No. 2 Virginia 61, Pitt 49

H2P! I'm seeing a big game out of Artis tonight

I think the key is to come out similar to Saturday. You are not going to shoot 65% today or anywhere near that mark. VA is one of the best defensive teams I have ever seen but if you come out with intensity and run early I think Pitt has a real shot to keep this much closer than Vegas (11.5) says.

I think Pitt has a real chance tonight. Vegas has it at 11.5 but I say Pitt keeps it closer. Key is the first 10 mins. Need to come out strong and stick to their game.

Go Pitt!

The way Virginia plays defense, going to be very hard trying to run. Watch how they get back.

A couple times already a man has been left wide open under the hoop when the ballhandler gets double teamed, but the pass isn't being made on time.

Ugh. Brutal couple of possessions. The layup at the end of the shot clock and then that Jimmer-range three.

This is brutal- looks like they have never played before. Jamie's usual offense has showed.

That, is why Jeter didn't play earlier in the year. But to be fair, he's too small guarding under the basket anyway. They really don't have a low post defender.

Ugh. So far Vegas seems to be on the mark with the spread. The snow hasn't slowed down the Hoos.

Whoa ... these guys are pretty good.

So this is what it was like to play Pitt five to ten years ago.

Young with another disappearing act.

Alright, guys, time to get aggressive.

Great job by Robinson to push that up the court when he knew he had numbers.

I root for Pitt. That said, this team is not good enough on the road to compete with VA in Charlottesville. VA is too good this season.

Pat Narduzzi, summing up this game nicely.

A stunning display of airball offense. Both teams.

Just profoundly disappointed with James Robinson.

They just need to play harder on the offensive end. Really lazy cutting & running through screens. Not good enough against a team this skilled defensively.

Robinson has no shot- has not improved in three years.

Virginia is just sick tough. Pitt is staring the NIT right in the face.

5 points combines from Robinson, Wright, and Young. Can't win on the road and Can't defend. Tournament is nothing but a long shot. Might have given a blueprint on how to beat Virginia. We gave them so many open looks that they missed. That will be their downfall. All is not lost, Artis has been playing phenomenal ball lately including tonight.

Pitt was beaten by a very good team. Holding your opponent to 25 first half points usually gets you a win, except when you only score 15. UVa is that good.

So the Panthers weren't expected to win this game by any reasonable stretch. They held their own, losing to the best team in the country not named Kentucky. They stayed competitive until a late run. Artis had another nice game and has become a star on this team.

As the article on here the other day pointed out, there is definite hope for the next year and year after. And there is still hope to pull out a tourney appearance this year. It may not happen but I can see this team going 4-1 in their last five games, winning at least one conference tourney game and getting a 9 or 10 seed in the dance. Don't give up just yet people.

My Hoos clamped down on the defense which really helped, but man Justin Anderson's backup was miserable. Missed four open threes and they werent even close misses. Im sorry that Pitt's tourney hopes were dashed tonight. Best of luck the rest of the way.

Last report by me from Pirate City; I will go to tomorrow's practice, then hop in car for trip to Western PA. 8 days is not enough to hear those bats and balls. Danged work schedule!!

Ray Searage showed up with pitchers after stretching——that meant EVERYONE went to the bullpens. I love it!! I'm standing literally 15 feet behind catcher, watching delivery and movement of pitches.

4 mounds, 30 pitch limit. First 4 up: Vance Worley throwing to Chris Stewart, Gerrit Cole throwing to Tony Sanchez, Charlie Morton throwing to Reese Macguire, and Tony Watson throwing to Cervelli. WOW! Could it be any better?! The mother lode! Man, were the mitts pounding! Worley and Cole were sweating buckets when they were done. Charlie Morton threw hard, without any limitations or distress. I was surprised. They did not seem to baby him. Watson is beautiful to watch throw.

Next 4 to step up: Mark Melansen, Jared Hughes, Bobby LaFramboise, and, I think, Liz (no names or numbers on jerseys yet. New, young minors catchers step in for 2nd round. Melansen was playing a game with his catcher, the youngest. After 3-4 warm-ups, he started putting junk on the ball and 5-6 of the next 10 pitches got past the catcher. A couple of the guys, including Melansen, were hiding their grins behind their gloves. Finally Tony Sanchez stepped in and shooed the rook away; no more pitches got by Sanchez.

Just as those 4 completed their 30, I heard the bats on two other fields begin. I left the pitchers to go watch Kang hit. Pirates always hit in foursomes: I went to the field with the foursome of Neil Walker, Da Kang, Andrew Lambo, and Jose Tabata. Tabata just arrived. He looked rusty hitting his first time out. The other 3 hit relatively well. Each put one over the fence. The surprise with Kang was that his best power seemed to be toward right center. This field (right field faces the two infield-only fields and left field faces the parking lot) has a 20-25 foot fence in right center to protect the sidewalk between fields. Kang put 3-4 off the top of that tall fence in right center just above the 370 sign. Impressive! His one HR went to left. Yet I didn't think his hitting was spectacular. I'm not a big Pedro fan, but when he hits it, it just sounds different! Kang's sounded no differently than Walker or Lambo. Lambo hit a lot of high fly balls . . . . great if they go out, but just cans-of-corn otherwise.

I mentioned that Ray Searage made his first appearance. About 10:15, in the middle of hitting, who walks out in a bright fluorescent yellow sweatshirt but Clint Hurdle. The hitters stopped what they were doing and came over to him like little kids. He gave each a big hug, calling each by first name. When Hurdle approached Kang, Kang bowed to him——then Hurdle gave him a big bear hug. Really touching to see all this: these guys would run through a wall for Clint. Tabata was in the cage when this all occurred, so after his swings, Hurdle yelled out, "Tabby! I didn't know you were already here!", and approached him to pick him off the ground with a hug. Tabata gave that little-boy smile he has.

Some guys like Andrew and Josh Bell no longer here last couple of days. No Pedro yet! I would not be concerned, but he has always been here early in years past when I have come early.

Infield practice had Wyatt M at 3rd, Kang & Alen Hanson & Gift Ngoepe at short, Neil Walker & Steve Lombardozzi at 2nd, and Stetson Allie & Lambo at 1st. Interesting that they sent Hanson straight to short——I still think that is his best position, no matter what the John Hart-guy at the Trib writes.

By the way, did yunz guys see that John Hart has signed Matt Capps, Jose Veras, Wandy Rodriguez, and Donnie Veal all to Minor League contracts? Looks like John Hart is getting the BMTIB Band back together!!!

That's it———I now turn this all back to the professional, who will give you better insights than I. I just report what my eyes see and my ears hear. So glad I got to witness the Hurdle reunion with his players and the Kang bow.

See you at PNC. Take it away, Dejan!!

In relevant local basketball news, final from Morgantown: WVU 62, Kansas 61. ;)

Had to watch on the DVR early this morning. I really liked the effort in the second half. Free throw shooting was just crushing at times. So many chances to bring it very close where we missed multiple free throws. I really continue to like what we're getting out of Randall. Still think we could be okay if we can win out the regular season games.

Virginia's defense was so good, Pitt shot only 52% from the free throw line?