Tag: Pitt basketball

Perspective on No. 2 Texas’ huge win over No. 10 Penn State

We look at what a trip to the Sweet 16 means for the program and Rodney Terry.

The Texas Longhorns advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008. On the surface, Texas defeated a bad basketball program historically and a mere No. 10 seed. In reality, the win gives the program a monumental boost in perception and internal confidence.

The Penn State Nittany Lions entered the game as one of the better three-point shooting teams in the country. The team shot especially well against the Texas A&M Aggies two days earlier. Thanks to some luck and what was at times an excellent defensive performance by the Longhorns, Penn State went cold from the three-point line.

On average, Penn State connected on just over 10 three-point baskets per game. Against Texas, the Nittany Lions made just 8 of 28 from long range. Albeit, the Longhorns shot a much worse 1-for-13 from behind the arc.

Let’s look at what Texas accomplished by pulling out an improbable win.

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This crooked rim created chaos for NCAA tournament games and may explain Iowa State’s rough start

This doesn’t seem fair.

No. 6 Iowa State and No. 11 Pittsburgh had a delayed start to their first-round game in the NCAA tournament caused by a crooked rim at Greensboro Coliseum.

The Midwest Region game followed a wild comeback from No. 4 Xavier to survive an upset bid by No. 14 Kennesaw State. During the victory, with less than a minute left on the clock, Xavier’s Souley Boum missed a wide-open layup following a pass from teammate Colby Jones.

It was one of several crucial shots that didn’t fall for Xavier, who won the game despite the missed field goals. But the troubles may have continued into the following game considering Iowa State was not able to warm up as expected.

UPDATE: The NCAA issued a statement noting that Iowa State was offered additional warmup time but declined.

Although NCAA tournament officials made sure that the rim was level before the game finally tipped off, Pittsburgh was able to warm up before the game.

The Cyclones, however, were not. When the game finally started, Iowa State missed each of their first twelve attempts from the field and did not make any of their field goals until over ten games of game time had passed.

All five of the starters for Pittsburgh made field goals before a single player on Iowa State was able to connect. After trailing 21-2, the Cyclones went on a 17-4 run to cut the deficit to 26-19.

While we don’t know if this was the reason why the Cyclones had such a slow start, the two teams will switch rims at the end of the first half.

If the Panthers also struggle to connect from the field, it’s time that we all start to raise some eyebrows about whether or not the crooked rim was ever legitimately fixed.

Either way, however, it seems a bit unfair that Pittsburgh was able to warm up before the game but Iowa State was not given the same opportunity before tipoff.

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Everything we know about the beef between Jeff Capel, Jason Capel and UNC

So much for the “Carolina Family,” right?

Pitt won its third straight game Wednesday night, beating the North Carolina Tar Heels for the third straight time in the Dean Dome. Jamarius Burton sank a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds left to give the Panthers the lead for the final time, and Nike Sibande got a hand on Caleb Love’s last effort shot attempt with 0.6 seconds left to seal the victory.

But folks might quickly forget how Pitt won this game or how Carolina lost it because what happened after the game sort of overshadowed everything.

When we look back on this game, we might refer to it as, “The Jason Capel Game.”

After Pitt won, its players piled into the hallway outside of the visitors’ locker room (which is right next to the media workroom at the Smith Center), hooting and hollering in celebration. When they settled down, the coaches came around the corner, and Pitt assistant coach Jason Capel was yelling. And not in a celebratory manner.

“Y’all gonna disrespect me?” Capel shouted. “All I did for this program? Y’all gonna boo me? I held this [expletive] together when Matt Doherty tore it apart. [Expletive] that [expletive].”

Jason Capel played at UNC from 1998 through 2002. He was a starter on a Final Four team in 2000, but he was also a senior captain on one of the worst teams in UNC history – the one coached by Matt Doherty that went 8-20 in the 2001-02 campaign. Some UNC fans still feel a certain type of way about that era of Carolina basketball, apparently.

And tensions between Capel and his alma mater have been tense for a while.

After the game, Capel told the Raleigh News & Observer in a text message, “Shouldn’t be a story. I shouldn’t be a story. Pitt winning should be the story.”

But it’s a little too late for that.

Here’s what we know about the beef between Jason Capel and UNC.

Pitt vs Boston College College Basketball Prediction, Game Preview

Pitt vs Boston College prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Tuesday.

Pitt vs Boston College prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Tuesday, March 7

Pitt vs Boston College How To Watch

Date: Tuesday, March 8
Game Time: 2:00 ET
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
How To Watch: ACC Network
Record: Pittsburgh (11-20), Boston College (11-19)
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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Pitt vs Boston College Game Preview, ACC Conference Tournament

Why Pitt Will Win

The Panthers might be on a rough losing streak, but they’re still playing up to their style. They’re tough, they pound on the inside, and they were able to beat Boston College in early January by coming up with a solid shooting day.

More than anything else, Pitt gets to the free throw line. It does it better than anyone in the ACC, it makes a ton of free throws, and in a game like this with points at a premium, winning on the line will be a must.

They hit 23 free throws in the win in the first game, but …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Boston College Will Win

Boston College doesn’t usually get hit with a ton of fouls.

It can’t guard from three, but Pitt can’t and doesn’t shoot from the outside. It doesn’t make threes, either, but it forces plenty of mistakes and it’s great on the offensive boards – it can hold up against the Panthers inside.

But again, the key here is to not foul Pitt. It’s going to try hammering away, but the Eagles keep the hacks to a minimum. That was a problem in the first game, but it only committed 15 fouls in the second game, send Pitt to the Lins just 12 times, and it turned into an easy 69-56 win.

– Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

Pitt vs Boston College: What’s Going To Happen

Neither team is playing all that well.

These two struggle to shoot, they don’t do much of anything from the outside, and both defenses are spotty, to be nice.

It all comes down to who shoots worse – neither one can overcome a bad shooting day. Pitt is shooting worse than Boston College is.

Pitt vs Boston College Prediction, Lines

Boston College 70, Pitt 65
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING

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Must See Rating: BBBBBBB

5: Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
1: American Auto 

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2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams

Duke vs Pitt Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

Duke vs Pitt prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Tuesday.

Duke vs Pitt prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Tuesday, March 1

Duke vs Pitt How To Watch

Date: Tuesday, March 1
Game Time: 8:00 ET
Venue: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
How To Watch: ACC Network
Record: Duke (25-4), Pitt (11-18)
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– Today’s Best Bet to Lock in Now

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Duke vs Pitt Game Preview

Why Duke Will Win

Everyone who seems to matter got popped on Saturday with the top six teams in the last AP Poll going down.

Duke beat Syracuse 97-72 on the road.

This isn’t a consistent team lately, and there are just enough concerns to think there could be a problem in a few weeks once the season really starts, but it’s on a six-game winning streak and with 11 wins in the last 12 games.

It starts with an offense that’s moving the ball around insanely well.

26 assists against Syracuse. 25 against Florida State. 17 against Wake Forest. The points are leading to easy baskets, the threes have been dropping, and outside of issues with a pesky Virginia, things are rolling.

And then there’s Pitt, with two losses in a row and six in the last nine, but …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Pitt Will Win

Just how much will Duke really be into this?

It wins the ACC regular season title outright with a win in this and a Notre Dame loss to Florida State, but its focus might be on North Carolina on Saturday, the ACC Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament to come.

At least that’s the hope.

On the flip side of Duke, Pitt isn’t moving the ball around all that well.

It doesn’t have the scoring punch to keep up and it’s not hitting from the outside. However, it’s got a good inside presence and it comes up with lots and lots of rebounds.

This is going to be all about energy and momentum.

Pitt has to own the defensive glass – Duke can dominate when it’s getting the offensive boards – and it has to slow the game down to a dead stop at times.

It was able to beat NC State by being great at the free throw line and dominating the rebounds with a +18 margin.

Hold serve on the boards, hit a few threes to get the crowd in the game, and …

– Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

What’s Going To Happen

Nah.

Duke might be a bit sluggish at times, but it’ll crank up the defensive intensity when it absolutely has to.

Pitt just doesn’t shoot well enough or move the ball around strong enough to pull this off.

Duke vs Pitt Prediction, Lines

Duke 82, Pitt 65
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING

Must See Rating: 2

5: Romy
1: Michelle

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2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams