50 thoughts on “ACC Tournament – Day 4 Waiting for Selection Sunday”

  1. Pastner out at GaTech

    did more than Capel with likely no more support and started a year or 2 before JC

    JC gets another year or 2 imo and still needs to show progression as this year was great but needs to be built upon with all things considered

    guessing this thread’s going to get little traction so figured I’d throw out something for the aliases and realists to spew about until Sunday when we don’t get the right invite and they can add a bunch more 😦

    what will piss ME off most will be PSU in and Pitt out which right now is very possible and at least for me take a lot of glow off the season as the NIT isn’t enough consolation

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    2. i think PSU played their way in with last night’s win. should be a lock if they beat Northwestern. other similar teams are making it tough for Pitt to sneak in.

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  3. Looking for job security do not become a sports coach. I do not follow GTech sports closely, however, as an outsider Josh Pastner, the now fired coach, seemed to be getting the most out of his players/recruiting and maybe no alumni backdoor money hurt his chances to “buy” better players. He will land on his feet and seems to be a decent person not tainted with scandal.

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  4. Anyone know how to stop WordPress from signing out every time I leave the browser? I don’t clear cache or history. It used to keep me signed in.

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    1. If you’re using incognito or private browsing, this will happen because it won’t allow the cookie to be stored. If you’re not doing that, which browser are you using?

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  5. OSU is ruining things for the Michigan teams. Watch them win the B1G and get in with a .500 record.

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  6. His tenure at Georgia Tech also has been marred by NCAA sanctions linked to a former friend who was accused of recruiting violations. Georgia Tech accepted a postseason ban in 2020.

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  7. This was always a game but flawed team that found a way to hide its deficiencies for most of the season. One-trick ponies eventually get revealed though and Pitt was no different. Other Pittsburgh teams (Steelers, Penguins) are like this: they do one thing one well but midway through the year, one opponent brings a particular style or finds an attack that neutralizes their strength and the Pittsburgh team has no counter, plan B, or fallback. At least the Pirates don’t tease us with initial success, they have the decency to make it plain they’ll suck from the outset.

    It’s a shame because the biggest issue with this Pitt team besides a lack of inside strength and overall athleticism (problems most college teams have) is that their ballhandling is ATROCIOUS. It’s not nearly as hard to find a capable ballhandler who can penetrate as it is to land a solid big man. I guess they found that in Dior but he removed himself from the equation. If Pitt had even one strong ballhandler that made defenses pay for over-defending the three point-line and exposing the underbelly of their defense, it would open up so much offensively and unlock the stagnant three-point shooting. Really, it’s almost impressive in a perverse way that Pitt scores as much as they do being so one-dimensional.

    The other big problem, and maybe it’s been the biggest one over the last month, is the defense. If you’re going to give up 80-plus points to every single team you play, you might as well mix in more zone. You allow a gang of offensive rebounds even in man-to-man and it’s not like teams aren’t hitting deep shots anyway, so what do you have to lose?

    All in all, it’s been a disappointing end to the season, but for the first time in many years there’s at least reason to anticipate Selection Sunday. I think Pitt’s done enough (NET ranking of 56 and wins against probable tournament teams like UVa, Northwestern, Miami, NC State ) to get into the tournament, but really there’s no complaint if they miss out. Pitt needed to be competitive with Duke to solidify its position. A respectable loss would have gone a long way, but Pitt was completely overmatched from the opening tip. Combine that with the lingering stench from the loss to woeful Notre Dame and you’re at the mercy of some pretty subjective decisions on who should fill the last 6 or so spots in the dance.

    Even so, I’ll have fond memories of this team as one that restored some level of excitement to Pitt basketball, played hard, overachieved (how many opponents have they played where Pitt was clearly more talented, not many) and flew pretty close to the sun before burning their wings. Let’s hope they get to fly one more time. #H2P

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  8. I know our team is older, but I didn’t realize they were in their 40s. I mean I hear Coach saying for several weeks that we’ll only do light, walk-thru practices to rest our guys…
    Maybe we should get some Geritol?

    Okay, that’s a crappy post, but I don’t get the tired legs reasoning. Seemed like more tired-decision-making to me…

    Surprised that GT fired their coach….

    Go Pitt.

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    1. Pitt can’t be the only team with “tired legs”. I don’t like the excuse either. Maybe poor conditioning is a better way to say it, but can’t imagine this either. I think their reality just started to show at the tail end here.

      Really great season for the program and Pitt BB fans. The Pete will be packed with anticipation next fall, will be interesting to see if the team can continue the growth or do they take a big step backwards?

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    2. 6 players played the most part of 33 games. Many of them were close intense contests. In addition those same 6 played the most part of 52 practices. I hear that Dior Johnson did not set the world on fire in practice but wore the hell out of Cummings and Burton. I never heard Capel say their would be light practices but wish I had.

      My sources tell me he ran their legs off and then ran them some more!

      Does anyone remember the first Syracuse game. Pitt had been off for the holidays and was well rested. They went up 21 points on Cuse in the first 15 minutes. Pitt hit everything they threw up!

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      1. Dan – I heard Coach C. say several times over the last few weeks that they wouldn’t practice, to keep the guys fresher, except for light work and walk-throughs…. This was on his radio show or local news interviews…

        I was surprised by this – considering what we used to hear about how tough Jamie’s practices were…

        You make a good point about the scholarship players being out for the season (Hugley, Dior and Jeffress)…

        Go Pitt.

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  9. NET for Pitt is now 67 and dropping. Pitt will be NIT bound. Selection committee looks at last ten game momentum. Subjective to an extent but Pitt losing what four of last seven doesn’t help at all. Oh and I’ll be rooting for WVU to those who kindly asked.

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  10. It seemed that Jamie always had a guy that was capable of shutting down the other teams best scorer. It seems that there was always one player that had a career night against this team most nights and certainly in all losses. Burton seemed to be the only capable defender. Everyone else was 50/50 or worse. This was overcome when threes were dropping certainly not when they were not but also lead to many close games. A capable portal defender would be very welcome.

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  11. The team wearing down is the only explanation for the poor defense in the last few games. Nike is the guy with the most energy, and the 6th man should come in and make stops. Cummings was exposed as being too small to handle the pg responsibilities.

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    1. Elliot was not much on defense either. But they were all seniors and gave up too much all year, very few steals. Inside Hinson had problems and Fede and GDG are still learning their positions.
      Overall much better than previous Capel teams but not good enough at the end.

      If it is fatigue they should be much better in the tournament with a week of rest.

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  12. Strength and weight monitoring will be vital for the twins and FF. If DJ is who Dan says he is (and I fully trust Dan) than with Hinson, a few good portal moves and our incoming recruits we will be OK (Jeffress and Hugely ??).

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    1. I wonder about the twins putting on weight/muscle. Not everyone has the genes to re-sculpture their body.

      I can see them getting stronger, but I don’t expect a couple of Hulks to show up next season…

      I think they will be much more comfortable next season and I want to see them both firing up threes…

      Go Pitt.

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  13. Maybe I’m wrong here, but here goes. Seems to me if you have a bunch of 23, 24 year old players, that have played college basketball for 4 & 5 years, they should be able to play MULTIPLE defenses.
    These guys have played an incredible amount of games, that they could be Coaches.
    Burton – 151 games over 5 years
    Cummings – 142 games over 5 years
    Elliott – 147 games over 5 years
    Sibande – 144 games over 5 years
    Hinson – 93 games over 4 years

    While they’re pretty good players, mainly due to their experience and age….they are
    not a bunch of 4 & 5 star players. Only Hinson was considered a 4 star coming out
    of HS.

    They are not going to match up Man to Man against teams composed of all 4 & 5 star players.
    Like for example Duke. Heck they only scrape by most of the weaker teams like GT & FSU playing Man to Man. And lose to some of them like ND, FSU & VT.

    So if you can’t Match up ….you have to play a Defense which hides your deficiencies.
    This isn’t Rocket Science. This Pitt team has 3 big problems, Rebounding & Defending & an extremely short bench.
    The Rebounding problem is mainly due to Pitt starting 3 Guards and 2 of the 3 (Cummings & Elliot) are either too short and/or not good defenders. And they are easily shot over or posted up by whoever they’re guarding.
    These problems got worse as the season wore on, and legs worn down. Which should have necessitated going to Zone defense. Which saves energy, keeps your players fresher and keeps your Bigs(Fede & Hinson) under the basket to Rebound. Not defending ball screens
    25 feet from the hoop on the perimeter. How many times was Pitt backdoor’d for easy layups. When nobody was defending the hoops. Countless.

    So good on the rebound season, it was overdue….jury still out on this Coaching staff.

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    1. Agreed, the Jury is still out on Capel, Capel and company. Add to your astute comments that Pitt only once tried “anything” different on offense or defense when they went zone for one quarter of one game. Last but not least, Capel make take 200 time outs to his grave. How many times did he let a game get out of reach before calling time???

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  14. I think Elliot and Cummings were exposed as being above avg players but not real good athletes. Besides shooting 3s Elliot never created. He couldn’t take the ball inside. Cummings turned the ball over and made too many bad choices for a point guard. Fede hit the wall and couldn’t body the bigger centers so he fouled them.

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  15. Watching PSU/NW. Entertaining game, but the quality of the players looks better to me in the ACC.

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  18. how the hell did Pitt beat and play this Miami team so close?

    I have to say that JC’s post game presser gave WAY too much credit to Duke and honestly to the point that maybe HIS admiration and AWE seeped through to the players

    it actually bothered me listening to his praise to such EXCESS

    anyone else?

    we really better make the tournament and redeem and get some confidence back to have a shocker in the 2nd round

    LETS GOOO!!!! Make the tourney!!!

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  19. Looking at Duke – Miami, I wonder about conditioning and game preparation in the last month. I do not think we could have beat Duke because they could not miss. But something was/is amiss.

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  21. Miami loses Omier in the first minute. Game over. I really wanted to see him go head to head with Filapowski. I think Miami wins if that doesn’t happen.

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  22. Espn staffers floated Capel’s name out there for the G-Town opening. As we know ESPN is full of Syracuse grads & on-air personalities….so I would expect this is more an attempt to sabotage Capel’s possible recruitment of Cuse’s Judah Mintz and Pitt’s resurgence & recruiting overall.

    A few other websites just picked up on what ESPN floated.

    Not a word on this G-Town blog concerning any interest in Capel. And why would there be,
    come on. He’s had 1 winning season in Year 5.

    https://www.casualhoya.com/2023/2/27/23616670/the-updated-list-potential-head-coach-candidates-for-the-georgetown-hoyas-pitino-cooley-young-brey

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  23. This has to be an All-Time first. Looking over these scores on the various sports websites….
    I see that not One…..not Two…..But Three…..Conferences are having their post-season
    Tournaments……in Las Vegas.
    1) PAC 12
    2) Mountain West
    3) WAC

    And you have 3 Semi-final games from 3 different Conferences going on at the same time,
    as I post this. lol

    For eons college sports tried to totally separate themselves with having anything to do
    with betting on sports. Now all the game boxes, pre-game include the betting line & o/u.

    And the Pro Sports have not only embraced it they’ve placed teams in Vegas with the
    Raiders & the Golden Knights.

    Times sure have changed, they really don’t care if you think of it or not.
    It’s in YOUR FACE !!

    Sin City for ALL !!!

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  24. Capel
    Has been here 5
    Years and PSU has a better team yet Heather extended this bum and his entire family until 2027. What a joke.

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    1. so Capel deserves no credit for this year at all?

      if God forbid Pitt and PSU gets matched up in the first round and Pitt wins, is the joke reversed?

      Capel has definite shortcomings

      Heather may also

      but no doubt you are a hater and provide few, maybe zero suggestions

      is anything going reasonably right at Pitt for you? football, volley, men’s or women’s soccer, track, etc.?

      nice you’re here for when Pitt MBB stumbles, must’ve been a little uncomfortable season at times for you

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  25. I hear ya Mark.
    My only concern if Capel leaves is how confident I am with the next hire.
    Sadly, not very…maybe 4/10.

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  26. Why would Capel leave when he has finally turned a corner, has his best group of guys returning and finally has the Zoo and fan support at the Pete? He is also a lifelong ACC guy as is his brother. While it is doubtful he will recruit like the blue bloods he seems to have turned the corner there as well with a combo of freshmen and transfers. Anything is possible but…

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  27. Good class coming in, and Capel’s experience in picking off a few good transfers. It looks like Capel has turned the corner, but it remains to be seen.

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