Everyone schedules easy games early. The problem is that it’s hard to measure progress in those games.
So what to learn from Miami’s 86-65 win over 1-7 North Florida?
Not much from a distance. Bruce Brown had his best game so far after a bad patch - against a 1-7 team. Miami held a good three point shooting team to an average night.
But it’s a 1-7 team.
Miami plays Minnesota next week. That’ll tell us a lot (assuming they don’t see the entire bench expelled and ultimately finish 3-on-5 like Alabama did Saturday night).
So let’s check back.
Same for Virginia Tech’s 96-63 win over Morehead State. Progress? Likely. Discernible? Not unless you follow the Hokies closely.
There’s a lot more to learn from Pitt’s win over Lehigh and BC’s loss to PC.
Pitt first. Duke of course knows Lehigh well - too well, having been upset by the River Hawks in 2011-12.
Brett Reed has kept his team fairly competitive so Pitt’s win, given their circumstances, is important.
Pitt has tried 60 lineups already if you can imagine. Against Lehigh Kevin Stallings started 6-9 sophomore Kene Chukwuka, 6-9 senior Ryan Luther, 6-5 junior Jared Wilson-Frame, 6-1 freshman Marcus Carr and 6-2 senior Jonathan Milligan.
Pitt shot 51% overall, 37% from three point range and 85.7% from the line.
For the first time this season, Pitt was able to dictate the terms of the engagement.
It doesn’t mean it’ll happen every time but it’s at least a start and an encouraging sign for Pitt.
As far as BC goes, PC shot 59.3% and that’s just down to bad defense.
Deontae Hawkins, Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson are becoming a solid offensive trio, but outside of those three, the rest of the team only scored 16 points. BC’s Big Three need some help.
Some Wake fans might not have been too happy to learn that Danny Manning, with a horrible start to the season, has already gotten an extension. Canning him now would be a terrible idea. Wake needs some stability and he’s been doing some things, at least, quite well. Better to stick with him as he works it out.
- Bullock, Providence run past Boston College 86-66
- Miami Hurricanes basketball remains undefeated after win over North Florida
- Pitt basketball defeats Lehigh, 80-68
- Wake Forest's Danny Manning signs contract extension
- No championship hangover for UNC
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