Pitt still has home win streak intact

Many Pitt fans probably have a lasting memory of freshman Antonio Graves’ missed last-second… Many Pitt fans probably have a lasting memory of freshman Antonio Graves’ missed last-second shot that hit the back of the basket and rattled out, ending UConn and Pitt’s first meeting.

The missed shot was a desperate attempt to send the game into overtime and to keep Pitt’s undefeated streak alive. Unfortunately, Pitt’s streak ended that night with a 68-65 loss at the hands of the Huskies.

Well there is another streak that is still intact, and it would be unfortunate for UConn to have a hand in snapping yet another Panthers’ streak. The Panthers have won 39 straight home games and have yet to lose at the Petersen Events Center, which has been their home for almost two full basketball seasons.

If you remember correctly, Pitt did not play well in the first half of the two squads’ matchup earlier this season. As a matter of fact, guards Julius Page and Carl Krauser got into early foul trouble, which forced both players to the bench early.

Of course, the Huskies took advantage of two Panther starters being on the bench and built a big lead. Pitt eventually had to play catch-up and was able to get into position to tie the game as regulation expired.

Another problem was there were way too many uncontested shots in the paint. UConn Center Emeka Okafor scored nine in the first half, but was shut down in the second half, being held to two points.

Pitt did a great job of making the necessary adjustments to defend Okafor, but appeared to forget that there were other capable big men on the floor. UConn forward Josh Boone especially took advantage of the attention Okafor was getting as he scored 10 points and grabbed five boards.

Forward Denham Brown was not a problem in the paint, but was the main Huskies’ player who was overlooked. He was able to lead UConn in scoring, with 20 points, shooting 8-of-12 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.

I’m sure when Pitt was going over film, the last person they were worried about was Brown. But that may cause the Panthers to be vulnerable – when they forget about a player and focus too much on a team’s main threat. So the Panthers have to cover all of their bases in order for Pitt to rebound from another sloppily played game that cost it the game against Seton Hall.

It is mind-boggling how 5-foot-10-inch Andre Barrett – if he is really even that tall; he was just 5-foot-7 two seasons ago – drove the lane with ease and scored on more than one occasion. Or how Grant Billmeier, who averaged 1.5 points per game going into the contest with Pitt, scored eight points in the first half.

But this time, the major problem in Pitt’s 68-67 double-overtime loss was not forgetting about other players on the floor; it was turnovers. A team cannot afford to turn the ball over 24 times and expect to win. That was the most appalling part about the loss – Pitt could have dominated this game and never been in double overtime had it simply taken care of the ball.

Seton Hall only was able to score 68 points in a game that featured two overtime periods, so that illustrates that, if Pitt had played its game, the game would have never been in question.

One streak still remains, and the Panthers need to protect that streak. The brand of basketball that they have been playing lately, where Pitt falls behind by several points early, cannot continue. The competition is getting ready to be a lot stiffer than Notre Dame or Seton Hall.

Both of the poorly played games in question have been on the road, so if the Panthers play their game, they should leave the Pete on Sunday with the streak intact. Pitt will have the crowd behind it, and the Panthers have demonstrated time and time again that they can force teams to play at their tempo. At this point, the Panthers are their own worst enemy.

Kevin Nash is the assistant sports editor for The Pitt News.