After a modest 15-point win over Division II IUP, Pitt left no doubt as to the direction of their second exhibition game. The Panthers jumped out to a 27-4 lead in the first half and rolled to an easy 77-45 win.
It's hard to know what to take away from this game since it was against a Division II opponent, but one thing was clear - the effort on both ends was better than in the first game against IUP. Pitt's offense looked a bit crisper and the defensive effort was far better. The team played with a bit more urgency and looked like they didn't want another sluggish game.
As I mentioned in the halftime post, freshman James Robinson had a nice game after getting another start. He finished with nine points, five rebounds, and two assists. But even more importantly than his numbers, he's just a flat out point guard. The kid can play and he'll definitely be able to contribute this season. But what you should really be excited about is where he's at in a year or two. A few times, he made some really outstanding passes and the transition after Tray Woodall is gone should be fairly smooth. But Robinson could be a star in a couple of seasons.
Steven Adams had a scoreless first half, but finished with six points, ten rebounds, and three blocks. Playing against a shorter team, I would have liked to see him score a bit more. But as I said after the first game, he's got a little while to go offensively. He was only 2-6 from the field and missed some close-range shots again. Adams is a bit of a work in progress as an offensive player and it's going to take a little bit of patience before he's the type of force Pitt wants him to be.
Other bright spots were eight assists to no turnovers by Tray Woodall and 13 points/nine rebounds from J.J. Moore off the bench. Again, though, keep in mind the level of competition.
Pitt kicks off the season next Friday against Mount St. Mary's.