Pitt is a Tough Team

[BobZag]

Pitt might be the toughest team I've seen thus far. Wow, do they sock you in the mouth! Ask Georgetown.

My question: Is there any way Gonzaga can be that tough?

[zagsfanforlife]

Boy did they look tough. Best team outside of North Carolina I have seen so far. They distribute the ball so well, and Blair is an absolute beast in the post.

[RenoZag]

My question: Is there any way Gonzaga can be that tough?

My heart says 'yes' but my head says 'no,' BZ.

You've been beating the 'get tougher' drum all season long. Is it a tune these Zags can dance to ? We'll see this month. 8 games in 25 days starting on the 7th. If toughness is a significant measure of the 08-09 squad, it will be apparent by the time Springsteen plays the halftime show at the Super Bowl. . .

[gamagin]

yes, yes, YES

My heart says 'yes' but my head says 'no,' BZ.

You've been beating the 'get tougher' drum all season long. Is it a tune these Zags can dance to ? We'll see this month. 8 games in 25 days starting on the 7th. If toughness is a significant measure of the 08-09 squad, it should be apparent by the start of February.

But it will have to come from within. On the floor. during the game. from each and every player. only then, will this vaunted talent appear and project itself.

[BobZag]

Can Gonzaga hold its own and compete vs Pitt (or a Pitt-like team)?

UConn is as close to Pitt as we've seen.

[JAGzag]

Anything is possible but the facts speak for themselves - this team is lacking a ton right now. We just have to wait and see.

[cbbfanatic]

uconn plays with about 1/4 the heart pitt does. physically, they are close to as tough as pitt, but mentally they are nowhere near it

[ZaginLaw]

same with Kansas

Kansas is showing how toughness can outplay talent. I wish we had players who have the same desire, tenacity, and smarts as Aldrich and Morningstar.

Those two remind me of the Zags of old.

[ZaginLaw]

KU owned Tenn w/ toughness

KU gets its first marquee win vs. UT. They owned them with toughness and playing within themselves.

Didn't see Pitt but I'll tune in next time.

[zagfan07]

Pitt and Kansas

These teams are also playing top 20 opponents. It's easy to get up and play "tough" in big games. Pitt seems to bring it each and every night against any opponent and I can't argue with them being one of the best teams in the country. Better than UCONN, I don't think so, but the good thing is they'll meet on the court this season to decide it. They're definitely a final four contender though.

I wouldn't label Kansas as a tough team, however. They were jacked to play Tennessee today because UT is a ranked team with a good reputation. It reminds me alot of the way Arizona played against the Zags this year. This is the same team that lost to UMASS in Kansas City and got blown out at Arizona.

Watching the game, I believe the Zags can do the same thing they did in the first game against Tennessee and create opportunities through penetration with our guards. This Tennessee team doesn't guard the ball as well as teams from years' past and they don't play help defense as well. Pargo, Gray and Bouldin should have a field day against these guys if the press can be handled like it was in Orlando. The Zags are going to have to play tougher than the past two games to go into Tennessee and get a win. Time to get the season back on track with a big win.

[jazzdelmar]

No

Pitt might be the toughest team I've seen thus far. Wow, do they sock you in the mouth! Ask Georgetown.

My question: Is there any way Gonzaga can be that tough?

Absolutely not......These are hard nosed, experienced city kids who were Big East bound from the time they began AAU ball....No way

[AustinDayeFan]

Thanks for posting this topic, i was thinking the same thing during the Pitt game. I was very impressed with Pitt's team work and ball movement. They came down the floor swung the ball around and looked for open shots! It reminded me of our Zag's during the Old Spice Classic, boy do i miss it! I was also impressed with Pitt's point guard. His assists were truly remarkable!

[jazzdelmar]

brooklyn

Thanks for posting this topic, i was thinking the same thing during the Pitt game. I was very impressed with Pitt's team work and ball movement. They came down the floor swung the ball around and looked for open shots! It reminded me of our Zag's during the Old Spice Classic, boy do i miss it! I was also impressed with Pitt's point guard. His assists were truly remarkable!

Levance Fields, Xaverian HS, Brooklyn, USA

[ambition]

Pitt is the toughest team in the country... hands down... I truly believe they could beat NC... Ty Lawson would have a tough time against Pitt's PG.
... And no Gonzaga will never get to the level Pitt is playing... i just think it isnt possible for this team to look like that, especially on the defensive side of things... Pitt has heart, but it goes much deeper than that, they simply have the desire to compete and they compete to win, not just compete to play. It is very obvious.

[NJZag]

Pitt might be the toughest team I've seen thus far. Wow, do they sock you in the mouth! Ask Georgetown.

My question: Is there any way Gonzaga can be that tough?

Ouch. Blair is something else again. But the way Greg is developing as a freshman, it might be a different game if Hoyas meet 'em again in the B.E. Tournament. Hoyas dispatched UConn pretty nicely on their home court, not long after their win at BIS against the Zags, and just as the overconfident CONNvicts were ripe for some of the same "trap" attitude that PSU exploited at K2. It happens.

DaJuan (the one who belongs to the Hoyas and not the DeJuan who belongs to Pitt) looked like the only awake player the first half; Monroe looked freshman-like compared to Blair the "space eating rebound machine" ( another fan's description, not mine) and the rebounding deficiencies (48-to-23 ouch) get carped about as much in HoyaLand as they do in ZagLand.

Oh well... a win against #2 on their court, a loss to #3 on the Hoyas "home" (rented Phone Booth) court with kids gone on vacation. Rankings mean little and matchups are everything. The expectations for the season were pegged by talking heads in the high teens for the Hoyas at best (and not in top 20 at worst), and their general trend has gone higher to be ranked at #11. Zags started out lofty, trend has been the opposite direction.

For both there's still a lot of season left.