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Posts tagged Brad Wanamaker
Game 25: #5 WVU at #25 Pitt – Backyard Brawl Part Deux
Feb 12th
The #25 Panthers (18-6, 7-4) are back on the court tonight against the much hated #5 Mountaineers (19-4, 8-3). In the first meeting between these two teams, Pitt was embarrassed for the last quarter of the game and was left with a sour taste in their mouth, going down 70-51. The game tips off at 9:00 on ESPN. Pitt players and coaches had to dodge garbage being thrown from the fans leading WVU coach Bob Huggins to get on the mic, but Mountaineer fans are too dumb to listen unless there is a couch burning and Pitt assistant coach Tom Herrion was hit below his right eye with what many are thinking was a coin. The players also got in a scrum with Gary McGhee for the Panthers.
Honestly, what is there to preview for this game? Both teams hate each other, the fans hate each other. There is going to be animosity, there is going to be an intensity level that is rarely seen, and there is going to be extra security. I hope Pitt fans are more intelligent then Mountaineer fans and don’t throw things on the court and try and cause a break in the game. Cheer your heart out, boo the hell out of the Mountaineers, but don’t throw anything on the court. Show WVU we are better than they are, especially after we pull the upset and beat WVU.
That’s right, put the upset alert out, because Pitt is sending the Mountaineers home with a loss. McGhee will not miss 8 layups again, Gilbert Brown and Brad Wannamaker will have more than 0 points each and seeing how Brown disappeared in the game against Robert Morris, he is due for one of his big games. Jermaine Dixon and Ashton Gibbs will continue to stay hot and light it up for the Panthers. And finally instead of having to hear the Mountaineer fans, the Oakland Zoo will be rocking tonight on ESPN.
Prediction: 73-61 Pitt
Game 17: #12 Georgetown at #9 Pitt
Jan 20th
The #9 Panthers (14-2, 5-0) get back on the court tonight, for the first time since their come from behind win against Louisville this past Saturday, to do battle with #12 Georgetown Hoyas (13-3, 4-2) at The Pete. Tipoff is at 7:00 and the game can be seen on ESPNU for those unable to attend the game.
The Panthers proved on Saturday that their offense doesn’t have to revolve around Ashton Gibbs for them to succeed and they also proved they are gritty enough to come back when all seems lost. Nasir Robinson really stepped up and Brad Wanamaker had another good game and was clutch down the stretch. Pitt had a difficult time stopping Samardo Samuels and now have to deal with two more big men in Greg Monroe and Julian Vaughn. Monroe is the main threat that Pitt has to worry about and is a completely different player then Samuels for his size. Pitt is going to need to find a way to shut Monroe down to have a chance at victory.
A major factor in Pitt’s recent run has been their aggressiveness and team play, this needs to continue tonight to beat a good Georgetown team who is looking to end Pitt’s winning streak and 32 game win streak at The Pete. They have to continue being aggressive for loose balls and going for rebounds. They also need to keep passing the rock around and taking good shots as a team. At times I couldn’t believe the shots they were taking against Louisville, at times it seemed like they went to street ball type shots instead of taking good shots. Fortunately for the Panthers, they went in on Saturday, who’s to say that will continue though.
It’s only due time until Dante Taylor has that breakout game to say he has arrived on the scene, tonight wouldn’t be a bad game for that to happen. Hopefully Ashton Gibbs has a little more room to breathe then he did on Saturday to have another 20+ point performance. If Robinson and Wanamaker can carry their performances over from Saturday, there is no way Pitt should lose. Pitt needs to take good shots with the Hoyas having the 2nd best defense for points allowed per game behind Pitt in the Big East. Someone needs that big game and everyone needs to pitch in tonight.
Pitt needs to wear the Hoyas down tonight, 6 members average 20+ minutes, everyone else is less than 8 minutes a game. This is what hurt the Hoyas when they lost to Villanova, if the Panthers can wear them down, much like they do every team, Pitt should be coming out the victor in this low scoring affair.
Prediction: 70-63
Uhhhhhhh, What a Rush! Road Warrior Panthers Defeat Huskies
Jan 14th
Looks like my Panther senses were right on yesterday with Pitt (14-2, 4-0) finishing the road trip sweep defeating UConn (11-5, 2-3) 67-57. I was a little off in my prediction, but what a game Panther fans. Pitt really shut down UConn’s transition game down and played one hell of a half court game.
Jim Calhoun was quick to start with his excuses of losing for the third time in a row to Pitt saying his team “didn’t show up.” Let’s face the facts here coach, Pitt didn’t show up completely either. This was one of the best games Pitt played all year, but they still missed the easy shots, still had too many turnovers, and still made too many mental mistakes. Pitt did not come close to playing a complete game, so don’t say your boys didn’t show up Calhoun, because simply put, Pitt outplayed you. Even with Pitt shooting 39% from the floor, they still pulled out the victory.
Pitt was aggressive, fast, and played like they’ve been there before. They played solid defense and really wore UConn’s big men down. I laid out 5 keys to victory yesterday. Let’s look back and see how Pitt did with them.
1. Gibbs stays hot – Gibbs was still hot yesterday, granted he made some bad mental mistakes and didn’t make his shots like he usually does. He still came out with 19 points last night. Brad Wanamaker helped with 19 points as well and that was bigger than anyone will admit.
2. Slow down UConn’s transition game – 5 star success here from Pitt. Pitt held UConn to 16 fast break points. Pitt didn’t just slow UConn’s transition game down, it made it almost non-existant.
3. Contain Jerome Dyson – First off I would like to apologize for calling Jerome Dyson Jermaine Dyson yesterday, a regrettable error. Pitt did this very well last night, you may be asking how is still allowing Dyson 14 points a success? Dyson played 35 minutes and only had 14 points, he averages 19 points a game. While Stanley Robinson went off, who was going to stop him on Pitt though? Dyson was being shut down.
4. Hit the makeable shots (Free Throws, the bunnies, high percentage) – Pitt still missed a lot of bunnies and high percentage shots and only shot 39% from the field. The main story here is Pitt’s Free Throw shooting. They were 85% last night. When you think of Pitt, you think of a team who can’t hit a free throw for their life.
5. Be aggressive – Pitt was extremely aggressive, causing UConn to foul early and often, out-hustling UConn, and most importantly, and most impressively, out rebounding UConn 36-31. Pitt was on every loose ball, and their man-to-man defense was on fire last night.
I laid out 5 keys to victory and Pitt followed them and they were victorious. This was a huge win for Pitt as it gives them another good quality win for their tournament resume, shows that the momentum carried from the 9 day break, and gave Pitt their first 3-3 road trip sweep in Big East history.
Pitt looks to carry their 7 game win streak into Saturday when they return to The Pete to take on Louisville (12-5, 3-1) at 12:00 on ESPN Fullcourt, WTAE for those in the Pittsburgh area.
Game 16: #16 Pitt at #15 UConn
Jan 13th
Well Panther fans, it’s finally time for another Pitt game. It feels like it’s been forever since the last game, and the way Pitt was playing, that’s a bad thing. You can say what you want about momentum carrying over, but Pitt definitely had momentum on their side after beating Syracuse and Cincinnati on the road. Tonight, Pitt (13-2, 3-0) looks to finish the road trip sweep against #15 UConn (11-4, 2-2) at 7:00 PM on ESPN2.
Pitt has looked more and more like a Big East contender these past couple of games and it can be seen in the polls and Bracketology. Pitt went from being unranked two weeks ago to being ranked 15 in the AP Poll and 16 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. In Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology on ESPN.com, Pitt went from being out of the tournament two weeks ago to being a 4 seed in the latest Bracketology.
This is a game between the two winningest Big East teams of the decade and they renew their rivalry tonight. Once again, Pitt looks to end an opponent’s undefeated record at home as UConn is 11-0 at home, while Pitt is 3-0 on the road. It will be a hostile environment for the relatively young Panthers.
UConn coming off of a loss where they blew a 19 point half time lead is not good for the Panthers. Look for Jim Calhoun to have his Huskies back in line when they play the Panthers tonight. Pitt is going to need a little luck and be hot from the outside to win tonight. It’s going to be a game of UConn’s height versus Pitt’s perimeter game and speed. The only height Pitt has is in Gary McGhee at 6’10” and unless he has become or channels the spirit of DeJuan Blair tonight, there isn’t much McGhee will do. Jamie Dixon should look towards a faster lineup tonight against UConn’s tremendous transition game. Ashton Gibbs needs to stay hot tonight. The 5 men who need to get the majority of the minutes tonight have to be Gibbs, Jermaine Dixon, Gilbert Brown, Brad Wanamaker, and Travon Woodall. Tonight would be a perfect place for a breakout game from Dante Taylor.
Pitt needs to follow these keys to victory for any chance to win tonight:
1. Gibbs stays hot
2. Slow down UConn’s transition game
3. Contain Jermaine Dyson
4. Hit the makeable shots (Free Throws, the bunnies, high percentage)
5. Be aggressive
This will be another brutal test for the Panthers, a win makes them a perfect 4-0 in the conference and would make UConn 2-3 and really set them back in the conference.
Maybe I’m being a homer, but I sense another upset for the Panthers, so fans get your Colhoun Crying Towel out.
Prediction: 74-69 Pitt
Pitt takes on Indiana in Jimmy V Classic
Dec 8th
The 7-1 Pitt Panthers play “host” to the 3-4 Indiana Hoosiers tonight at Madison Square Garden, Pitt’s home away from home, in the Jimmy V Classic. The game is the second game of a double header. The first game is between Georgetown and Butler. Tip off will be around 9:00 PM, depending on when the Georgetown-Butler game finishes on ESPN.
The Garden is considered to be Pitt’s home away from home. They have played 32 games there since the 2000-2001 season, amassing a record of 23-9 and winning two Big East tournament titles. The biggest win in this building for Pitt was back in 2007 against Duke. Pitt also has 3 players from the New York area, Ashton Gibbs, Travon Woodall, and Dante Taylor, along with head coach Jamie Dixon.
The Hoosiers are led by a familiar foe to the Panthers in head coach Tom Crean, who coached Marquette before leaving for Indiana. Indiana is led by G Maurice Creek (16.7 points per game), F Christian Watford (12.6 points per game), and G Verdell Jones III (11.4 points per game).
The Panthers are coming off an embarrassing game against New Hampshire, where the Panthers won 47-32, but the two teams combined for only 22 points in the first half, breaking a record for lowest point total in any half since the shot clock was introduced. Ashton Gibbs had 23 points, and Brad Wanamaker had 19. These two men will have to lead Pitt again tonight, and returning starter Jermaine Dixon will be a game-time decision tonight. His and Gilbert Brown’s returns will help hopefully jump start the relatively flat Panther offense.
While Pitt’s offense has been flat the past two games, I look for them to bounce back at the Garden tonight against a Hoosiers team who is giving up 71.7 points per game.
Prediction: 72-60 Pitt
Game Preview: Pitt Takes on Duquesne in Final City Game at Mellon Arena
Dec 2nd
Tonight Pitt takes on Duquesne in the 78th City Game. The game will be held at the Mellon Arena, the 35th and final time at the Mellon Arena. Not since 2001 has the game been held at the neutral site. Tonight’s game will tip off at 7:00PM and will be shown on FSN Pittsburgh.
Both Pitt and Duquesne are 5-1. Pitt’s one loss came to number 3 Texas in the CBE Classic Final after going point for point with them the majority of the game. The Dukes single loss came to Western Carolina. Pitt looks to beat Duquesne for the 9th straight time.
The Dukes have 4 players averaging double digits in points, but really lack bench depth. The Panthers have to contain F Damian Saunders who is averaging 16.8 points and 15.5 rebounds and G Melquan Bolding who is averaging 25 points. The Dukes marquee win has been an upset of Iowa, at Iowa.
The Panthers will be lead by Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, and Nasir Robinson. All four men scored double digits against Youngstown St. and McGee and Robinson had double-doubles.
This game, more than anything, is about tradition. This is the 35th and final time these two teams will play at the Mellon Arena, and will be the final college basketball game there. It will be interesting to see what both schools have in store for this final farewell as these two teams prepare to really ignite the rivalry once again.
Duquesne is a good school, and they have a very good coach in Ron Everhart. I just don’t feel like they are complete enough yet to beat Pitt. The game will be close I feel, but I give the edge to the Panthers on this one. The Dukes may be averaging 4 more points than the Panthers, but Pitt can shut down the most potent offenses with Jamie Dixon’s man-to-man defense.
Prediction: 68-55, Pitt Wins
Men’s Basketball Preview 2009-2010
Nov 13th
It’s hard to believe Panther fans, but it’s already basketball season again. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago that we were watching our Panthers move onto the Elite Eight and only to have our hearts broken by Villanova. Last year was a fun year for Panther fans: first time being ranked #1, first time receiving a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, breaking the Sweet Sixteen ceiling, and seeing two of our players drafted in the NBA.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this season will be quite as fun. This year, Pitt is a relatively young team compared to last year. The Panthers lost 4 starters in Sam Young (NBA), DeJuan Blair (NBA), Levance Fields (graduated), and Terrell Biggs (graduated). The only returning starter is Jermaine Dixon, and he might be out to start the season due to his broken foot.
Luckily, the Panthers have some younger players with experience. Gary McGee will need to step up this year. Many of you may remember his 3 fouls in 40 seconds against UConn last year. Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown, and Ashton Gibbs look poised to help lead this team this year. Also, look for some help from the incoming freshman, Dante Taylor. While this team is young, you can never discredit a Pitt team with Jamie Dixon as the head coach.
The Panthers start with a relatively weak non-conference schedule with a game against Iowa or Texas, and a game against Indiana. Pitt should be able to walk out of the non-conference schedule with 1 or 2 losses. Once again, the Panthers will play everyone from the Big East once and will play St. Johns, Seton Hall, and WVU twice. St. Johns and Seton Hall finished towards the bottom of the Big East last year. St. Johns could be dangerous this year as they returned all 5 starters and are the only team that can claim such a thing in the Big East. WVU is a preseason darling to the media as they are ranked in the top 10 in both polls. Pitt will struggle a little bit in the Big East. They are predicted to finish 9th. That seems awfully low. Hopefully Dixon and his Panthers will prove the prediction wrong by the end of the year.
I can still see the Panthers making the NCAA tournament, probably as a 7-10 seed, unless they really shatter their preseason predictions.
This year will be a learning year for the Panthers. Stick with them though. Give this team time and they could really be shocking people towards the end of the year.
Season Record Prediction: 23-8
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