of gloves on and took up the cat to the field behind the house and gave him a good burial. Felt bad I never could locate the owner to explain.

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  64. When a team hits 14 3 pointers, game over.

    A little spark got the final to at least minus 13.

    As an optimistic person, I see 2 more wins but you never know.

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  67. the trouble is that all of the beatable teams … BC, GT, Wake and Miami are on the road. Pitt would be favored if they were playing them at The Pete

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  68. Planning on getting to Hemmingways around 3:30 if anyone is interested…some out of towners coming in.

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  69. Really tough to lose a player when you have no depth. First N’Dir and now Toney.
    Hopefully Toney won’t be out long.
    I think another year in the weight room will make a big difference with Brown and Chukwuku,
    but we lose Frame and N’Dir so Capel needs to find at least 4 guys for the next class.

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  70. I stopped watching last night with several minutes left in the first half, I’d say it was a poor performance by everyone involved up to that point, I wouldn’t even know where to start, coaches included. That said, I think much of it was mental, Clemson got very lucky from 3 point range and obviously they played above their ability for one night from beyond the arc, Pitt was completely hopeless inside again due to not having competent ACC ready big men (although Brown has shown flashes, not last night), and of course Toney being out for a team this small and this thin was just devastating.

    On another note, I checked in on the Lair, and that place is a mess, they always have several guys probably sitting in their mom’s basement waiting for the next thing to pick on so they can act like internet tough guys, and it only takes a few Nancys to ruin a board. In contrast, this format allows for true discussion, positive and negative, kudos to MM (& Reed).

    I’m sure Capel knows it, but he has a mountain to climb. Not only do we need to find two big men (hopefully 2 guys 6’8″ or better than can REBOUND & defend otherwise), but we will need to replace Frame and Ndir, who I would consider two of our best five players right now (unless Brown decides to return to earth). So minimum, I think we need four solid guys, at the right positions. I guess that’s why coaches get paid the big bucks, eh?

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    1. VOR – maybe someone more knowledge than myself, or with inside knowledge can respond, but from my perspective, after Brown fired up that 3 pointer in the first half (we were down 14 I think) I said ‘what the heck was that’ out loud, and I’m pretty sure right after that he was never seen again. I would be shocked if the 3 pointer he chucked up wasn’t at least part of what got him in the doghouse, though I doubt it was the only thing.

      Hey, it was pointed out earlier, but check out the stats, Kene & Brown got a combined ZERO rebounds and Zero points last night. Samson George got 4 rebounds in 10 minutes and led the team in that category. Let that sink in a while…

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  73. Kene and Brown getting zero rebounds and zero points is shocking to say the least. And not a word about it in any of the write ups I saw. That won’t cut it. No wonder the guards were laying back and letting them hit the threes.

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