Pitt -7.5
Playing at the RAC is one of the best home court advantages for the Nites.The joke at Rutgers for yrs is they win all there home games and lose everythinhg on the road.Lyr Rutgers lost just 2 home games[one to Pitt].Well today starts the BE season and RU has already lost 2 home games.In fact they have equaled there road wins already and home losses.
RU lost last week to LaSalle at home in OT.They just beat power house Praire View AM by a couple.This team is struggling.The reason is no rebounding or inside presence.There are shooting poorly,having defensive breakdowns,having team problems,flu,can't shoot FT's,etc,etc
Walters suspended 2 subs for an off the court fight.Coleman is a stud but lost his outside shot.He has missed 68-95 of his last shots.He's shooting 71-200 and 33-112 from the 3.He has been fighting the flu but he is so down he took himself out of a game recently.
The problem though is there inside game.I've been saying this since day 1.Wright and Axani are not a scoring threat at all and have trouble rebounding.Wright wants to block anything in front of him.So he gets into foul trouble on the pre-game warmup line.He has avg 16 minuts a game because he has 3 fouls in the 1st 10 minuts of every game.Axani has no inside game.Great for setting picks.But he is slow.
In fact today he will start so Wright cannot get into foul trouble.
Lamaizana is just crazy.At 6'10 weighing in at 215 he is a stringbean scorer.He is 5th in the nation in blocked shots and 1st in missing blocked shots.[sorry not a true stat]He wants to play everywhere.And really is capable of it.Has a great 15 ft jumper.Shields is a solid ball handler and a great defender.He will gd Knight.Sherrod can shoot but is also slumping.
Pitt is loaded and if anyone watched them dismantle ND you know what I'm talking about.They have everything.With 5 starters back they rebound,play defense,have depth,can score from inside and outside and most importantly "wear you down".With an aggressive man/man.
I'm not going to breakdown the team.Lett and Troutman inside,slashers like Brown,Page,etc.Outside shooting of Zavac,Knight,Page.You all know the characters in the play.
Howland is an outstanding coach.Fundamentals.Rebounding and defense and defense and rebounding.Pitt has seen nothing but zones this yr.You almost have to play a zone to neutralize Knight and his penetration.Rutgers is strictly a man/man defense.So either RU plays them there normal defense or changes to a zone.They have had 8 days to prepare.
Lyr RU played them man mostly and lost 66-58.Pitt also beat them by 20 at home.But lyr RU had Kent inside and were better.Pitt this yr is better and I see them winning in the RAC by double digits.I don't care where you are playing.A team that can't shoot FT's[2nd worst in BE]can't shoot[last in BE FG%]last in rebound margin,rebounds,etc RU's one strenght is defense and creating steals and TO's.But vs a great ballhandling pt gd they lose their one advantage.
RU will stay close for awhile.9,000 fans in the crazy RAC will definaltly help them.But I always believe that a visiting team with a great pt gd in an hostile enviroment is a great neutralizer.And Brandon is that....and his name is Knight
Playing at the RAC is one of the best home court advantages for the Nites.The joke at Rutgers for yrs is they win all there home games and lose everythinhg on the road.Lyr Rutgers lost just 2 home games[one to Pitt].Well today starts the BE season and RU has already lost 2 home games.In fact they have equaled there road wins already and home losses.
RU lost last week to LaSalle at home in OT.They just beat power house Praire View AM by a couple.This team is struggling.The reason is no rebounding or inside presence.There are shooting poorly,having defensive breakdowns,having team problems,flu,can't shoot FT's,etc,etc
Walters suspended 2 subs for an off the court fight.Coleman is a stud but lost his outside shot.He has missed 68-95 of his last shots.He's shooting 71-200 and 33-112 from the 3.He has been fighting the flu but he is so down he took himself out of a game recently.
The problem though is there inside game.I've been saying this since day 1.Wright and Axani are not a scoring threat at all and have trouble rebounding.Wright wants to block anything in front of him.So he gets into foul trouble on the pre-game warmup line.He has avg 16 minuts a game because he has 3 fouls in the 1st 10 minuts of every game.Axani has no inside game.Great for setting picks.But he is slow.
In fact today he will start so Wright cannot get into foul trouble.
Lamaizana is just crazy.At 6'10 weighing in at 215 he is a stringbean scorer.He is 5th in the nation in blocked shots and 1st in missing blocked shots.[sorry not a true stat]He wants to play everywhere.And really is capable of it.Has a great 15 ft jumper.Shields is a solid ball handler and a great defender.He will gd Knight.Sherrod can shoot but is also slumping.
Pitt is loaded and if anyone watched them dismantle ND you know what I'm talking about.They have everything.With 5 starters back they rebound,play defense,have depth,can score from inside and outside and most importantly "wear you down".With an aggressive man/man.
I'm not going to breakdown the team.Lett and Troutman inside,slashers like Brown,Page,etc.Outside shooting of Zavac,Knight,Page.You all know the characters in the play.
Howland is an outstanding coach.Fundamentals.Rebounding and defense and defense and rebounding.Pitt has seen nothing but zones this yr.You almost have to play a zone to neutralize Knight and his penetration.Rutgers is strictly a man/man defense.So either RU plays them there normal defense or changes to a zone.They have had 8 days to prepare.
Lyr RU played them man mostly and lost 66-58.Pitt also beat them by 20 at home.But lyr RU had Kent inside and were better.Pitt this yr is better and I see them winning in the RAC by double digits.I don't care where you are playing.A team that can't shoot FT's[2nd worst in BE]can't shoot[last in BE FG%]last in rebound margin,rebounds,etc RU's one strenght is defense and creating steals and TO's.But vs a great ballhandling pt gd they lose their one advantage.
RU will stay close for awhile.9,000 fans in the crazy RAC will definaltly help them.But I always believe that a visiting team with a great pt gd in an hostile enviroment is a great neutralizer.And Brandon is that....and his name is Knight
