PITT

[JTBMU7]

I've seen highlights(or lowlights) of them but have yet to see an entire game, especially recently. Are they really as bad as their record suggests? Or is it just a team that's lost right now? If anyone has stats that might tell the real story that'd be great.

St John's was 8-7 coming into last night, but i wouldnt say they are a bad team, just young and with no depth. Is there a lack of talent at Pitt that would be causing this slide or could it just be a team that lost it's focus, kind of like Villanova at the end of the past few seasons... just curious what we're getting into on Sat...

[Fullodds]

It will be a fist fight.  PITT is not as bad as their record and will be looking for anything to get a W.  We need to step on their neck early and give them no hope.  Having Tom Copa in the building should be enough of an advantage for MU to get the win.

[mubb34]

Gibbs shot 2-11 and 0-7 from downtown vs. Rutgers...I guarentee he wont shoot that poorly again. Lets pray he doesn't take it out on us.

[Windyplayer]

I've seen highlights(or lowlights) of them but have yet to see an entire game, especially recently. Are they really as bad as their record suggests? Or is it just a team that's lost right now? If anyone has stats that might tell the real story that'd be great.

St John's was 8-7 coming into last night, but i wouldnt say they are a bad team, just young and with no depth. Is there a lack of talent at Pitt that would be causing this slide or could it just be a team that lost it's focus, kind of like Villanova at the end of the past few seasons... just curious what we're getting into on Sat...

I heard through the grapevine that they have no ball handlers or players that can create which really diminishes the value of their top player, Ashton Gibbs, who is a spot-up shooter. However, I haven't had a chance to see them play at length.

[We R Final Four]

I watched soem of the DePaul Pitt game and when DePaul put on the full court pressure, Pitt was lost.  Turnovers, timouts, etc.  It was like the first time they had seen anything like it.  Gibbs was visibly pissed.  Hands in the air pointing to spots on the floor where guys should be.  Gibbs will have a break out game I have no doubt, just hope that day is not Saturday.

[🏀]

I watched soem of the DePaul Pitt game and when DePaul put on the full court pressure, Pitt was lost.  Turnovers, timouts, etc.  It was like the first time they had seen anything like it.  Gibbs was visibly pissed.  Hands in the air pointing to spots on the floor where guys should be.  Gibbs will have a break out game I have no doubt, just hope that day is not Saturday.

+1.

If we can press them for half the game and stay out of foul trouble, we can beat them by 10+

[77ncaachamps]

+1.

If we can press them for half the game and stay out of foul trouble, we can beat them by 10+

It's maintaining a lead that we have problems with.

Hope last night the boys learned the importance of it.

[Les Nessman]

I'm not really worried about Pitt. Pitt has always been really good, but this year they aren't. It's not like we're talking about a UCONN, Georgetown or Syracuse coming off a few bad losses, figuring out their mistakes and reawakening like a sleeping giant. Pitt is winless in the Big East and has lost to Wagner, Long Beach St, DePaul and Rutgers. No doubt we should take them seriously like every other game, but I can't say that I fear they are going to come out firing on all cylinders after losing their last 4 and suffering their worst home loss in over a decade.

[MattyWarrior]

They still have some talent and I don't think MU plays consistent enough to take any game in the Beast lightly!

[Dawson Rental]

After that last game at home, I wonder if playing them at their place wouldn't be the better situation.  If a team jumps out to an early lead at Pitt, I bet the boos start to fly......

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVvpToie18k&feature=fvsr
Wouldn't be Marquette-Pitt Weekend without this guy...

[bilsu]

While Pitt has more big guys than we do, they do not have anyone over 6'9". I do not see a bad mis-match in their lineup for us.

[wojosdojo]

They still have some talent and I don't think MU plays consistent enough to take any game in the Beast lightly!

+1

[brewcity77]

I'd like to see another 25+ minute game out of Ox and him getting fed constantly down low. However this time he NEEDS to be kept in the low post on defense. Taylor and Zanna can both score when given a chance, so we cannot have Gardner hedging screens and doubling people 30+ feet from the rim.

Also, despite their overall struggles, Pitt is still the #1 team in the country in offensive rebounding percentage, something we suck at defending. We need Gardner to stay home, and Wilson, Blue, and Crowder to all be on top of their rebounding game. This is actually a game where I could see getting Juan Anderson some significant minutes. He's a very, very good rebounder with a knack for getting to the ball and securing it.

Against a team like Pitt that (similar to SJU) doesn't have immense height but (unlike SJU) is a great team on the glass, I could see a lineup of Blue, DJO, Crowder, Wilson/Anderson, and Gardner having a lot of success. I'm not sure Buzz would be willing to go to two guards without Junior out there, but if he's going to try it, Pitt is the perfect team to try it against. Blue, Crowder, DJO, and Gardner all have quick hands on defense and Pitt sucks at protecting the rock, so that would be one way to generate a lot of turnovers. And that would probably be our best rebounding lineup, which would give us a chance at both limiting their second-chance points and creating some of our own.

I don't think this game will be anywhere near as easy as it was for Rutgers. This is a team that goes 9 deep and every one of them can score on a given night. Every one of those 9 guys has hit for at least 13 in a game this year. Marquette needs to stick to assignments. Double in the press, but aim for solid defense once they get into their half-court set.

[MU82]

We are not good enough to take anyone lightly, and I am quite concerned about this game.

One of these days, Gibbs is gonna go off. He's too good not to. And sooner or later, Pitt is going to play well. If they aren't motivated to do so after their last fiasco -- a fiasco that made our Vandy game look like a championship-level performance -- they never will be.

I just hope we come out ready to play.

[We R Final Four]

I'd like to see another 25+ minute game out of Ox and him getting fed constantly down low. However this time he NEEDS to be kept in the low post on defense. Taylor and Zanna can both score when given a chance, so we cannot have Gardner hedging screens and doubling people 30+ feet from the rim.

Also, despite their overall struggles, Pitt is still the #1 team in the country in offensive rebounding percentage, something we suck at defending. We need Gardner to stay home, and Wilson, Blue, and Crowder to all be on top of their rebounding game. This is actually a game where I could see getting Juan Anderson some significant minutes. He's a very, very good rebounder with a knack for getting to the ball and securing it.

Against a team like Pitt that (similar to SJU) doesn't have immense height but (unlike SJU) is a great team on the glass, I could see a lineup of Blue, DJO, Crowder, Wilson/Anderson, and Gardner having a lot of success. I'm not sure Buzz would be willing to go to two guards without Junior out there, but if he's going to try it, Pitt is the perfect team to try it against. Blue, Crowder, DJO, and Gardner all have quick hands on defense and Pitt sucks at protecting the rock, so that would be one way to generate a lot of turnovers. And that would probably be our best rebounding lineup, which would give us a chance at both limiting their second-chance points and creating some of our own.

I don't think this game will be anywhere near as easy as it was for Rutgers. This is a team that goes 9 deep and every one of them can score on a given night. Every one of those 9 guys has hit for at least 13 in a game this year. Marquette needs to stick to assignments. Double in the press, but aim for solid defense once they get into their half-court set.

"so we cannot have Gardner hedging screens and doubling people 30+ feet from the rim."

+1.  Man, that hedging foul by jae, CO and now DG 35' from the basket drives me crazy.  All are/were way to valuable for a cheap one out there.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Are ESPNU games also available on ESPN3?

I won't be able to get to a TV with ESPNU tomorrow unless I change my plans. Thanks in advance.

[wojosdojo]

I'm pretty sure.

[karavotsos]

Just for the record, Pitt really misses Travon Woodall.  Don't think I would ever say a team would miss Travon Woodall, but Pitt does.  If/when he comes back Pitt could mess up some teams' records.