OT: D1

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

It's a pretty common tale with freshmen post players at the D1 and D2 levels. One major adjustment is most go from always being the biggest and strongest kid on the floor. In high school, 6'9" and 250 lbs is gigantic considering most 'bigs' at that level are 6'2" and 180 lbs.

Then they arrive on campus and everybody at their position is between 6'7" and 6'11" -- and have been in the weight room for years. You go from being the 'man' to being the 'boy'. Perfect world you'd redshirt about 99.5% of true freshmen post players. Guards are almost always more ready to play as 18-year-olds. Their biggest downside as true freshmen is typically more mental mistakes.


I think back to Cobo Diaz. He played as a scrawny true freshmen but, man, his physical transformation over the coming years was incredible.

My take on Hughley so far is you see glimpses -- but, still many deer-in-the-headlights moments. That will change over time. Once he starts playing controlled yet p!ssed off, he'll be a monster.

Excellent analysis here. Yeah, it takes the posts some more time to get acclimated to what they face down in the blocks. Big adjustment.

He played for Brush out in Cleveland. I watched the one game they played against First Love Academy on video last winter. It looked more like a college game to be honest. I have no idea what his level of overall competition was like out there.

But he is certainly a nice piece of granite for the coaching staff to work with and shape.

I think Karim Coulibaly does some nice things but sometimes I am amazed at how he does not foul out of the game in the first five minutes that he is in there. They need to reign him in a bit more. He also has a very interesting story. He came to the U.S. from Mali at age 14 without speaking a word of English. He left his family behind and I don't think he has got to see them very much at all in the past five or six years. If you ever see him in anything beyond the court he is just such a cool dude. Very likable guy who must have had to go through a lot to make it this far.

I'm really waiting for Noah Collier to emerge. He could be a weapon once he gets his wits about him. He certainly needs to get much stronger in the offseason.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Excellent analysis here. Yeah, it takes the posts some more time to get acclimated to what they face down in the blocks. Big adjustment.

He played for Brush out in Cleveland. I watched the one game they played against First Love Academy on video last winter. It looked more like a college game to be honest. I have no idea what his level of overall competition was like out there.

But he is certainly a nice piece of granite for the coaching staff to work with and shape.

I think Karim Coulibaly does some nice things but sometimes I am amazed at how he does not foul out of the game in the first five minutes that he is in there. They need to reign him in a bit more. He also has a very interesting story. He came to the U.S. from Mali at age 14 without speaking a word of English. He left his family behind and I don't think he has got to see them very much at all in the past five or six years. If you ever see him in anything beyond the court he is just such a cool dude. Very likable guy who must have had to go through a lot to make it this far.

I'm really waiting for Noah Collier to emerge. He could be a weapon once he gets his wits about him. He certainly needs to get much stronger in the offseason.

Coulibaly is the Pitt version of past IUP player Daddy Ugbede.

Daddy was probably Joe's best post scorer adide from Webb. He was impssoble to defend at this level and also was an excellent free throw shooter. He was 6'6", 220 lbs, ripped and really quick. Problem was you'd be lucky to get 18-20 minutes a game due to his hacking on the other end.

I'll always think that if Daddy played 34 mpg he'd have been a 25 point and 15 rebound per game machine.

I remember shaking his hand after the win at West Liberty. Biggest hands I've ever seen.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Coulibaly is the Pitt version of past IUP player Daddy Ugbede.

Daddy was probably Joe's best post scorer adide from Webb. He was impssoble to defend at this level and also was an excellent free throw shooter. He was 6'6", 220 lbs, ripped and really quick. Problem was you'd be lucky to get 18-20 minutes a game due to his hacking on the other end.

I'll always think that if Daddy played 34 mpg he'd have been a 25 point and 15 rebound per game machine.

I remember shaking his hand after the win at West Liberty. Biggest hands I've ever seen.

LOL. Okay, I do remember the Big Daddy. Yeah, Mr. Score A Lot and then Mr. Hack A Lot down on the other end.

The Pitt staff really needs to get Karim to settle down. I like that he plays the game hard but like Clint Eastwood said in the one movie---A man has got to know his limitations.

Hopefully we get to see some more from Showtime Femi. Watch some of his high school/prep school highlights. Capel sent some of his staff to go see about him last winter. All three of them were calling Capel and screaming into the phone to sign him and sign him now.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Duke women's basketball has opted out the remainder of the season.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Duke women's basketball has opted out the remainder of the season.

Was Coach K cryin' about them losing home OOC games as well. LOL.

But who really knows what is going to happen here with all of this crap. The bottom may soon be completely out of the tub.

I thought that I heard that a lot of college players went home for the holidays (Pitt men included). That may not work out too well I suppose.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pitt's game tomorrow at Duke has been PPD (virus issues within Pitt program).

[IUPalum]

Pitt's game tomorrow at Duke has been PPD (virus issues within Pitt program).

Those two coaches love it!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Those two coaches love it!

Well, every PPD helps Pitt right now ... stalls some time for injuries to heal up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pitt vs ND tomorrow PPD

[IUPbigINDIANS]

WVU star Oscar T. has 'stepped away' from the program. No word when or if he will return. Major loss.

[IUPalum]

WVU star Oscar T. has 'stepped away' from the program. No word when or if he will return. Major loss.

That's more than a major loss. They also lost Cottrell their other big man for the season just a few days ago.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

WVU star Oscar T. has 'stepped away' from the program. No word when or if he will return. Major loss.

Hope he comes to Oakland. He would be nice to have.

I know that Capel did recruit him heavily.

[Columbuseer]

WVU star Oscar T. has 'stepped away' from the program. No word when or if he will return. Major loss.

Defintely Not coming back according to huggins. Effort in summer and this season was lacking. Not faIr to other players to continue to start him imho. Uk pushed hard to recruit him out of high school. Imho wvu played better this year when he was on the bench.

[JDonAB92]

Hope he comes to Oakland. He would be nice to have.

I know that Capel did recruit him heavily.

I would put $2000 down that he signed with an agent. I have seen this played out a hundred times lately. I also say this based on what Huggins said in that 'he won't be back'. I don't think Huggins would shut the door on this kid if that kid had not been given bad advice somewhere.....like a handler. You can see the motivation of the kid was that he had his eyes down the road. It is sad because he got some bad advice somewhere. But like I said, I would put money he couldn't transfer right now to any college.

[Columbuseer]

I agree his college days may be over
. He could probably play in europe and get paid very well. His family back home may need tge money.