SB Nation Pittsburgh - Pitt Vs. Duquesne: Panthers Win City Gamehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2011-11-30T22:34:08-05:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23634132011-11-30T22:34:08-05:002011-11-30T22:34:08-05:00Pitt Vs. Duquesne: Post-Game Reaction
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<p>The Pitt Panthers defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/duquesne-dukes">Duquesne Dukes</a> for the 11th consecutive year, winning 80-69 before a City Game record 15,880 spectators. Here are post-game quotes from the coaches and players.</p>
<p><b>Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon</b></p>
<p>On Duquesne's up-tempo style:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"Duquesne is a hard team to play against. They are unique. They are unlike any team we play. They gamble. They go for steals in the backcourt. You have to get layups on the other end."</p>
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<p>On <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52467/ashton-gibbs">Ashton Gibbs</a>' Performance (18 points, 4-of-9 from 3-point range):</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"His shot selection was better, and that's the key with him. That's where we are today. What happened in the past is no longer a factor".</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On John Johnson:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"He was terrific tonight and he just keeps getting better and better. He has real focus and determination which impresses me. He's doing a lot of learning and a lot of things he's never done before but he is going to be a very good player and you saw it tonight."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On The City Game as a yearly event:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"It was the best crowd we've ever had, this is why we play it every year...It is great to be continuing this great tradition that began long before I got here."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal"><b>Pitt forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100021/dante-taylor">Dante Taylor</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On double-double performance:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"It's a confidence builder. Even before I missed the last two games, I played my last game with a lot of energy and I was able to score. To have another game like this helps going into this Saturday against Tennessee."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal"><b>Duquesne Head Coach Ron Everhart</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On missed opportunities:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"If you were to tell me that we would force 23 turnovers and shoot 52% I would have though we would have a great chance to win....We got what we wanted defensively at times, we just couldn't take advantage of it."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On Pitt's physicality:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"This is the most physical play we've seen all year including Arizona ...Tonight we didn't have a chance."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal"><b>Duquesne guard/forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52262/b-j-monteiro">B.J. Monteiro</a> </b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On Pitt's size:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"I don't think it was overwhelming. We knew what we were getting into. Some of those players are so long and tall you have to hit them before they hit the paint."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal"><b>Duquesne guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123472/t-j-mcconnell">T.J. McConnell</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On ability to win battles but come up short:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"We fought hard. We did everything we needed to do. We could have rebounded better but we played our game. We just came up short."</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">On increased offensive production in the second half:</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;" class="MsoNormal">"I just tried to let the game come to me. When I was open I shot it and did a better job using defense lead to offense."</p>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2011/11/30/2601989/pitt-vs-duquesne-post-game-reactionSteve Uhlmann2011-11-30T21:16:33-05:002011-11-30T21:16:33-05:00Pitt Vs. Duquesne: Panthers Win 11th Consecutive City Game, 80-69
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<p>It wasn’t a blowout, but the favored Pitt Panthers beat the Duquesne Dukes in the annual City Game, 80-69.</p>
<p>Ashton Gibbs led the Panthers with 18 points, but the real story from Pitt’s vantage point may have been the performance of junior Dante Taylor. Returning from a two-game absence with migranes, Taylor had one of his best games in his collegiate career with 15 points and ten rebounds, going a perfect 6-6 from the field. After playing well in place of Taylor, freshman Khem Birch got the start. But he was largely ineffective, scoring only two points and tallying five rebounds.</p>
<p>Unlike Taylor, Lamar Patterson reclaimed his starting spot after a two-game suspension. He made an immediate impact, scoring ten points.</p>
<p>Duquesne shot well from the field, hitting more than 53% of their shots and two of their premier players, Sean Johnson and T.J. McConnell didn’t disappoint, scoring a combined 34 points. They also did what they needed to do, forcing Pitt into an astounding 23 turnovers (four of the Panthers’ starters had at least four). But the Dukes were decimated on the boards as the early unofficial rebounding total was 34-14 in favor of Pitt.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cardiachill.com" target="new">For more on Pitt, check out SB Nation blog Cardiac Hill</a>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2011/11/30/2601882/pitt-vs-duquesne-2011-city-game-pittsburgh-panthers-basketball-duquesne-dukesAnson Whaley2011-11-30T20:08:58-05:002011-11-30T20:08:58-05:00Panthers leads Dukes 38-27 at the Half
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<p>The Pitt Panthers are flexing their muscles as expected, leading the Duquesne Dukes 38-27 at the half.</p>
<p>As expected, Pitt is demolishing Duquesne on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 19-7, with eight offensive rebounds leading to 11 second chance points.</p>
<p>The Panthers have had a very balanced attack in the first half, as Lamar Patterson, Tray Woodall, Ashton Gibbs, and Dante Taylor are all tied with a team high seven points.</p>
<p>Pitt has succeeded both inside and outside shooting shooting a solid 53.8% from the field coupled with a 44.4% clip from behind the arc.</p>
<p>The Dukes have struggled to find good shots on offense, with the bulk of their success coming on the fast break and good drives from their guards. B.J. Monteiro has scored seven points but the rest of the team has offered little help.</p>
<p>In the second half, look for Pitt to attack the inside more than they did in the first half, and for the Dukes to get more active on offense rather than settling for outside shots.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2011/11/30/2601743/pitt-leads-dukes-38-27-at-the-halfSteve Uhlmann2011-11-30T14:56:37-05:002011-11-30T14:56:37-05:00Dukes Looking to End Losing Streak to Panthers
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<p>It’s been a long time since the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/duquesne-dukes">Duquesne Dukes</a> have been the toast of Pittsburgh college basketball.</p>
<p>In fact, it has now been a decade since Julius Page’s technical foul shot rolled off the rim with 2.2 seconds remaining, securing a 71-70 victory for the Dukes.</p>
<p>Since then, the once joke of a Pitt program has exploded into a perennial power under Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon. Duquesne, on the other hand, disappeared further off of the college basketball radar, hitting rock bottom before returning to respectability under Ron Everhart.</p>
<p>While the Dukes slowly continue to progress, a true hurdle they have yet to jump has been beating their rival from up Forbes Avenue. The Panthers have won 28 of the last 31 meetings.</p>
<p>Now that the Dukes have proven they can compete against Pitt in recent years, they are no longer satisfied with just hanging with the Panthers.</p>
<p>But is 2011 the year they finally get over the hump?</p>
<p>Given Pitt’s early season struggles, some feel so. Vegas has the Panthers as just 5.5-point favorites, much lower than past years.</p>
<p>In order to pull off the upset, the Dukes will need to force Pitt to play their game, something much easier said than done. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123472/t-j-mcconnell">T.J. McConnell</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52258/eric-evans">Eric Evans</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123469/mike-talley">Mike Talley</a> are very capable of wrecking havoc with the press the Dukes love to run. They will be dealing with very smart opposition that includes <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52467/ashton-gibbs">Ashton Gibbs</a> and Travon Woodall that will be up to the challenge.</p>
<p>Sean Johnson and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52262/b-j-monteiro">B.J. Monteiro</a> have been scoring machines on the Bluff so far this season and they will need to firing on all cylinders against a tough Pitt defense that takes pride in shutting down shooters.</p>
<p>The biggest key however will be how the Dukes handle the much larger Pitt frontcourt. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99743/andre-marhold">Andre Marhold</a> has shown flashes of brilliance at times for Duquesne, but Wednesday night can’t be one of the times his production disappears as in past games. This may be also time for Ron Everhart to unleash 7-foot-1 center <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124184/martins-abele">Martins Abele</a> who has seen limited playing time so far this season.</p>
<p>Already going in the Dukes favor is the fact that the scoring has been evenly spread between players this season. At least four players have scored in double-digits for five straight games, making foul trouble much less of a concern as compared to past years with that kind of balance.</p>
<p>Even with all of this, the Dukes still face many things going against them including what will be a predominantly pro-Pitt crowd, and the Panthers’ ability to dominate their opponents in its past two games. Saying Duquesne faces an uphill battle is an understatement.</p>
<p>The Dukes’ attempt to erase years of futility against Pitt will tip-off at 7:00 PM at <span class="caps">CONSOL</span> Energy Center. The game will be broadcasted nationally on <span class="caps">CBS</span> College Sports Network.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2011/11/30/2600975/dukes-looking-to-end-losing-streak-to-panthersSteve Uhlmann2011-11-30T12:48:51-05:002011-11-30T12:48:51-05:00Photo: Consol Energy Center With A Basketball Court
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<p>Here's a picture of CONSOL Energy Center in advance of the City Game Wednesday night.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/808779/460481899.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/808779/460481899_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="460481899_medium"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://twitpic.com/7m5q3v">Via @CONSOLEnergyCtr</a></p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2011/11/30/2600616/photo-consol-energy-center-basketball-city-gameCharlie Wilmoth2011-11-30T08:01:23-05:002011-11-30T08:01:23-05:00Pitt Vs. Duquesne: Panthers Hope To Continue Dominance Against Dukes
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<p>Pitt and Duquesne are gearing up for the 2011 version of the City Game on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>The Panthers have won the past ten City Games, but there have been some close battles along the way. And with Pitt struggling a bit early on, this game is hardly a 'gimme' for the favored Panthers.</p>
<p>Pitt enters the game with things not running as smoothly as they'd like. The team already has suffered a loss this year at the hands of Long Beach State and have had close wins against La Salle and Rider. Over the past two games, they've also been without starting small forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100023/lamar-patterson">Lamar Patterson</a> due to disciplinary reasons and starting center <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100021/dante-taylor">Dante Taylor</a>, who's been out with migranes. Both are expected to return on Wednesday, though it's not clear how much each will play.</p>
<p>The Panthers have looked a bit better in their past two games - a 20-point win against Penn on the road and a 10-point win against Robert Morris - a game that they led by more than 20 in the second half. Still, there's cause for concern in this one against a solid Duquesne team.</p>
<p>The Dukes are 4-2 and in their biggest game of the year, a season-opener against No. 16 Arizona on the road, looked extremely impressive. Duquesne trailed by only one with about six minutes left in the game before the Wildcats pulled away. But in that game, the Dukes proved they're capable of playing well against top competition.</p>
<p>To win, Pitt will have to deal with Duquesne's excellent quartet of leading scorer Sean Johnson (15.6 ppg), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52262/b-j-monteiro">B.J. Monteiro</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52258/eric-evans">Eric Evans</a>, and local star <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123472/t-j-mcconnell">T.J. McConnell</a>. The Dukes may have trouble with Pitt's size and they haven't rebounded well this season. Duquesne's top rebounder? The 6-foot-1 McConnell, who averages five per game.</p>
<p>The Dukes' best hope to pull off the upset may be to get out and run and try to outscore the Panthers.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cardiachill.com">For more on Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation blog Cardiac Hill</a>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2011/11/30/2599297/pitt-vs-duquesne-score-city-game-2011-pittsburgh-panthers-duquesne-dukesAnson Whaley