Game 8: Closer than anticipated: Pitt 78 Penn State 69

I'll start off this recap by saying that Tim Frazier is really good at basketball.  The Penn State guard basically dominated the first half.  He made almost as many field goals  (6) in the first half as the entire Pitt team (7).  And it's not as if Pitt was playing poor defense.  Frazier was getting tough, contested shots to fall.  At half-time the score was Penn State (Tim Frazier) 30 Pitt 29.  Frazier finished with 27 and DJ Newbill had 18.  That's 45 of their 67 points right there.  The problem with getting all your points from two players is that if they go a little cold, your offense shrivels up.  The shots that fell for Frazier in the 1st half started bouncing out, and Pitt went to Zanna down low early and often.  He came through with maybe his best all-around performance of the season.

Talib Zanna - Zanna had 16 points and 10 rebounds, but that doesn't even begin to tell the whole story.  Fourteen of his points came in the second half.  He completed two and 1's in the first 4 minutes while trying to bring Pitt back.  With 13 minutes left in the game, and Penn State still clinging to a one point lead, Zanna made the first of two huge defensive plays.  Frazier was bringing the ball up and Zanna went out to challenge him.  This sounds like a recipe for disaster and/or a cheap foul.  But Zanna picked Frazier's pocket cleanly, dribbled down the court with the pesky Frazier buzzing around him and layed it in.  With 3 minutes left, Penn State had the ball down 1.  Newbill drove left, had a lane, and put up a floater.  Zanna came out of nowhere on the weak side to swat it away.  He had 4 blocks in the game.  Zanna gained control, and Robinson scored in transition.  His hook shot two possessions later effectively buried the Nittany Lions.

Grade:  A+ (MVP)

James Robinson - After Robinson scored on that layup, he stole the ball himself and scored on another layup.  He didn't have any assists but he shot 50% (3-6) and made the big plays when he needed to.  That's just what he does.

Grade:  B+

Lamar Patterson - Yawn, 16 points, 9 rebounds 5 assists, shoot 50% from the field.  Typical Lamar.  I'd give him an A+, but he had 5 of Pitt's 9 turnovers.

Grade:  A-

Michael Young - Another subpar performance from the freshman.  He looked lost in the first half, and several times he seemed to shoot the ball into the outstretched arms of the Penn State defenders.  It's not as if they jumped up to block him.  Their feet didn't leave the ground.  That's a combination of solid, fundamental defense and Young screwing up.  He redeemed the 0-fer shooting performance (0-5) by hitting all 6 of his free throws and grabbing 7 rebounds.  Man, how good are the Panthers at shooting free throws.  They went 28-35 tonight.

Grade:  C-

Cameron Wright - He had an off-shooting night (2-7) but like all Panthers nowadays, he made his free throws (8-9).  It was however the first game he failed to register at least one steal.

Grade:  B-

Durand Johnson - He had a nice layup and 3 point play, which makes me happy because I enjoy when he drives.  He also had a block a some point in the second half that was probably at a key moment.

Grade:  B-

Chris Jones - He played a minute and didn't do anything of note.

Grade:  n/a

Josh Newkirk - Newkirk played 25 minutes, easily the most of his career because Robinson picked up 2 fouls in the 1st half.  It was his best game, and I feel a lot more comfortable with him in there now.  He shot 2-3 and didn't turn the ball over.  Congrats on your first A of your career, Josh.

Grade:  A+

Jamel Artis - Artis only played 5 minutes, but he did hit a jump shot, prompting the announcing team to offer the typical "what a great find by Dixon, getting a player like Artis who can step out and hit the open jumpshot to stretch the floor.  What a great asset."  I understand that Artis brings that, but I swear I've heard them say that about him every single game.

Grade:  C

Derrick Randall - He made all three of his shots (1 fg, 2 ft) and only commited 1(!) foul in 6 minutes.  I'm so proud of him.

Grade:  B+

Although this game was closer than most people thought it would be, there are still a lot of positives to take from it.  Penn State got other-wordly play from their guards and Pitt played one terrible half, and they still won by 9.  I'll say this about Penn State.  If they had absolutely anything in the frontcourt to complement Frazier and Newbill they'd be an NCAA tournament team.  Unfortunately (well fortunately for me because I don't like Penn State), they don't and so they'll be a big 10 bottom feeder.  Honestly, this game looked a lot like an NCAA tournament loss for Pitt.  You know what I'm talking about.  The game where some guard has a coming out party, drops 22+ and uses it as a springboard to the NBA (Dwyane Wade, Shelvin Mack, Jordan Crawford, etc.).  Good thing Penn State isn't as good as those teams or Pitt could have been looking at a loss they'd never be able to live down.

Anyway, Pitt plays Loyola Marymount on Friday, which would be a lot more exciting if it was 1990.  More on that later.

Hail to Pitt,

J.O.