No Sleep Hoyas!
Pittsburgh is 12-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big East. Pitt was 11-2 going into Big East conference play. I don't know what happened going into conference play for the Panthers. They've only won one game out of seven. It's definitely unusual for these losses to be piled up on Pitt, but hey who cares. I surely don't, but I do know their record right now means nothing to the Hoyas (16-3 6-2 BE) win or lose. They know there's one task at hand and that is to beat Pitt and to look at it this no other way. Stay focused! Yes!
The Panthers shot 49 percent from the floor (32 of 65) and made 55 percent (11 of 20) of their 3-pointers. One Panther the Hoyas have to look out for is Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, has struggled mightily during Woodall's absence. Coach Jamie Dixon moved Gibbs to point guard when Woodall went down, and the burden has certainly affected his shot. Gibbs is on pace to set career lows in total shooting percentage, including 3-point shooting percentage, an extended slump his coach blamed on a heavy workload.
Now that Woodall has returned, the workload has lightened, and Gibbs showed flashes of his former brilliance during a spectacular stretch at the end of the first half. Part of the problem of Pitt's unsuccess in the conference was due to an injury from guard Trayvon Woodall. Trayvon Woodall added 17 points and nine assists in his second game back from groin and abdominal injuries as the Panthers won for the first time in five weeks.
Pitt just won their first conference game of the season and have some momentum going into their next home game against the mighty Georgetown Hoyas. The Hoyas look to put a quick stop on Pitt's chances at home in the Petersoen Events Center game being play in the Petersen's Event Center. Things haven't been looking at that good for the Panthers on the campus in the Peterson Events Center as of late.
Pittsburg Post-Gazette Ron Cook on the Panthers attendance at the Peterson Events Center this Big East season:
"Cook draws a larger conclusion from this information: Namely, that Pittsburgh is a tough pro sports town, that it's hard to gain traction as a college entity here, and once you have it -- as Pitt hoops obviously has -- all it takes is one losing season before the attendance starts to dry up. That's a shame, but it appears to be the reality. There also seems to be a trend of great student sections simply not showing up these days. Between the Zoo and the Cameron Crazies (who are struggling to get 700 kids in a 1,200-seat section some nights), so let's hope this doesn't become a thing. Of course, it's easy to turn up for a big game, or when your team is riding high in the Big East. It's a lot more difficult to show up and support your peers when they're struggling.
But if Pitt ever needed a rocking, rowdy, filled-to-the-rafters Peterson Events Center, that time is now."
So, this brings back to what I previously said about the Hoyas not feeding into the fact Pitt is 1-7 in conference play. On the other hand what the Hoyas will remember is the fact the Panthers have won 12 games. With their last and only win, so far in Big East play against the Friars, the Panthers are looking to up their fan base significantly because they know the mighty Hoyas are coming into town.
I definitely wanted to go over some things about our next foe. Good to know that the Hoyas will not take this team or any team with a losing record lightly. The Hoyas are ready and focused. They are fighters! Hoyasaxa!
Georgetown Salute!
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