Pitt takes on Louisville today and, obviously, the top ten Cardinals will present a big challenge. The Panthers still don't have a true statement win in their pocket, but Young notes that the Panthers still have some good opportunities to grab one at home:
This contest opens a nine-game stretch in which Pitt plays two games apiece against Louisville and Syracuse as well as showdowns with No. 15 North Carolina and No. 2 Virginia.
"I just know we win all our home games from this point on, that'll be a Louisville win, a North Carolina win and that'll be a Syracuse win, that'll be good wins for us," center Michael Young said.
If you just read the quote the way it's written, it sounds as if Young is guaranteeing wins against those teams. But I doubt that's the case. ESPN didn't give much context before his quote and my guess is that he's saying if the team manages to simply win their home games, they'll have some good wins.
That's true, but at some point, Pitt will need to start playing better against the top teams. One thing that's been an issue this year is that the Panthers' haven't even been in the same class of the better teams they've faced - San Diego State, Duke, Indiana, and North Carolina State, losing by double digits to all four.
To Young's point, though, none of those games have been at home. Pitt gets Louisville today, Notre Dame next week, and North Carolina in a few weeks at the Pete. If the Panthers are at least competitive at home today, that will go a long way to establishing the belief that they can pull off an upset or two down the road.
Another thing that was interesting was something that Young apparently said (but that wasn't quoted) that was mentioned in the article:
Young considers himself the more skilled of the two, but understands Harrell makes up for in sheer tenacity whatever he may lack in the finer points of the game.
If you know Young, you know that's nothing new. Earlier this season, he talked about being able to carry the team and being a good big man. Today will be a good test for him, though.
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