Only 6 games featuring ranked teams tonight, but 2 classic rivalries are in the mix
7 PM #1 Syaracuse at #25 Pitt 9 PM #8 Duke at UNC
It's been a tough stretch for Pitt with losses to Syracuse, Duke and Virginia as well as barely getting by Miami and VT in OT both times. We've been exposed as usual to playing nobody early in the season and building up an impressive record, but there is still one stat in our favor tonight, a really impressive one at that.
Pitt has never lost to a top 5 team (9-0) at the Peterson Events Center as well as being 13-1 vs top 10 in the building. They actually are better against the top 10 then the 11-25 ranked teams somehow (4-8)
It's hard to call this a must win for Pitt, but a win is really important for the mentality of the team. We played them really close on the road and this is the exact kind of game Pitt pulls off that makes people overrate them again.
auragin_boi Member since Aug 01st 2003 20939 posts
Wed Feb-12-14 04:13 PM
2. "Heels riding a 5 game win streak, all by double digits." In response to Reply # 0 Wed Feb-12-14 04:14 PM by auragin_boi
At home against a smallish Duke squad. Seems like the VA loss was a turning point for the team. Roy showed them the W's vs UK, MSU and L'ville and they got their heads outta their asses. They seem to be more confident/consistent too. The ND game, they got down in the first half and didn't fold like they did earlier in the season. They kept grinding and the D/transition O brought them back and put the game away.
Duke has great 3 pt shooters which is one of our weaknesses. We are great in transition and rebound well (especially offensive rebounds).
If we play like ND did against Duke earlier in the season (timely 3's, stifling half court D, owning them on the boards/inside) we have a good shot.
Our weakness is their strength, their weakness is ours.
Should be fun but I'm going with the Heels at home.
4. "I wish I had your optimism" In response to Reply # 2
but recently, it seems like it's been Duke splitting with UNC when UNC has the better team, and Duke sweeping UNC when Duke has the better team.
I mean, if Paige, McAdoo, and Brice all have big games with Duke going cold from 3 we can win, but that's a lot of ifs. Seems just as likely to me that they will get hot from 3, focus defensively on Paige to shut him down, and we will shoot 40% from the FT line.
Of course as the game gets closer and closer I keep getting my hopes up though. Pretty much expecting a loss, but I hope they prove me wrong. This rebuilding year hasn't been as painful as people have made it out to be, if our recruits next year pan out we will be in great shape.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86672 posts
Wed Feb-12-14 05:28 PM
5. "The Duke team at Notre Dame was NOT this Duke team, lol. At all." In response to Reply # 2 Wed Feb-12-14 05:30 PM by Frank Longo
K was playing seven player rotations, man-to-man half-court defense, Cook at the point, Parker taking jump shots, an iso-based offense, and typically shoddy play on the glass.
K is now playing ten player rotations, increased pressure, Rasheed at the point, Parker nearly exclusively in the paint, an offense with increased ball movement, and a renewed focus on the glass (especially on offense). We've played tougher competition down low than Notre Dame since and won the battle of the paint.
If you're talking about UNC's play the last five games, you have to consider Duke's play the last five games.
It'll be close, as it always is. I won't call it, as that's a jinx. But I think using Duke's game against Dame as evidence on how to beat them when K has altered his entire game plan is... let's put it this way, I hope Roy uses that in his prep, lol.
UNC message board (which is full of idiots like every team message board) is saying it's because Duke planned on leaving at 6 PM instead of earlier. Any truth to that?
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86672 posts
Wed Feb-12-14 05:46 PM
9. "Well, Duke hadn't left yet, but that's not based on conspiracy. (UPDATE)" In response to Reply # 8 Wed Feb-12-14 05:48 PM by Frank Longo
That's based on there being no reason to leave 5 hours early for a game that's a stone's throw away.
EDIT: according to the press release, the team bus couldn't even get to Duke to pick up the team, much less take them to UNC afterward.
A friend of mine who lives in Durham said it takes her 6 minutes normally to get home... and today it took her 3 hours. This was around lunch.
I mean, it would BENEFIT Duke to leave early and get there early. It'd be a game in the rival's house with a mostly-empty Dean Dome. Would've been the ideal scenario, lol.
11. "Trust me, I'm not saying conspiracy, that would be ridiculous" In response to Reply # 9
Although, apparently they were going to give the empty seats to students, so the atmosphere could have been wild. But to think Duke did not come because they were "scared" is laughable and delusional.
I'm all for safety, so I don't mind the cancellation of the game. If you are saying it was that bad around noon, then it makes perfect sense. I guess I was under the assumption that it was fine around then and then got worse.
13. "Pretty much all we have going for us tonight" In response to Reply # 12
>I hate playing Pitt in Pitt...they seem to always get the >better of not just us, but any big time opponent in that >building > >I'd be a little surprised if we pull it out...we have the >better squad but that building is a house of horrors for us.
Our home record has slipped a bit with a few tougher than normal years recently, but we still seem to always turn it on for the really big games at home.
44. "RE: Insert any player in any year, that shot goes in 99/100 times vs Pit..." In response to Reply # 42
>1/100 vs anyone else
While I agree with that, I was combing this shot with the game-clinher he hit the first time Pitt played Cuse as well. Two times in two games. Fuck that dude forever.
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