I will give the IU breakdown, you give the Pitt breakdown and we go from there to figure out a play.
IU's guard play is very shaky at times but is probably the strength of their team, if they have any strength at all. PG Jeremiah Rivers is a solid PG in terms of running the offense and playing defense, but he can't shoot worth a lick. Verdell Jones, also a guard with PG tendencies is a little better shooting the 3 and is very wiry with no meat on him whatsoever. He has trouble going against bigger guards.
At the 3 spot, they have Maurice Creek who is the only guy on IU who can consistently knock down the trey. He is probably their best player, because when you consider their other top recruit Christian Watford is playing out of position at the power forward position, he is getting eaten alive on the glass. Watford should be playing the 3 spot but IU is not yet a great "team" and has to plug guys in where they don't belong to get their best players on the floor. Tom Pritchard starts at the 5 and he is not really a Big Ten big man, very soft and gets in foul trouble all of the time. They have freshmen coming off the bench to replace him.
IU's biggest problem is rebounding. Boston University outrebounded IU by a total of 46-31, and Boston had 14 offensive rebounds. Ole Miss had 16 offensive rebounds and outrebounded IU by a total of 44-37.
How is Pitt's rebounding and interior defense? I think that will be the key to whether Pitt covers the number or not. IU will not win the game, that is a fact.
IU's guard play is very shaky at times but is probably the strength of their team, if they have any strength at all. PG Jeremiah Rivers is a solid PG in terms of running the offense and playing defense, but he can't shoot worth a lick. Verdell Jones, also a guard with PG tendencies is a little better shooting the 3 and is very wiry with no meat on him whatsoever. He has trouble going against bigger guards.
At the 3 spot, they have Maurice Creek who is the only guy on IU who can consistently knock down the trey. He is probably their best player, because when you consider their other top recruit Christian Watford is playing out of position at the power forward position, he is getting eaten alive on the glass. Watford should be playing the 3 spot but IU is not yet a great "team" and has to plug guys in where they don't belong to get their best players on the floor. Tom Pritchard starts at the 5 and he is not really a Big Ten big man, very soft and gets in foul trouble all of the time. They have freshmen coming off the bench to replace him.
IU's biggest problem is rebounding. Boston University outrebounded IU by a total of 46-31, and Boston had 14 offensive rebounds. Ole Miss had 16 offensive rebounds and outrebounded IU by a total of 44-37.
How is Pitt's rebounding and interior defense? I think that will be the key to whether Pitt covers the number or not. IU will not win the game, that is a fact.