78 thoughts on “Backyard Basket-Brawl Game Thread”

  1. We will see tonight how Coach Otoole has done coaching up Fede and the twins. WVU is a rough and tumble team especially around the boards. Wish we had a healthy Hugley!

    Like

  9. officiating horrible but Pitt defense worse

    oh, yeah, Pitt ball handling not so good either

    Pitt getting out-hustled by as huge margin!

    Like

  10. Pitt hung tough until 7 minutes to
    go in the half. Hoopies much quicker. Pitt’s defense (man) no match but neither is the zone.

    We get Hinson back second half. Cummings our only D1 PG.

    Like

    1. Pitt with double digit turnovers in the first half. Not having a D1 P5 PG since Capel arrived is the same old, same old.

      Like

  11. The refs are bad. With Hughley hurt and both Hinson and Federiko in foul trouble, we have zero rim protection on defense. That’s not surprising.

    What is surprising is how poorly our experienced guards have protected the ball. I know that WVU is tough defensively, but a lot of our turnovers were self inflicted.

    On the plus side, it is very clear that we have more depth and talent. But Hughley is the straw that stirs the drink. We miss him. Badly.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. So our best player so far this season Hinson scores double doubles against D2 competition and 3 points vs P5 competition.

    Like

  15. Hottest shooter in the first half was Santos – sitting through the cold spell to start the 2nd half.

    Now that is the Capel I know…

    Like

  17. officiating still horrible but Pitt defense worse

    Pitt ball handling sure needed Dior

    Pitt out-hustled by as huger margin

    agree Santos should be in

    this isn’t fun to watch

    Like

  20. …as this game slowly gets out of control, I find myself daydreaming back to a time in the early aughts when life was swell and the university could justify a new 12,508-seat arena for the basketball team to play in….

    Liked by 2 people

  21. Capel has been atrocious since he came and you guys thought that was gonna change?

    This is a bad WVU team. Imagine if they were actually good.

    Like

    1. who thought THAT was going to change?

      only someone off their meds

      (no dis intended in case someone thinks differently)

      Like

  22. Folks this is infuriating to match. Pitt has a much better team than last year but they are getting “schooled” all over the floor tonight.

    Note Tennessee Martin got crushed by 18 to Youngstown State

    Like

    1. Overrated and over appreciated –

      A little bit like football

      Both HC’s should be lifetime assistants.

      One man’s opinion…

      Like

    2. When you were giving your lofting prediction dan72 you forgot to factor in just how bad a coach Capel is. Same old Pitt. No chance of improvement until Capel is gone.

      Like

  23. Cummings is a very good 2 guard playing point. Burton is a very bad 2 guard playing point. Without a stud PG, you cannot succeed in the ACC

    Like

    1. We had the same problem with Mr. NBA and McGowens. Neither could effectively play the point. Think about all of our good teams… Brandin, Krauser, Fields, JR (also Sean Miller for us older guys). They all could protect the ball, distribute, shoot and play defense. We have not had a true PG in quite a while.

      Like

    1. Texas will win

      Tex – proud supporter of longhorn athletics

      PS: I only give to Pitt soccer and volleyball and I won’t drop a dime on victory heights until Pitt builds a track with a field.

      Like

  27. Interesting game stat – wvcc attempted 12 more FG’s than Pitt and made 11 more FG’s than the Panthers.

    That seems like one team dominating another.

    Like

  28. Bad night for Pitt, coaches and players. At least let’s hope it’s a bad night or it’s the beginning of the end for Capel!!

    Like

  30. Assists: Pitt 7 Hoopies 14 Turnovers: Pitt 19 Hoopies 11 3PTS: Pitt 22% Hoopies 38%

                                   Coaching GradesCapel  D     Huggins  A-

    I still believe that despite the fact that we absolutely polluted the Pete that this team will be
    much better than last year. We need Hugely//I have written Johnson off

    Like

  32. Just got home, what a crap night spent an hour in traffic in Oakland to get to the game, it’s a mess, construction everywhere and absolute gridlock.

    Anyway kind of unfair to evaluate a team without its star and freshman point guard, also when the refs put Hinson on the bench for most of the first half with calls that didn’t look like much.

    But from what I saw WV has far superior athletes that are coached much more effectively.
    They did have talent and more power underneath, much better guards and shooters.

    However we looked like the Keystone cops out there without any recognizable organized ball movement or defense.

    When the other team is already bigger, stronger and more talented you need a plan and there doesn’t appear to be one.

    Just a bunch of individuals trying to make plays pretty much the way its been since Capel arrived.

    While they do appear to be more talented and have more size than last year if Johnson doesn’t play, I don’t see many ACC wins this year.

    While Cummings is respectable, Burton hasn’t improved at all and is a disaster at the point.

    I agree that Santos had the best game for the Panthers, but with our guards ignoring him when he was open and Hinson and Dias Graham throwing up bricks, they didn’t take advantage of the relatively hot hand.

    WV was able to drive to the hoop without any resistance and their big men dominated.

    In any case I was against scheduling WV. It was so refreshing to hear the Eat stuff Pitt chanted loudly by about a third of the crowd after you subtract the Zoo. Thanks again Heather, I’m not sure those ticket sales were worth it, especially when you have to risk life and limb to attend a game down there. Or at least get doused with beer, no thank you.

    Get Duquesne back on the schedule, they are at least civilized.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I agree. There was no apparent plan to the offense. And I didn’t see anyone truly playing the point guard position. I did see a lot more energy on the court than in the past, just no plan.

      Attendance in the Zoo was better than I expected. Nearly full including the end zone areas. I don’t how long that will continue if the level of play doesn’t improve.

      I noticed that the hoopie coaches wore camo shirts in recognition of Veterans day. Except Huggie. I guess they couldn’t find one in size quadruple X.

      Like

  33. I’m so glad we tore down Pitt stadium so that stallings and Capel can fill the Pete with crickets.

    Pitt hasn’t seen a stretch of basketball this bad since ‘65-‘69

    Like

  34. Somebody on the Lair said two 5* star recruits were visiting yesterday. Anyone here think Capel has a good chance to get one or both to sign on the Pitt dotted line?

    Like

  37. Central PA is 62 and mixed clouds in the sky. Beautiful November morning for a round of golf to entertain an old Pitt alumni from the early 80’s.

    Enjoy the first half vs UVA as I’ll be on the back nine enjoying life.

    I’m hoping Pitt jumps out to a big lead in the first half – the problem I’ll have is I’ll get to see the conservative Duzz kick in and smother the clock to eek out the W.

    Go Pitt!

    Like

  39. Also their big guys pounded the boards like nobody’s business. Much bigger, stronger and more athletic. Hopefully Hugely gets healthy soon, but hold him out until he is ready.

    Like

  40. I’m hoping Dior ends up playing for Pitt. This team needs another point guard. The Hugley injury really stinks despite all involved being lucky the injury wasn’t as serious as previously thought.

    No one has been impressed with Capel’s coaching, but with the recruits he signed Pitt might as well run it back one more year with Jeff. It’s not like coaches wanted the job after Dixon left when you would’ve thought 13 NCAAs in 15 years would’ve had at least one very interested.

    Like

  41. Capel and his merry band of misfits couldn’t win if they were coaching the Dream Team. It doesn’t matter if they recruit 6 star players. Capel and his assistants are terrible at coaching. The only fix is through termination and Heather not being allowed to hire the next guy.

    Like

  42. Virginia 24
    Pitt 20

    The end of the reign of king Pat the terrible and his slow footed knight Slovis begins today.

    Like

  43. Amazing how Jeff has not been forced to make staff changes. The same army of misfits. Pitt is running basketball the way it did from Doc Carlson to Tim Grgurich: without a care in the world, and it cost Pitt a good coach in Tim.

    So instead of being an east coast powerhouse from 1952-77 due to the plethora of good players locally, the university fumbled around with the sport, the way it is now. Letting Dixon walk for Stallings. It’s still incredible and incomprehensible that it happened.

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Look, Huggie took away our strengths??? Double teamed Hinson early who refused to go inside when he was throwing up bricks and took away Cummings, our only point guard. Capel’s entire offense revolves with a high ball screen. Huggie did what any good coach will do and overplayed that…
    and Pitt utterly fell apart.

    It was ugly and we looked like an outmatched JR High Team the rest of the way.

    I realize everyone is out of patience but it’s only one game.

    Like

  45. You don’t realize what you’ve got till its gone, apologies to Joni Mitchell.
    Jamie was getting no love during his last several years. Most were critical of his dance
    record, but he did way more with less because of his system.

    Unfortunately the unbelievably poor choices of Barnes and Stallings started a downward spiral that continues today. Capel has been snakebit by his recruiting and the lack of an even decent point guard has been devastating. It might have turned around this year but….

    Like

  46. FYI . . . Minchey re-injured his shoulder last night. Have to believe he is heading for a redshirt next year. Definitely will need either Patti or Slovis to return.

    Like

  49. Both offenses have struggled…….therefore, in an oppositional prediction, Pitt wins in a blow out, high scoring affair. Their qb doesn’t last the entire game. Pitt 41-24

    Like

  57. Just turned the game on, did I miss anything?

    Sent from my iPhone

    <

    div dir=”ltr”>

    <

    blockquote type=”cite”>

    Like

  59. Two plays, 14 points. I under-predicted. Me thinks it is a 3 and out because they can’t throw.

    Hope Pitt plays offense and doesn’t get conservative and just run.

    Like

  62. Wow just turned game and my eyes popped at the score. OK maybe we will be able to play a complete game against a mediocre team. Minchey news not too good . Slovis will probably be back because he has no place to go.

    Like

Comments are closed.