Nationally ranked Virginia Tech rolls into the Pete tonight.  This is the kind of game where you might expect an upset, but this team is very thin and very young, so probably not this year.  Nonetheless…Lets go Pitt!

 

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.

69 thoughts on “Pitt Basketball: Pitt vs Virginia Tech Open Game Thread”

  2. Next year looking good, not only on the recruiting front, but maybe we can add Archie Miller to the staff as an extra assistant

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  3. Hope the Pete is rocking today. Many recruits visiting. Think Pitt has a shot today. This VA Tech team goes to sleep for stretches.

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  12. Blackshear killed PITT last year. Made me wonder why this kid isn’t in the NBA but he seems lazy at times and his dad did play in the NBA.

    Sidy’s last miss was a 4 point swing but this ain’t no blow out Dan. At least not yet.

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  14. Pitt misses so many outside shots you’d think the law of averages would catch up and one would fall by accident Terrific defense by Pitt.

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  18. PITT getting 3 balled to death now. This ones all but over. We work so hard for a made basket while Tech just runs clock, steps back and hits 5 3s ina row. Ugh.

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  19. Pitt needs more impactful players and a bigger body in the middle. Earl Timerlake reclassifying would be a huge boost for the program. Where the big man is coming from is anyone’s guess.

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  22. Good effort no quit, same all year poor shooting and not enough beef.

    Plus the refs really let Blackshear get away with a lot.

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  23. Blackshear should have fouled out twice.

    7 missed free throws second half

    some calls that didn’t go PITT’s way. << Not counting Blackshears fouls

    PITT couldn’t hit the three early second half.

    PITT is a fun and easy team to root for!

    PITT put on a great effort in front a very enthusiastic crowd (The Zoo) for the visiting recruits.

    PITT showed the visiting recruits why they are needed.

    end of summary.

    Liked by 3 people

  24. Nice job Ike

    You just won’t win many games when your best 3pt guy is shooting .379, the team .310 and opponents are shooting .370 in conference games. Especially when you are beat underneath routinely.

    Better days are coming next year.

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  27. Unfortunately, today’s highlight was when Toney (at least I thought it was Toney) threw Blackshear on the floor! 🙂

    Nice to see a good crowd there even after all the losing. Shows the fans have faith in Coach Capel…

    Great to see Fran and missingwlat at the game –
    :-).

    But I missed out on seeing Scooter. 😦

    Go Pitt.

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  30. My son and I said hello and briefly chatted with EJ Borghetti after the game. EJ follows the stuff my son posts on PGH Sports History. EJ said he really appreciated the old stuff that mentions his dad, but he likes all the stuff about Pitt.

    My son had posted an article about Pitt beating UConn 10 years ago today. Blair had something like 20 points and 22 rebounds, and to top it off flipped that UConn center over his back… The good old days!

    What a good Pitt man EJ is.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  31. One thing that can go un- noticed is how Pitt’s poor passing hurts them. Even outside of the turnovers, we just don’t get the ball to potential shooters in a good position. On so many passes we have to reach down, or reach up, or reach out. The pass is rarely at the chest where the player can quickly catch and release the shot.

    Makes it tough to shoot a decent percentage — helps out the defense by giving them more time to recover…

    A good area to work on improving for next season.

    Go Pitt.

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  32. Good point M&M.

    A couple of Games back in the 2nd Half Capel went with N’Dir as Point and Johnson as the TWO. It really seemed to CLICK!

    Personally believe N’Dir has the best feel for getting the Ball to the RIGHT Players at the right time while Johnson has shown signs of being the Team’s BEST shot from outside when not being stuck with bringing the Ball down court.

    But guess Capel is just happier with the way things are and having Players throw up THREES.

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  34. Seriously… It’s about winning TODAY!

    Next year is a different story. When you have someone able to shoot BETTER than Johnson then move him back to Point.

    But right now, N’Dir is your BEST Point with Johnson at the TWO.

    Just wish Capel would make the move. Pitt Basketball 2019 might be a little less painful to watch!

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  35. I always find it interesting about we get some bloggers making the comment about a great effort after losing a BB game. What I find interesting is we almost never get that comment after Pitt FB loses a game.

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    2. there are only about 12 football games a year and generally on Saturdays
      these basketball games are spread out and over 30 of them

      at this point, it would be piling on regarding these losses
      the team is young. the team dosnt have a big man. the team doesnt shoot well. the team doesnt rebound well. Capel can recruit and things will get better. The Pete had a good atmosphere

      I could say similar things about football – the line has 5th year seniors but cant pass block to save their lives, the team still has Chryst recruits playing out of position, the secondary doesnt turn their backs and gives up 300 years to any half decent QB, Kenny cant pass, Pitt has no Tight End, Wirginis cant cover, Narduzzi cant recruit, those yellow seats look bad

      after 4 years, we know what we have with Narduzzi and Pitt football
      This is Capels first year and there is hope for the future

      Big difference

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  36. Met with my tax accountant late in the afternoon yesterday, so I missed the Pitt loss to VT in men’s BB. No comments other that my afternoon was productive and I had a peaceful dinner with my wife.

    Pitt baseball lost to Marshall 2-7 yesterday while being shutout through the 1st five innings, to drop to 1-2 for the season. They play the mighty Milwaukee Panthers (logo looks Lyke a river rat) today. Somehow I’m believing that former HC Jordano would be 3-0 with this schedule.

    I stumbled across this Pitt in the Script video – about 30 minutes and fairly recent clips – Richman appears midway through with his smiling face (ikr).

    H2P!

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  37. The video is titled “Beyond the Script” and not Pitt in the Script as I referenced above. Marketing promotes this stuff to fans so it becomes part of the fans knowledge base, right? This is episode #22 and I can’t even get the title correct.

    Does Pitt even have an athletic marketing dept?

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    1. this is a weekly series that is shown on ATTNet, the cable sports channel that is on all local cable systems. This is the channel that shows the Penguins, Pirates, Pitt and ACC games, WVU and Duquesne games as well as national sports shows … including Notre Dame and Villanova, etc.

      It is not uncommon to see on the online guide list (in succession) The Rich Eisen Show, The Dan Patrick Show, Inside Pirates Baseball, Inside Penguins Hockey, the Duquesne Coaches Show, Inside Notre Dame, the Jay Wright Show and Beyond the Script. …. as well as Motorcross, World Soccer, Poker and the ever-present “Paid Programming”

      In the fall, much of the show is focused on FB and this time of year its MBB, but it is a weekly wrap of all Pitt’s sports, shown maybe 2 or 3 times a week on the network

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    1. How do you know this? Are you getting e-mails from the Pitt AD dept?

      Is it because you live in Pittsburgh?

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  39. hey iek, you may have been correct about N’Dir coming back … see a tweet from Dokish below. I;m confused … his Pitt bio lists him as a grad student and also states that he has 3-years post-experience (see below link)

    I’m with PoD .. Pitt is better with him at the point right now ….. but not sure that will be true next year, but still would love to see him return

    https://pittsburghpanthers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9817

    Chris Dokish@ChrisDokish
    My own opinion, my realistic next year Pitt roster would ideally be

    N’Dir, Sr
    Ellison, Sr
    Grad transfer C, Sr
    Brown, Jr
    Juco or transfer big or shooter, Jr or Sr
    Johnson, So
    McGowens, So
    Toney, So
    Drumgoole, Fr
    Coulibaly, Fr
    Champagnie twins, Fr
    Diallo, Fr

    Liked by 1 person

    1. note that this roster doesn’t show Chukwuko, Davis or George. Mixed emotions here …. on one hand, Pitt may be better without them if they get enough other new people, but it’s hard to send these guys packing when they chose to stay around last year

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  40. wwb, the above roster includes a transfer center and Diallo. I think if PITT gets Diallo along with Coulibaly along with Brown they won’t need another big man although you can never have too many. Also the roster only list 12 players when they are allowed 13. Lastly, little chance that Davis is shown the door and unlikely Chucky gets the boot either, giving PITT 4 big men.

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  42. I too would like to see Chukky back with the team next year. He plays hard and maybe he could fill out his frame a bit to help inside.

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  45. Concerning the basketball team. Unless Capel can get a verbal from a young program changer with no room left, imo, he shouldn’t nudge push or shove any of the loyal players out the door. If they decide for themselves, then so be it. Realizing that BB is a totally different animal from football, recruiting wise, where one or two BB players can turn the fortunes of a program and the players see playing time at a much earlier time in their careers but there is much to say about returning the loyalty along with experience and the maturity of the player. Long story short…. PITT is not Kentucky where they can trot out 5 true freshmen and expect to compete. . … ike

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  47. wwb, Sidy’s eligibility has to be ruled on by the NCAA. TBD as they say. I understand there is a good chance he returns.

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  48. Sidy comes back, the twins sign puts Pitt at 13.

    George leaves and Capel brings in a grad-transfer big or the JuCo. Someone MUST be brought in. Pitt is so damn soft down low and Capel knows it so that has to get corrected.

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  49. The baseball team has three innings to come back from a 4 run deficit to the Milwaukee Panthers, down 5-9 with the Midwestern Panthers coming to bat in the top of the 7th.

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  50. Pitt baseball team down to their last three outs in the bottom of the 9th, still behind 5-9 to the Milwaukee Panthers.

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    1. he’s got to recruit talent and what talent wants to play baseball in the cold NorthEast these days.

      there are some sports that Pitt should just pass on. I dont see how baseball can be successful in Pittsburgh.

      Fans dont even attend Pirates games in the mild Summer.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. its miserable down here in Arlington trying to watch a Rangers games at 7:05 PM when the temperature is still 102 degrees. By games end, its down to 94.

        what athlete wants to play in these conditions? And I have as an over the hill adult playing intramural leagues.

        thats why the Rangers are finally building a domed stadium.

        But TCU has a very good baseball team. Spring weather is great. July and August…not so good.

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        1. Pitt baseball lost to Milwaukee and Marshall. The weather’s not much better in either place, plus they aren’t playing in a P5 conference. Pitt should have better players.

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  51. The baseball team came up short vs Milwaukee, losing 8-9. The bats went silent for 4 innings from the 5th through the 8th. In the bats came alive with 3 runs and the bases were loaded with 2 outs.

    A loss is a loss and losing 2 of 3 to sub P5 schools is not a good sign for the new HC.

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      1. Erie – thought you might find this interesting.

        Jose Cruz Jr’s son, Trei, is a freshman at Rice.  He had two HR, two triples and nine RBI today…

        The Rice record for RBI in a game is 10. The record belongs to…………..Jose Cruz Jr. !

        If it’s tough to recruit in football at Pitt, and I think it is, imagine trying to recruit baseball players to Pitt!

        Go Pitt.

        Liked by 2 people

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