2008/2009 Big East Thread

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

watch the replay. He secured the ball, freed a hand to grab thabeet's wrist and pulled hard.
I suppose it's legal to flip someone over your shoulder now.

Oh, lord...

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

HUGE WIN!!! Blair absolutely dominated....game 2 should be just as fun...(maybe in that game our guards will make a shot before 3 minutes left in the game).

That's what worries me about Pitt's chances. The offense sputters somewhat. You wonder if they can endure a long hiccup.

[Speedy]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I'm glad UConn isn't in the ACC b/c Jim Calhoun is actually more annoying in both the post-game as well as his heckling of the refs than Coach K

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I'm glad UConn isn't in the ACC b/c Jim Calhoun is actually more annoying in both the post-game as well as his heckling of the refs than Coach K

Yeah. It was funny watching Dixon when Calhoun was having a filibuster w/one of the refs. He was right to be annoyed @ that 4th foul on Thabeet, however.

[justamush]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

The 4th on Thabeet was obviously a joke. How anyone can call that is beyond me. That being said, it didn't matter one bit, because Thabeet could not handle Dejuan at all. If you look at the +- data, UConn was -10 with Thabeet on the court, and +2 with him off of it.

[justamush]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I'm glad UConn isn't in the ACC b/c Jim Calhoun is actually more annoying in both the post-game as well as his heckling of the refs than Coach K

This is classic Calhoun. Watch, he will probably get a technical in the first few minutes of the next game too. He is starting early on working the officials for the 2nd match up. He likes to do this type of thing from time to time

[KG]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Pitt is much better offensively this yr compared to past teams. What I would be worried about if I was a Pitt fan come torney time is a game officiated by non BE refs. A couple of quick fouls on Blair would really put them in the hole.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I'm glad UConn isn't in the ACC b/c Jim Calhoun is actually more annoying in both the post-game as well as his heckling of the refs than Coach K

I just saw his post game on SC. What a cry baby. Geez. Like I said earlier, that 4th foul on Thabeet was bogus. But his foul trouble didn't affect the game. Blair dominated their matchup when he was in there. & when Thabeet sat down, that was when UConn made their best runs.

I'm interested in how the Pitt fans will react to him in a few weeks.

[justamush]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Pitt is much better offensively this yr compared to past teams. What I would be worried about if I was a Pitt fan come torney time is a game officiated by non BE refs. A couple of quick fouls on Blair would really put them in the hole.

This is exactly what happened to Pitt in both of the losses. Blair and Biggs both got in to foul trouble, which took away our inside strength. Blair's problem is he always get 1 or 2 fouls 30 ft from the basket. If he stops those fouls, he usually can stay out of trouble.

[ehh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I have no idea why so many UConn fans have their panties in a bunch over that Blair/Thabeet play. If Adrien did that to Sam Young then everyone would be praising it is a great, tough move. There was nothing dirty or intentional about it though a foul certainly shouldn't have been called on Thabeet - though it's tough to have a play like that happen and there be a no-call.

The officiating was bad and inconsisent on both ends but Thabeet's 4th foul, as atrocious as it was, didn't have much of an affect on the outcome of the game. He wasn't doing anything out there.

It is said after many UConn losses but there is absolutely no reason why UConn should be playing man defense against Pitt. They still aren't a great offensive team and they don't have great shooters. Play a 2-3, bottle up Blair on every catch and let Young get his 25-30 (which he got anyway versus man to man). You don't have to worry about being susceptible to worse rebounding because it was awful anyway. We don't need to worry about ball pressure and creating turnovers because we aren't a fastbreaking team anymore (JC's usual excuse for not playing zone). We slow things down and pound it inside.

That or Calhoun needs to man up and admit that Blair is too much for Thabeet/Adrien and use the strategy from Elton Brand on the '99 title game and just do a big-to-big double every time he catches the ball.

Thabeet vs Blair is a horrible match up for him, just like Greg Monroe is. I'm not going to cry about it but Blair was throwing his shoulder into Thabeet's torso on nearly every play but you don't teach your 7'3 shotblocker to flop. Adrien finally drew an offensive foul on Blair in the 2nd half, they probably could have draw at least three more on him in the paint.

The bottom line is that Pitt was tougher and in turn better last night. Dyson's absense didn't cost us the game either, Adrien's no-show first half and Thabeet's no-show all game was the reason. Thabeet played soft and let Blair push him around and he STILL does not keep his hands high when defending a guy in the post. Get your hands up and before Blair even attempts a shot and you block at least four of those quick turn arounds that Blair put in off the glass.

[ehh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Pitt is much better offensively this yr compared to past teams. What I would be worried about if I was a Pitt fan come torney time is a game officiated by non BE refs. A couple of quick fouls on Blair would really put them in the hole.

There aren't conference-specific ref crews like in college football. The high-major refs do games all over the country and in several conferences.

But your bottom line is correct, a tightly called game really puts Pitt at a disadvantage.

[KG]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

There aren't conference-specific ref crews like in college football. The high-major refs do games all over the country and in several conferences.

But your bottom line is correct, a tightly called game really puts Pitt at a disadvantage.

Yeah but you know when those refs get together to call a BE game they call it differently. Once torney time comes they (refs) usually get tight and hurt physical teams.

[ThreeKing]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Blair and Pitt are completely inside Calhoun's head. Holy Jeezus.

The other night, I saw Thabeet and Adrien getting physical against Syracuse. I guess that's okay.

Quit cryin' Jim.

[ehh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Is JC's presser online anywhere? I haven't seen it yet and the school's site obviously didn't include any of his entertaining quotes.

[Speedy]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Isn't Blair a soph? It's unlikely but I hope he stays in school at least another year...