The Sexy Dex Complex:
by MMHorns on Mar 25, 2008 4:41 PM CDT
22 comments
AW can't see the forest for the Cardinal killer, Dexter Pittman. Granted, the Miami game was a poor showing (1-3 FG but also 6 rebs in 8 minutes), but he had a tough matchup against that bald guy who made his moves from the top of the key, and with Miami showing us athletic defense, the guards revert to zero passes down to the post. PB pretty much made these points already, but they are worth repeating.
AW just doesn’t have the appreciation for the work of a big man. How come other schools have big fat post players who are slow yet still dominate college ball, but Texas can’t? Since when is it poor play to have a center come off the bench and make the opponents center hit his free throws? We have lost some crucial games this year when our bigs were out bigged, ala Wisconsin and Michigan State. The only reason we weren’t slaughtered worse at A&M was Dexter Pittman came into to stop the carnage.
Maybe I do have blinders on a little because Dex came in the year after we lost to LSU and Big Baby, and I saw him as our answer inside to a dominating big man. So when I see him turn and punch one, after a real post move toward the basket, or pick up a big O rebound by pushing a crowd of defenders under the rim, I just get excited and forgive some of his faults. I am really excited to see what happens Friday.
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Defense
Interesting point that he was defending a guy who started with the ball closer to the perimeter. I think Dexter can give good defensive minutes against the Lopez brothers. He's good when he stays on his feet (he could learn a lot from Connor on how to position himself during the shot to avoid fouls and make blocks) but ultimately, if he absorb some of the necessary fouls in guarding these guys and keep them off the offensive glass he will have succeeded in playing an important role in helping us win. If the Lopez brothers don't have a great game there's no way that Stanford keeps it close.
I suspect that Pittman's increased minutes in the last 2 games are indicative of 3 things:
- Barnes seeing him as useful in those given situations (such as the A.P. game where all of their starters were tiny).
- Gary Johnson's inability to play big minutes.
- Barnes wanting him to get his feet wet in the tournament and some valuable tape and experience for challenges from teams with big inside players like Stanford. Barnes had to know that if we advanced we would have to face some big men from Michigan St., Stanford or Memphis.
by Greg Davis 2008 on Mar 25, 2008 5:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Why
does he have to be a "bald" guy.
Can't he just be a regular guy?
N E W B S
by joenewby4040 on Mar 25, 2008 6:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
don't worry Joe
your as regular as they come.
by jimmer on Mar 25, 2008 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
pure laziness
I actually spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out who he was, and then realized that an adjective would help readers better understand who I was talking about than a number or a name.
i just noticed your adopted player had the most hair on the team - a little vicarious BONing?
by MMHorns on Mar 25, 2008 8:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dex is helpful
Dex can provide solid minutes against the Lopez Trees, but as noted above he has to stay on his feet. He is so effective just being in the way, and he really only has about a 2.5" verticle anyway.
Going up against slow/fat big men Dex can provide a spark, just don't expect much out of him against Kansas or Memphis. Quickness kills Dex.
It will be really interesting to see how Barnes uses him (and Wingman and Chap) against the Cardinal. All three of them have fouls to give, Atch does not.
by jimmer on Mar 25, 2008 6:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
agree and disagree
I don't expect Dex to play a large role with Memphis but I just can't picture Wingman and Chap slowing down the Lopezezes.
by MMHorns on Mar 25, 2008 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Statesman article about the Lopez's
Barnes said this one of those games in which he will likely rely on all of his big reserves, all of whom are inexperienced: 6-10 Dexter Pittman, 6-7 Alexis Wangmene, 6-7 Gary Johnson and 6-10 Clint Chapman. Pittman is a sophomore, the other three freshmen.
Sounds like Barnes plans to put all the big guys out there, as I would expect him to. Dex will need assistance. Even though we are inexperienced, at least we have some depth.
Hook 'em!
by jimmer on Mar 26, 2008 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lopez bros average
25 minutes a piece.
Wear em out.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Mar 26, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That surprises me
That puts further emphasis on Stanford needing to run the 2-3 zone for a sizable portion of the game. If they don't, I think the twins will be in for a world of hurt.
The more we talk about this, the more I see mobility and quickness (Texas) having the advantage over size and presence (Stanford).
by UTAth on Mar 26, 2008 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am still waiting for a response from AW
i initially had the title as the Sexy Dex Napoleonic Complex trying to goad him into this diary :-)
by MMHorns on Mar 25, 2008 8:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
MMHorns
You are too funny. Dex is a lovable character. Unfortunately, he is not a very good basketball player at this point in his development. He could become very, very good over the next couple of years but he just isn't right now.
You are right to point out that he may do better against the slower, physical centers than he does against the shorer, quicker ones. But I will be shocked if he doesn't get into foul trouble guarding the Lopez boys on Friday.
Second, have you not noticed that Barnes goes to a 2-3 zone also every time he inserts Pittman into the game? Why is that? Well, its because he cannot guard anyone in the low post without fouling. We play zone to hide Pittman on defense and hope in the few minutes that he is out there that he can grab a few rebounds and maybe get a bucket.
Another issue, turnovers.
I will add only one more thing. For as big as he is, Pittman is very poor at establishing low post position. He gets moved off the blocks too easily, fails to provide a big target, and can't balance his body against the defender.
We will certainly see Dex on Friday night. I'm sure he can provide some help but I stand by my statement that he is far from the answer to depending Brook and Robin.
by awiggo on Mar 25, 2008 8:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
excuse me, but do you work here?
I would like to speak with your manager. A Mr. PB I believe.
No, your too funny AW. We shall see who laughs last on Friday. I guess I will even laugh if Dexter plays terrible but the Horns win. Now I may be just jinxing my man.
ok - b/c your the blogger you win :) Either way - Go Horns!
by MMHorns on Mar 25, 2008 11:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why is the floor shaking?
Like you, MM, I had hoped that Dex's skills would accrue quickly enough to have helped the Horns much more. I had projected the match-ups with Big Baby and the big aggies. And he has done some of that, but not near the expectations I held.
But there is one other thing here, and it depends some on Dex and some on Rick. Dex has said last week his emphasis is now on defense, and I'm sure that comes from practice.
So, if Rick and his staff can identify exactly what Dexy needs to defend the trees and can do an intense four-day upgrade to Dexy's knowledge - physical and mental - of post defense, probably something that has been in progress for a while, then maybe he can have a strong and decisive impact Saturday.
There's no doubt the team needs him to excel, both for direct defense and to keep the fouls off Connor and Damion. He has a simply defined mission, a place where he alone can do this team a great service.
You gotta figure Rick knows our weaknesses as well as anyone and with the bigs still out there - Michigan State and Memphis, maybe more - well, he and his staff have to be working hard on this angle. The higher you go, the more you go after the other team's weaknesses; only, the weapons are more diverse and refined. And the more you cover your own ass. Dex can help cover ours.
Rick doesn't need Dex to hang the moon and stars, to score outrageously in the paint; he needs solid, consistent defense on the twins. That and nothing more. Anything else would be gravy. Both Wang and Chappy are probably getting a course, too. But, obviously, Dex has the mass, our Sequoia to their Douglas firs.
Not all of your hopes will be fulfilled, but some may be.
by whills on Mar 26, 2008 12:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
does RB not recruit quick, tall centers
because it doesnt fit his coaching style or because his history of coaching doesnt fit them into success?
I'm asking this as an uneducated question. why has Texas under Barnes not had big players built specifically to dominate in the inner paint and on the glass? i may be reading this wrong, but it almost seems that picking up Dex was a desperate attempt to have ANY answer there.
by UTrumbo on Mar 25, 2008 11:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
He recruits them
So does everyone else. This year withstanding, true dominate centers are the rarest of basketball gems and are very coveted by all coaches, but there just are not very many of them.
by Wells on Mar 27, 2008 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A problem even more obvious in the NBA
It really seems to have changed the game completely over the last 10 years or more. You see many more quick and athletic teams in the top 10 now moreso than the teams that used to dominate back in the day who had a dominant center.
That would be an interesting graphic, if someone could find out a way to figure out that statistic. I guess it wouldn't be that hard to figure out if you looked at the top 10 over the last 10 years, but if you were to broaden it and look at all of Div I over the last 10 years, it would make for much tougher research.
by UTAth on Mar 27, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
AW on Dex
I disagree with AW on some things but on Dex he is completely right.
Dex hopefully will improve as he has a ton of potential. Right now his poor footwork on offense, poor footwork on defense, inability to control his body, constant mental lapses, poor physical fitness, etc. cause him to be more of a liability than a threat. Hopefully he'll surprise us, but all I'm hoping for now is for him to play a few good minutes and then get subbed out before he singlehandedly causes a 6-0 stanford run or two.
by longhorn00 on Mar 26, 2008 1:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
On the 2-3 zone too
If we go to man when he is in we'll get eaten alive.
He's a liability in the zone too, as he cannot see the floor well, and when playing the zone you have to constantly watch out for offensive players getting into position. If he were in the middle of the zone and I was the opposing coach I would immediately send a decent shooter to the free throw line to turn and shoot with plenty of time.
by longhorn00 on Mar 26, 2008 1:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The way that Dexter is playing
reminds me of the way Andrew Bynum (LA Lakers)played last year, a little clumsy and unsure of himself.. boy when he ever finds his feet he will be a force.. :)
by LadyLonghorninOK on Mar 26, 2008 4:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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