Wait. So their 121-4 home non conference record was inflated by far inferior opponents and the fact that Pitt used to be a top 5-10 team? Who would have guessed that.
For a couple of days, I saw so many posts on KHC, here, and the Pitt board talking about how Peterson is where top teams go to die, and they pointed at so many irrelevant statistics. Heck even ESPN was touting them during the broadcast last night.
The reality is the arena was much more intimidating when Pitt had that stretch of quality years/teams. It just so happened that it coincided nicely with the opening of the new arena. Combine that with the fact that they literally have never played anyone of any caliber, in the non-conference, in the Peterson Center. We were left with the inflated hype.
Less than 2/3rds full against the best non-conference opponent you've seen in years? That's not very intimidating.
The reality is that as Pitt's program has leveled off, so has the aura of the arena. Its a direct correlation.
And that's fine! To be honest, that happens to most programs. It will happen in the Kohl Center, it's happened at Mackey before, and it will happen at almost every arena in the country.
Arenas are heavily influenced by the superiority of the team that is put on the floor and the fan base that comes out to cheer for that home team. Without butts in the seats and a high quality product on the floor very few arenas will be intimidating.
Now to be fair I was impressed with the ZOO. Seemed like an engaged and high quality student section. They were amped when Pitt made their run. I liked it.
I'd expect the Peterson record to continue to be blemished though until Pitt puts a top team back out on the floor and get the fans back for high quality games.
