Tag: Pittsburgh

Former Wisconsin Badger continues career year in Louisville’s big road win

Former Wisconsin Badger continues career-best year in big road win

Louisville point guard Chucky Hepburn, a former Wisconsin Badger, continued his career year in the Cardinals’ 82-78 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Hepburn finished the contest with 15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals, highlighted by several key plays down the stretch.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Minnesota

Louisville led the Panthers 69-67 with four minutes remaining. Hepburn drilled a big 3-pointer to extend the Cardinals’ lead to five. He assisted on two more late 3s and added a layup in the final moments to seal the win.

The Cardinals (12-5, 5-1 ACC) trail first-place Duke (14-2, 6-0 ACC) by one game.

Hepburn’s strong performance improves his season averages to 15.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals on 44% shooting and 31% from 3. Those are career bests across the board, minus the 3-point percentage. His previous best campaign came as a sophomore with the Badgers in 2022-2: 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

While the former Wisconsin star is leading Louisville to big wins, the Badgers have also rediscovered their top form. Greg Gard’s team is on a five-game winning streak dating to Dec. 14, the latest was a 80-59 triumph over Minnesota. Center Steven Crowl, transfer wing John Tonje and guards John Blackwell and Kamari McGee have led the way in many of those victories.

Hepburn’s production and leadership may be missed. But Gard did well in reloading the roster after his departure. Both parties have found significant success as the 2024-25 season has continued.

A related story is fellow Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr’s performance: His role at Kansas has dwindled as the season has progressed.

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Wisconsin surges in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Pittsburgh, Greenbrier Tip-Off title

Wisconsin surges in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Pittsburgh, Greenbrier Tip-Off title

Wisconsin basketball continued its early season emergence over the weekend, defeating UCF, 86-70, and Pittsburgh, 81-75, to capture the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off title.

The wins came in an entirely different fashion. Wisconsin dominated UCF from the opening tip and was never tested in the second half. The Pittsburgh game was a significant test. The Badgers trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, then needed a 54-point second frame and sheer dominance from wing John Tonje to exit with the victory.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Pittsburgh

That resilience against a good Pittsburgh team is another notch in the belt for Greg Gard’s group. It continues to emerge as a surprise contender in both the Big Ten and nationally. The team is off to a 7-0 start for the third time in program history (2014-15 and 1973-74).

Ratings metrics have been somewhat hesitant to crown Gard’s team as a true contender, however. Wisconsin entered the Greenbrier Tip-Off ranked No. 40 KenPom and No. 30 in ESPN BPI.

Those marks both rose significantly after the pair of wins.

The Badgers are up 14 spots in KenPom to No. 26 overall, with the No. 12-rated offense and No. 72 defense. That mark is good for fourth-best in the Big Ten behind only Purdue (No. 15), Ohio State (No. 18) and UCLA (No. 22).

The team also rose to No. 27 in BPI. The metric has its projected final record at 21.8-9.2 and gives it an 14.2% chance to win the Big Ten.

Wisconsin faced an uphill battle in those metrics to begin the season. Each likely put significant weight into the departures of Tyler Wahl, A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn.

The on-court product has eliminated that narrative. Tonje looks to be an upgrade over Storr in the early going, averaging 23 points and 5.4 rebounds through the first seven games. The team as a whole looks to be improved over the 2023-24 group. Part of that can be attributed to the development of Nolan Winter, Kamari McGee, John Blackwell and others. It also should be credited to fantastic coaching from Gard and his staff. His new system is allowing the team to flourish, and it is playing its best basketball since the team made a run to the national title game in 2015.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Saturday against Chicago State. It begins Big Ten play with a home game against Michigan on Dec. 3.

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Steelers making calls on multiple WRs at trade deadline, per insider

Insider Adam Schefter brings good news for Steelers fans—potential wide receiver trade targets who could end up in Pittsburgh.

In what has been an up-and-down week for Pittsburgh trade rumors, to say the least, fans of the Steel City are getting a positive update for a change. Insider Adam Schefter reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been in contact with teams to trade for any available wide receiver at the trade deadline.

Schefter continued to name two wide receivers and previously rumored trade targets—Carolina Panthers’ WR Adam Thielen and New York Jets’ WR Mike Williams.

While the Carolina Panthers are expected to sell heavily at the trade deadline, the New York Jets may wait to see how the AFC playoff picture takes shape after Week 9’s games before making any potential moves.

The 34-year-old Thielen is well beyond the prime of his career but could provide Pittsburgh with a veteran presence in the wide receiver room.

Williams, however, may still have plenty of gas left in the tank, as when healthy, the WR is a force to be reckoned with.

Will Pittsburgh pull the trigger on any WR trade, or at this point, is making any trade before the deadline simply a pipe dream?

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Notre Dame men’s basketball to wear green jerseys for four home games

Dress appropriately for these games.

A big deal always is made whenever the Notre Dame football team wears green jerseys. Typically, it’s reserved for a special occasion once a year. But the men’s basketball team has decided one game of green jerseys isn’t enough.

In a video released Monday, the Irish announced that they will wear green jerseys four times at Purcell Pavilion during the 2024-25 season. The video showcases [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] being asked which one of the four games his team should sport the jerseys in.

After a moment, Shrewsberry decides that Syracuse, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh all need to see the jerseys when they visit South Bend.

The Irish wore green jerseys once last season, and that was a 73-61 loss to Miami. This year, they’ll stick with them of sporting them against ACC competition.

Also of note is that all of the games will be broadcast on network TV. Three of them will be on The CW, and CBS has the game against the Tar Heels. Clearly, the Irish want to look their best while playing for national audiences.

We’ll find out soon enough whether the green jerseys are lucky for the Irish.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Former Notre Dame baseball player hired as Pitt athletic director

Great to see him doing well.

A face familiar to Notre Dame sort of will be reuniting with the Irish in the ACC. [autotag]Allen Greene[/autotag], who played baseball at Notre Dame for three seasons, has been hired as Pittsburgh’s new athletic director, effective Nov. 1. He will leave his current role as chief operating officer and senior deputy athletic director at Tennessee.

From 1996 to 1998, Greene slashed .329/.413/.538 for the Irish, resulting in a .951 OPS. He hit 15 home runs, had 113 RBIs and stole 22 bases. After his final season, the New York Yankees selected him in the ninth round of the MLB draft, but he never got above High-A.

Since then, Greene has worked a seven-year stint at Notre Dame, had two stints at Ole Miss and served as the athletic director at Buffalo and Auburn for a combined eight years. He clearly found his calling after his playing days ended, and it’s great to see him thrive in it:

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1847260012298600647

Best of luck to Greene in his new role (though not against the Irish).

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

On3 names Notre Dame’s Matt Allocco among top 20 ACC impact transfers

How do you expect him to contribute this season?

Unlike most other ACC teams, Notre Dame didn’t dip its toes very deep into the transfer portal this past offseason. In fact, the Irish joined North Carolina, Florida State and Pittsburgh as the only schools in the conference to add three or fewer players via the transfer portal. That fell below the conference average of 4.6 transfers a team.

But one of them figures to contribute mightily to the Irish this this upcoming season. On3’s Jamie Shaw has named [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag] one of 20 impact transfers in the ACC for the 2024-25 season.

Allocco came over to the Irish from Princeton and is coming off career-high averages in both scoring (12.7) and assists (3.3). That netted him his second straight Second Team All-Ivy League honor, and he now will see how well his game translates in a power conference.

Shaw described Allocco this way:

“Matt Allocco is another connector for [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag]’s team. The 6-foot-4 senior is comfortable moving the ball or knocking down shots. He brings a winning pedigree (70-21 in college) and will provide a veteran presence beside [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag], someone who compliments his game and is able to take some pressure off his duties.”

Irish fans will be watch Allocco every step of the way. He’ll be crucial to any success this still-young team has.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Former Notre Dame right wing Bryan Rust shows off delicious milkshake

Delicious.

Two years ago, my wife and I took a trip to Pittsburgh and got to experience the local institution known as the Milkshake Factory. During that time, the chain was offering a milkshake named after then-Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel. The milkshake went away when the Penguins dealt Guentzel during last season’s trade deadline.

But a new season means a chance at a new milkshake involving a Penguins player. The Milkshake Factory has taken advantage of that chance and teamed up with former Notre Dame right wing [autotag]Bryan Rust[/autotag].

Rust’s milkshake differs from Guentzel’s, but it’s my opinion that this one is better, and I wish I had the opportunity to travel to the Steel City right now just to try it. Yes, I would try it over the Campfire Milkshake that proved to be the only thing most people liked about the Chicago White Sox’s historically awful season they just had.

Rust will start this season on injured reserve, but at least this milkshake always will be available as long as it’s being offered.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Steelers scouts swarm Week 6, Ohio State vs Iowa: Finding future stars

The Steelers are preparing for the future! Pittsburgh sent out scouts to witness some of College Football’s best from Ohio State and Iowa.

From Omar Khan aggressively pursuing a trade for Davante Adams to preparation for next year’s draft, there is a lot to love about this team’s future. Pittsburgh’s scouting team is looking to keep the ‘Khan Artist’ happy with the CFB matchups this week.

It was reported on Saturday morning that Pittsburgh was one of ten teams to send personnel to scout the Ohio State vs Iowa matchup. Pittsburgh made a decision, one that only a select few of these ten teams made, to send more than one scout to the game.

Several dominant and key players from next year’s draft will be showcasing their talent in hopes of becoming top draft selections, such as Ohio State’s WR Emeka Egbuka, EDGE Jack Sawyer, RB Quinshon Judkins, OT Josh Simmons, CB Denzel Burke, and EDGE JT Tuimoloau, to name a few. The University of Iowa also has some aspiring 2025 NFL Draft prospects, like OG Sebastian Castro, DB Xavier Nwankpa, and RB Kaleb Johnson.

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Arthur Smith on Justin Fields: ‘Almost took the game over’

Pittsburgh OC Arthur Smith spoke very highly of Justin Fields’ Week 4 performance, especially his second-half.

While some fans are debating who the true QB1 is in Pittsburgh, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith appears to be a massive fan of Justin Fields’ poise and playmaking ability.

Smith is definitely someone you want in your corner when you’re engaged in a quarterback competition—or possibly winning one like Fields is.  Well, almost everyone thinks he’s beating out Russell Wilson.

While fans wish for Fields to remain the starting quarterback, their pleas fall on deaf ears, as head coach Mike Tomlin feels the quarterback competition is yet to be decided.

However, Smith nor Fields were blind to his own statistical output in Week 4—throwing for over 300 yards, rushing for over 50, and adding three total touchdowns to cap off his elite performance.

Fields will need to end this QB controversy once and for all against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, and at least he’ll have his offensive coordinator supporting his every move.

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Russell Wilson looks healthy enough, but what’s the real story?

Is Russell Wilson’s calf injury as bad as Pittsburgh is making it out to be? Or, is this dramatized and only the tip of proverbial iceberg?

‘To Russ, or not to Russ, that is the question’ (Shakespeare, maybe?)

What on earth is going on with Russell Wilson’s calf injury? It appeared that Wilson was simply being held out of the Steelers’ regular-season debut for precautionary reasons, but missed the next three Weeks straight. Even though Justin Fields looked deflated through the first two weeks of the season, Wilson continued to nurse his injury while the latter earned the team’s trust with consecutive elite performances in Weeks 3 and 4.

Russell Wilson isn’t the only player with an “injury” designation that has fans scratching their heads, as many also ponder why WR Roman Wilson hasn’t played either:

Could this be some sort of PR stunt for the Steelers QB, in which the team provides Wilson with an alternative option to avoid facing the humiliation of losing the quarterback battle to Fields?

We may never find out exactly what is happening with the pair of injured Wilsons in Pittsburgh, but Mike Tomlin sure loves to keep his cards close to the vest.

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