DreamBackfield.com Hoops

I write about Pitt Hoops for Dream Backfield. Account managed by @PittLead.

Have any Pitt hoops related questions? [email protected]

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

Tonight marks the season opener for @Pitt_MBB, as the Panthers take on @RedFlashMBB at 7pm EST.

Make sure to head to the DreamBackfield forums to check out our game preview, and stick around to chat with us in the live game thread throughout the game:

https://t.co/luRT4g6DbP

[Matt Speck @the_mattspeck24]

Custom Pitt Panthers AF1’s for new @Pitt_MBB player @guilleediazz_ !! Expecting big things from the Diaz-Graham Twins and the whole squad this year!

#H2P #HailToPitt

CC: @jeffcapel @PittTweet 👀

[Ry Guy @rshake33]

Pitt's rotation from their 63-59 home win over Towson:

MVPs of this one? Nate Santos and Noah Collier. Santos gave Pitt a much-needed offensive infusion in the first half. Collier's defensive effort set the tone for Pitt to take the lead and hold on in the second half.

[Ry Guy @rshake33]

Pitt's rotation from the first half of their home contest with Towson. Pitt trails 29-26 at halftime. Some notes on the half:

[Ry Guy @rshake33]

Final rotations from Pitt's 59-51 win over UNC Wilmington tonight, their first win of the year.

Capel uses a very short bench for the final 11 mins of the game, and the Panthers played great defense down the stretch to hold UNCW to 0 field goals for the final 6:01 of the game.

[Ry Guy @rshake33]

Here is roughly what Pitt's rotations have looked like so far tonight as they lead UNC Wilmington 34-21 at halftime.

Thoughts at the half:

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

Tonight was, indeed, Ouch for the Panthers.

[Dick Vitale @DickieV]

Wow tonight Citadel beat Pittsburgh of the @accmbb by 15 that is Ouch for Panthers . Also @IonaGaelsMBB ‘s Rick Pitino @RealPitino with a strong & deep backcourt won opener 65-53 against Appalachian St who was an @marchmadness team last yr returning their top players .

[Ry Guy @rshake33]

If you're a Pitt basketball fan or a glutton for punishment (or both), here's a look at what Pitt's rotation looked like tonight in its 78-63 home loss to The Citadel:

[Teddy Cahill @tedcahill]

Should be no surprise that @RazorbackBSB has the most wins and winning weekends against teams currently ranked in the @BaseballAmerica Top 25.

No. 2 on those lists? @Pitt_BASE

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 Doesn't change my point. If the ACC mandated this, Pitt wouldn't have waited nine years to announce the upgrades.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 Lyke's job will surely weigh heavily on MBB and FB--nobody has ever denied that--but clearly the school also values those other sports, and have prioritized them more during her tenure. Her success in the other areas is clearly impressive. She's not on the hot seat.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 So what if it was a topic of conversation? Pitt was admitted to the ACC in September 2011. If the ACC really mandated the changes, because Pitt's facilities were so detestable, Pitt would not have waited nine years to announce the project. That would make absolutely no sense.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 Are basketball and football where they need to be? No. Of course not. If they continue to struggle, perhaps she will be shown the door at some point.

But the school clearly cares about the other sports, as well, and she's done quite well with the overall state of Pitt Athletics.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 You're basing your entire criticism of Heather Lyke on the idea that the school doesn't care about non-revenue sports.

I'm providing an explanation which is at least as plausible as yours,which is that Pitt cares about those sports and Lyke spear-headed this project.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 That article is specifically discussing creating production facilities to create high-quality content for the ACC Network. It has nothing to do with upgrading athletics facilities.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 You're the one who said facts matter. Point me to ONE article that says that Pitt decided to move forward with Victory Heights because the ACC required them to update their facilities. Just one. Anywhere. From any source.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 Again, why did you reach out to me about this? I truly have no idea. You're not interested in having an actual discussion about it. You're not interested in considering any other viewpoints. You're immediately dismissing every point I make.

Thoroughly unenjoyable interaction.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 I understand that the money generating sports are *your* main concern, but as the old saying goes: follow the money.

Pitt is spending in a big way on other sports because they care about the success of those sports. It is quite literally as simple as that.

[DreamBackfield.com Hoops @PittHoops]

@rjcman38 I believe that you're wrong about that. If the university viewed football and basketball as her "main concern," they would not have green-lit the Victory Heights project. They're spending hundreds of millions on the success of their other athletics. Pitt cares about those sports.