Key stat...

[Pardner]

Pitt shot 73% on 2PFG...27-37

Buzz could call a time out a minute and not overcome Pitt's inside game.  See Sugar's preview.

[NavinRJohnson]

Agreed. All this timeout talk is nonsense created by people wanting desperately to believe that Mu is better than they actually are. There aren't enough timeouts in the world to keep Blair from beating MU like a drum tonight.

[Norm]

Oh come on, time outs sure could have helped prevent some long runs by Pitt. We still had 3 time outs left when we called one down 20 with 4 minutes to play. We were tied with them after 30-32 minutes of play.

[NavinRJohnson]

Oh come on, time outs sure could have helped prevent some long runs by Pitt.

How? Just saying it doesn't make it so.

Does Dwight Burke becoem a better defensive player during time outs?
Can Chris O'Toole suddenly hold his own after a time out?

The same issues that were there before the timeout are going to be there after the time out.

[ErickJD08]

Timeouts would not have stopped Blair, but it may have stopped our boys from jacking up endless three's when we had that lead.

[Norm]

So Navin, do you believe that momentum plays no role in college basketball? Why even pay the game if they're so much more talented than us - after all, they were better than us before the game, they are better than us after the game.

[77ncaachamps]

How? Just saying it doesn't make it so.

Does Dwight Burke becoem a better defensive player during time outs?
Can Chris O'Toole suddenly hold his own after a time out?

The same issues that were there before the timeout are going to be there after the time out.

+1

Erick...do you really think that? What would they have done instead? Drive? Throw it down low? Shoot a mid-range jumper?

Except for maybe one or two positions, MU's outmanned against Pitt. We wouldn't been able to stop the inside game.

[Pardner]

Oh come on, time outs sure could have helped prevent some long runs by Pitt. We still had 3 time outs left when we called one down 20 with 4 minutes to play. We were tied with them after 30-32 minutes of play.

73%--how is a time out going to help getting brutalized play after play if you just don't have the talent inside (or haven't developed it).  Pitt wears down teams, fouls them out and beats them down at the end of games.  Buzz tried to save the TO's for the end so that we had some legs left.  Do I always like his use of TO's?  No...but he tries to use our quickness to wear out the big teams.

Now, I would ding Buzz for his lack of bench development (or at least the attempt) where we have some height.  Hazel can at least give us energy.  Fulce and Otule?  Who knows?  But at least they can provide different looks when these teams pulverize us--and it hasn't just been these last three games that teams shot a high %.   Small Ball is the what we played the previous three years with the same early post-season result.  Why not clear the bench tonight?  One of our starters could have been hurt...give these guys some minutes.    

[ErickJD08]

+1

Erick...do you really think that? What would they have done instead? Drive? Throw it down low? Shoot a mid-range jumper?

Except for maybe one or two positions, MU's outmanned against Pitt. We wouldn't been able to stop the inside game.

Your right but that doesn't mean we should abandon the inside completely.  MU does not win games by playing a three man weave at the top of the key and then someone shoots a 25 footer.  The run at the second half came from MU speeding up the game, getting easy looks and hitting threes.  Did McNeal pump fake a three?  I could be wrong, but when thinking about it, I remember McNeal shot one 15 footer and it got blocked in the first half.  I don't remember any other mid range jumpers from McNeal.

[Norm]

Pardner, what keyed the runs by Pitt after we were up by 9? I think it was our quick 3-pointers on offense that we missed 3 times in a row. I was hoping Buzz would have called a time out after Pitt cut the lead to 5 and emphasize patience on offense and working the clock - at least it would have made the lead last a little longer and slowed Pitts momentum.

With a short bench, the MU players need a breather and a reminder to play a little smarter.

[ErickJD08]

Pardner, what keyed the runs by Pitt after we were up by 9? I think it was our quick 3-pointers on offense that we missed 3 times in a row. I was hoping Buzz would have called a time out after Pitt cut the lead to 5 and emphasize patience on offense and working the clock - at least it would have made the lead last a little longer and slowed Pitts momentum.

With a short bench, the MU players need a breather and a reminder to play a little smarter.

I thought the same thing.  Those threes were poor decisions.

[79Warrior]

Agreed. All this timeout talk is nonsense created by people wanting desperately to believe that Mu is better than they actually are. There aren't enough timeouts in the world to keep Blair from beating MU like a drum tonight.

Agreed. we have no answer for him at all. You are absolutely correct.

[NavinRJohnson]

I thought the same thing.  Those threes were poor decisions.

See, I think just the opposite. We had one chance to win that game and it was to put the pedal down right there and try to build a big enough lead that we could hang on in the end. Nine points was noting against that team anywhere, let alone at home, and Buzz knew it. Making a bunch of threes was our only chance to win that game.

[Marquette06]

I'd have to disagree...those quick 3s were poor shot selection.  I didn't like it when DJ used to pull up for a quick 3 and I don't like it now when Mo & McNeal do it.  I don't think DJ was the only one who could drive in the paint & pass...so I'd like to see some one else step up & do it.

[Norm]

Yes, keep shooting threes, but shoot better ones, where you work the clock a little and get a better shot. Those 3's they missed all came very quick in the shot clock and allowed Pitt to close the game in very little time.

[CTWarrior]

Pardner, what keyed the runs by Pitt after we were up by 9? I think it was our quick 3-pointers on offense that we missed 3 times in a row. I was hoping Buzz would have called a time out after Pitt cut the lead to 5 and emphasize patience on offense and working the clock - at least it would have made the lead last a little longer and slowed Pitts momentum.

With a short bench, the MU players need a breather and a reminder to play a little smarter.

Agree 100%.  We needed a timeout to remind us to play better/smarter offense, not defense.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

got home too late to see most of game but with a few minutes left and we are down huge why not put some bench players out there and let them get some experience? I agree the 5 are getting worn out at the end of the game.

The horse Buzz has been riding is tired. tired players make poor decisions