Pitt Game Thoughts

[Norm]

All in all, I thought MU played ok. I liked the hustle, they just couldn't make shots at times and Pitt was on fire from 3 point land that allowed them to build the lead. We didn't have an answer for McGhee. Pitt is a very balanced team with good upperclassman experience.

Wish Cadougan was more of an offensive threat - he didn't even take a shot.

[T.V. Diener 34]

Our defense is absolutely atrocious.... Interior, perimeter, and help side are all really bad

[muarmy81]

I liked our offense as well and think we played well enough to win but...our D is horrible.  We still have trouble rebounding but 1/2 our guys seem to be switching all screens and the other 1/2 aren't which eventually leads to a wide open 3 if the opponent runs about 3 ball screens.  I don't know...if we were more of a "vanilla" defense I think we'd have better results.

[tower912]

Pitt is good.  They are who we thought they were.  There is a reason they are #5 in the country and have won 47-48 at home.   And when they rain 3's.....well, we just aren't going to win that game.   It appears to me that our perimeter players can't get through screens and when they drop down to help, are glacial in their recovery to the shooter.    Otule and Gardner were not ready to stop McGee.   Fulce just isn't big enough but he had some nice baskets.   Apparently, he was born without a conscience on some of them, though.  Turning point of the game was when Jae picked up his second foul.   Tie game, 8 minutes to go and Pitt goes off.   Like they are supposed to.  Ah, well, I had this as a loss.    Suck it up and beat the Irish on Monday. 

[NersEllenson]

Pitt got us on skates..played like we did last year..lots of dribble drive penetration, kick outs, ball rotations/reversal..hard to not give up open 3 looks.  Somehow though..we've got to do a better job.  But, it is hard when a team shoots 69% from the 3 - I don't care if they got a lot of good looks, that is still exceptional shooting.

Pitt is next to impossible to beat at their place.  Think they've won 48 of their last 50.

Pitt is Number 5 team in the country.  We competed well, but when we needed a critical stop/make we just couldn't get job done.  McGhee was a difference maker for them.  Otule let us down today.

[Mods, Delete me please. 8/26/2020]

What a poorly officiated game.   Not to take anything away from Pitt, they were clearly the better team today and deserved the win but could that crew have called it any tighter?  

[brewcity77]

Pitt was lights out from 3 and strong on the boards. I thought there could have been a few more fouls called late, but they were simply the better team. We kept it close but couldn't put the last run together that we needed. Almost exactly what I expected.

We'll have more chances against top teams and hopefully make more of it. As long as our losses are like this one and we get a few big wins (UConn and 'Cuse come to mind) we can still get to 12 BEast wins and get into the tourney comfortably.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I liked our offense as well and think we played well enough to win but...our D is horrible.  We still have trouble rebounding but 1/2 our guys seem to be switching all screens and the other 1/2 aren't which eventually leads to a wide open 3 if the opponent runs about 3 ball screens.  I don't know...if we were more of a "vanilla" defense I think we'd have better results.

See Sugar's CS post from the other day.  Liked the effort but no defensive concept.  We were at a mismatch disadvantage going in but way too many missed rotations on defense...basically uncontested threes and PIP.  No excuse for all the open looks--that is on Buzz's system.

[tower912]

Are the defensive rotation deficiencies due to poor schemes or poor execution?

[nyg]

PITT is very good and tough at home.

MU mishaps:  Half court offense was terrible
                  Rebounding
                  Blocked shots by PITT, 6 to 0
                  Bad shots when MU got it to 8 with like five minutes left.

Overall, its what most thought would happen, but could have been closer.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Not much to say.  They kept battling, our defense was poor, rebounding struggled, we took care of the ball very well but felt we often took shots that had no chance among the trees.

Effort was good but the result was hardly surprising.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Are the defensive rotation deficiencies due to poor schemes or poor execution?

All of the above...Buzz's history proves his system is average at best.  When we have two defenders rotating to the ball consistently and leaving the shooter or driver unguarded...and then having really late rotations from players in the hot zone--it is both.  Game after game.

[Tugg Speedman]

Pitt keeps playing like this and they are national champs.  Duke could not have beaten them today.

[Markusquette]

Not much to say.  They kept battling, our defense was poor, rebounding struggled, we took care of the ball very well but felt we often took shots that had no chance among the trees.

Effort was good but the result was hardly surprising.

Pretty much what I thought as well.  I think we played well and our weaknesses came as no surprise.  Pitt was shooting the lights out, and stronger on the inside and the boards.

[NersEllenson]

All of the above...Buzz's history proves his system is average at best.  When we have two defenders rotating to the ball consistently and leaving the shooter or driver unguarded...and then having really late rotations from players in the hot zone--it is both.  Game after game.

I agree for the most part..but think today's game was more a result of brilliant offensive execution by Pitt..they looked like us last year - great ball movement, drive kick, and great shooters shooting even better than usual.  A tough combo.  

[downtown85]

All of the above...Buzz's history proves his system is average at best.  When we have two defenders rotating to the ball consistently and leaving the shooter or driver unguarded...and then having really late rotations from players in the hot zone--it is both.  Game after game.

I think Buzz should study Rice's defense (Rutgers).  Even though we won that game.  Their defense impressed me. 

[Badgerhater920]

Pitt keeps playing like this and they are national champs.  Duke could not have beaten them today.

Agree that Pitt looked pretty stellar, however, that we really had a chance to make it close when they turned it over on five straight possessions and we went on an 8-0 run. Instead, we gave up two or three easy buckets in a row and Pitt stretched the lead again. While the three point shooting was how Pitt built their lead early in the game, the story of this game was really our inability to defend on the interior, especially every time it seemed like we were getting back in the game.

[Mr. Nielsen]

MU really cut down on it's turnovers. Only 2.

[muarmy81]

Are the defensive rotation deficiencies due to poor schemes or poor execution?

I agree that it's both.  I don't agree with the "in the passing lane" approach to ball-you-man defense.  Yes, you can create deflections and turnovers but with that risk you also end up with a lot of easy back door passes for buckets.

But you also see Gardner, Cadougan, Otule very slow with their rotations which is part of a poor understanding and execution of the defensive scheme.  I'm always squeamish when I see Gardner's man go set a ball screen because he's just so slow at recovering to his man.

I think with his current personnel Buzz should stick to a Wiscy type defense which is strict man to man defense with little doubling, trapping, switching on ball screens, and jumping of the passing lanes.  Just work to keep your man in front of you, contest the shot, and BOX OUT.

[mikem91288]

I was very impressed with Pitt. I thought we played well, kept it within reach late, but we lost to a much better team on the road. It will be interesting to see where this Pitt team ends up this year. Dixon is a great coach. I'd really like a win on Monday against that school from South Bend.

[chren21]

I liked our offense as well and think we played well enough to win but...our D is horrible.  We still have trouble rebounding but 1/2 our guys seem to be switching all screens and the other 1/2 aren't which eventually leads to a wide open 3 if the opponent runs about 3 ball screens.  I don't know...if we were more of a "vanilla" defense I think we'd have better results.

Agree..  It seems that if the opposing coaches watch the reasons why we break down they will be able to devise a scheme to find a wide open jumper EVERY TIME DOWN THE COURT.  Once someone loses thier man or a dribble drive happens off a pick or not our recovery is like a jail break.  Usually not very effective.

[Henry Sugar]

Good news
Marquette scored 1.24 points per possession
Our TO% was 3%.  That's awesome
We didn't get crushed on offensive rebounding percentage.  Only lost 37% to 46%

Bad news
Pitt had 1.44 points per possession.  They scored 1.61 ppp in the first half.
We allowed Pitt to score an eFG% of 70%! 

let me repeat that

We allowed Pitt to score 1.44 ppp and an eFG% of 70%!  

What.  The.  F*ck.

[Dr. Blackheart]

In what has been a repeating pattern and especially true in our losses...our opponents come out hot from behind the arc in the 1st half and then MU makes (over) adjustments at halftime and we get killed inside--to answer's Henry's question about today. 

• 1st Half: 8-12 or 67% on Treys
• 2nd Half: 11-14 or 79% on Twos

We do not have a well-thought out defensive system and we do not execute well it with our personnel--time after time, bunny or BE. 

[brewcity77]

Bad news
Pitt had 1.44 points per possession.  They scored 1.61 ppp in the first half.
We allowed Pitt to score an eFG% of 70%! 

let me repeat that

We allowed Pitt to score 1.44 ppp and an eFG% of 70%!

Out of curiosity, do you think there's an answer on this team now? Is this a case where the players need to mature, or is it more endemic? Does Buzz need to hire a defensive assistant to sort this out? If so, can you think of anyone who might fit the bill? Clearly we are very efficient offensively but between our 3-point defense and defensive rebounding, there's work to do. I just wonder if it can be fixed this year or if it's a longer term fix.

[Henry Sugar]

Also, 1.44 ppp allowed is the worst defensive performance in Buzz's tenure.