BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ WEST VIRGINIA

March 3, 2008


The Backyard Brawl takes center stage on ESPN's Big Monday as Pittsburgh travels south to Morgantown to meet the West Virginia Mountaineers. It is Senior Night in the Coliseum against their biggest rival, so emotions will be extra high as WVU is out for revenge.

Here are the local media game stories and previews on tonight's contest:

WVU Seeks Revenge in Pitt Rematch (Times West Virginian)
It All Comes to Heart (Times West Virginian)
Plenty At Stake for WVU in Brawl (Charleston Gazette)
Big Monday! Big Basketball Brawl (WV Metro News)
Pitt's Young Steps into Leadership Role (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
WVU on Edge Again Heading into Brawl (Post-Gazette)

The intense rivalry that is known as the Backyard Brawl has been one-sided of late, with Pittsburgh winning five of the last six in the series. That includes the February 7th edition that was won by the Panthers on Ronald Ramon's buzzer-beating three-pointer in a 55-54 Pitt win. West Virginia will have revenge on their mind as the two teams prepare to meet tonight on ESPN's Big Monday showcase.

It has been quite a season for Pittsburgh, a roller-coaster for sure. The season has had incredible high's, including Levance Fields's winning three-pointer to beat Duke in December, Ramon's shot to beat WVU, the thrilling win at Washington and they can add the stunning rally to beat Syracuse Saturday at the Dome to the list. Trailing 75-64 with 3:30 left in the contest, Pitt outscored the Orange 18-2 to finish the game and win 82-77, solidifying their place in the NCAA Tournament. As long as nothing crazy happens between now and Selection Sunday, this will be the Panthers' seventh straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, a school record and the longest current Big East streak. The Panther season has also had some crazy lows, including Mike Cook's season-ending knee injury in the Duke win, Levance Fields breaking his foot in a blowout loss at Dayton, losing at home to Rutgers and a recent three game losing streak.

For West Virginia, despite a similar 9-7 conference record, the picture is a bit murkier. Looking back through their schedule, the Mountaineers have beaten one Big East team with a conference record of .500 or better, and that came on January 6th against Marquette. Their best non-conference win is likely over New Mexico State (17-13) on a neutral floor or Duquense (16-11) at home. There is not an impressive road win on the schedule at all. However, at 9-7 in the Big East, the Mountaineers still seem to be on the right side of the bubble, and a win tonight should safely secure a bid, as long as they take care of business against St. John's to close out their schedule.

In the first meeting between the two teams, West Virginia did not help themselves by shooting 7-17 from the foul line in a 1-pt loss. The actually shot better from three-point range (9-19) which had them in position to win before the free-throw meltdown. After the game, Bob Huggins publicly called out his teams toughness, mentally and physically, after they allowed Pitt to take the game from them.

Pittsburgh played that game without starting point guard Levance Fields, who has now played in their last five games since returning from the broked foot that sidelined him for 12 straight games. Despite Pitt losing their first three games with Fields back on the floor, they looked better in each game, especially offensively, and have now won their last two. Anytime you play against WVU, you will be challenged to make perimeter shots as Bob Huggins will mix up defenses in an effort to prevent teams from attacking WVU inside. The Mountaineers are still a bit soft in the middle, so the Panther star forwards, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, should find space inside to score points and grab offensive boards.

While Fields has the offense running effeciently, he is still struggling shooting from the perimter and Ronald Ramon, despite the big shot in the last meeting, is not shooting at his career percentage from the arc. If you can force Pitt to launch three's, you are doing a good job defensively.

It is senior night for West Virginia and Darris Nichols will end his career (along with Jamie Smalligan) in front of the WVU fans. Nichols has been very pivotal in the recent success of the Mountaineers teams under John Beilein and has helped bridge the transition from Beilein to Huggins. Nichols has been a key part of an Elite 8 team, a Sweet 16 club and an NIT championship with his steady hand and ability to hit key shots in crucial moments. WVU will need their senior to lead them tonight.

However, he will need help and the two players that abandoned him in the first meeting, juniors Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff, will need to be forces offensively tonight. Ruoff has the ability to make Pitt pay from the perimter and Alexander has the size and athletic ability to compete with the Panther front line. Alexander is coming off a 32-point performance at Connecticut, now he needs to carry that over against the Panthers. He is the team's leading scorer and rebounder on the season. Da'Sean Butler is a versatile player that will need to help on the boards and defensively to slow down Pitt.

There are a couple factors working in West Virginia's favor here tonight. First, revenge. The Mountaineers will not be allowed to forget about the earlier loss that really ripped apart Bob Huggins. Also, it is senior night and Darris Nichols has been a winner for four years, so sending him off on that note will be a focus of the effort of his teammates. Also, they are coming off a tough loss and still have work in front of them for the NCAA Tournament while Pittsburgh is coming off an emotional high in the win over Syracuse and now has to re-focus on a quick turnaround to face a rival that has this game circled on their calendar.

WVU is a 5-pt favorite and, with the intangible factors nearly all pointing towards WVU, the NBE Blogger is going in that direction tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction: West Virginia 69 Pittsburgh 62

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CINCINNATI @ PITTSBURGH

February 27, 2008



Pittsburgh has lost three straight games and looks to right the ship tonight when the Cincinnati Bearcats come to the Peterson Events Center. The Bearcats beat Pitt early this season in Cincinnati, 62-59, and hold a one-game lead on the Panthers in the standings.

Here are the local media previews and game stories for tonight's contest:


Bearcats Playing for Position (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Slumping Panthers Look to Rebound (Post-Gazette)
Defense, Rebounding Costing Pitt (Beaver County Times)
Prolonged Shooting Slump Perplexes Pitt (Tribune-Review)

Following losses at Marquette, at Notre Dame and to Louisville on Sunday the Panthers look to bounce back and avenge an early loss tonight when they host Cincinnati in Pittsburgh. Earlier this season, the Bearcats used a physical defense, aggressive rebounding and a timely 13-0 run to break a second half tie to hold on for a 62-59 win over Pittsburgh.

Against Louisville, Levance Fields started for the first time since breaking a bone in his foot on December 29th and played 37 turnover-free minutes. Fields also added 7 assists. It is clear that the junior point guard is not yet close to 100%, especially defensively or with his shot, but he is getting healthier and is the player that definitely makes the Panther offense go. In their loss to Louiville, it was not their offense, but their defense that struggled. Facing Cincinnati, who is struggling scoring points, could be a nice tonic for what ails the Panthers.

However, it will not be easy as the Bearcats will keep the pace down and have a dynamic scorer in Deonta Vaughn to lean on. The emergence of forward John Williamson as a reliable second option offensively has also been a big key in taking some pressure off of Vaughn. Defensively, UC will likely show a lot of zone looks trying to force Pitt to beat them from the outside and settle for perimeter jump shots. This is a good gamble against the Panthers who are very streaky from the outside.

Sam Young and DeJuan Blair each scored 20 points against Louisville with Fields delivering the ball to them in position to score. Young continues to score inside and out and he was the one Panther UC could not stop in the first meeting. Blair found himself in foul trouble earlier this year against Cincinnati and Pitt must have him on the floor as much as possible for them to be at their best.

The oddsmakers have made Pitt an 11.5-pt favorite. I do think Pitt wins, but in what I expect to be a low-scoring game, I think Cincinnati stays within that large spread.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 69 Cincinnati 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ NOTRE DAME

February 21, 2008



Notre Dame puts their 34-game home win streak on the line Thursday night when the Pittsburgh Panthers come to town. The Irish barely escaped the RAC last weekend with a win over Rutgers their last time out. Pittsburgh will look to like their wounds inflicted by the drubbing Marquette put on them last Friday night.

Here are the local media previews and game stories on tonight's contest:

Critical Couple Facing Panthers (Tribune Democrat)
Irish 34-Game Win Streak at Home More than Just Luck (Post-Gazette)
Pitt, No. 21 Notre Dame Finally Set to Battle (Tribune-Review)
Pitt Prepares for Notre Dame (Tribune-Review)
Irish Sophomore Loses Anonymity (Journal Gazette)
It's Nice to See You Again, Pitt (South Bend Tribune)
Rebounds Will Tell Story for ND-Pitt (South Bend Tribune)

Believe it or not, this is the first meeting between Pitt and Notre Dame since opening the 2006 Big East season against one another. That game was won by Pitt 100-97 in 2OT when Ronald Ramon hit a late-game three to give Pitt the lead. Ramon scored 12 in that contest and Sam Young (15), Levance Fields (11), Tyrell Biggs (4) and Keith Benjamin also saw action for Pitt. Luke Zeller (11), Kyle McAlarney (3), Rob Kurz (6), Zach Hillesland and Ryan Ayers saw action for the Irish in the marathon contest.

Both of these teams match-up fairly well with one another. Neither is the most athletic in the conference. Of course, when discussing the Irish, the inside/out combination of Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney dominate the discussion. What has been key for the Irish is the rest of the roster has accepted and grown into their roles in support of their star duo.

Harangody will be matched in a battle of bruisers with DeJuan Blair. Harangody has the experience and the solid footwork and fundamentals to score in the paint on just about anyone and he shoudl get his opportunities against Blair. The Pitt freshman should also be able to be productive, but if he finds himself in foul trouble against the effecient Harangody, Pitt will be in trouble trying to stop the likely Big East Player of the Year inside.

Where Pittsburgh could make life difficult is while guarding McAlarney. In the three Irish league losses, Harangody still has managed to average nearly 25 PPG and 13 rebounds, monster numbers for the sophomore. However, McAlarney is at just 10 PPG, but more importantly for the opposition, shooting just 11-37 from the floor and averaging just 2 assists against 3.3 turnovers a game in their losses.

A key for the Irish is the ability of Tory Jackson to use his quickness on each end of the floor to exploit the Panthers. Jackson can hound the ball on defense and break down the opposition with the ball in his hands, leading to kick-outs to McAlarney on the perimeter or dishes to Harangody for easy buckets. While McAlarney seems to be the barometer for the big wins, Jackson may be the ultimate key fr future Irish success, including on Thursday.

Pittsburgh is not a deep team because of the injuries they have faced and word that Levance Fields has been limited in practice since the Marquette game does not bode well for the Panthers. Fields played 20 minutes in the loss to the Golden Eagles, but apparently suffered an additional foot injury in the game. The injury is not related to the broken bone, but is with the same foot. Having Fields get healthier would have been a huge lift for Pitt in the match-up with Jackson, now Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin will be once again asked to carry a heavy load on both ends of the ball. The seniors are definitely capable, but the minutes seem to be catching up with them.

Pitt's biggest advantage is probably at the forwars position where the need a big game from Sam Young. The athletic but sometimes enigmatic Young will be matched up against ROb Kurz, a very solid player that can take advantage of any mental lapses Young might suffer. If Young is on his game and motivated from start to finish, he has the ability to carry the Panthers to a win against nearly anyone in this league, especially if Blair is out of foul trouble and the guards give some support from the perimeter.

Both teams are not likely to go more than 7 or 8 deep, Pitt could get a lift if Fields can give more minutes, but the Panthers will use four freshmen in that rotation while the Irish will not turn to any newcomers. That experience is tough to overcome on the road.

However, there is just something that leads me to believe the Irish home win streak is in jeopardy in the near future. Pittsburgh's losses have come against teams that like to pressure the ball with their athletic guard line-ups (although, it does not explain the loss to Rutgers). The Irish will not be as aggressive defensively as Marquette, UConn, Cincinnati or Villanova was with the Panthers, so, Pitt might be able to find some comfort and coming off that bad loss, they should be plenty motivated. The pressure of the home win streak can sometimes be a distraction and a source of added pressure...call me crazy, but I think it ends in a classic battle of two very good teams.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 74 Notre Dame 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ MARQUETTE

February 15, 2008


The Big East gives us a nationally televised Friday Night special as Pittsburgh travels to the Bradley Center in Milwaukee to meet Marquette. The Panthers have a 1/2 game lead on the Golden Eagles for 5th place in the conference standings, so this is an important game in the standings in what has quickly become a very competitive rivalry in the two+ seasons since Marquette has joined the Big East. Marquette has won three of the five meetings with an OT victory at the Pete and two other wins that have come right down to the final minute at the Bradley Center.

Here are the local media previews and stories on tonight's game:

MU Can Keep Progressing by Pushing Past Pitt (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Pitt's Dixon Far From Satisfied (Tribune Review)
Pitt Begins Grueling Stretch (Tribune-Review)
Final Four Team to be Honored (Journal-Sentinel)
Fields' Return Buoys Pitt's Big East Hopes (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Bradley Center should be in a frenzy with Pitt coming to town for a national television audience for a Friday night match-up. As if they needed any additional excitement, Marquette will honor the 2002-2003 NCAA Final Four squad at halftime. That team was led by Dwyane Wade, Steve Novak and Travis Diener.

This is an important judgement game for the Golden Eagles. We are still trying to determine how good this team is. While many teams in the Big East have been battling the injury big and breaking in new players, the Golden Eagles have been pretty healthy since the season began with a line-up that returned pretty much intact from last season. They spent much of the early season ranked around the top 10, but in recent weeks they have fallen down in the polls as they have been beaten badly by the likes of Connecticut, West Virginia and Louisville two times, by an average of 16 points. They were able to snap a two-game losing streak by running Seton Hall out of their own building with a full 40 minute effort that saw them defending and rebounding with renewed energy and effort. They will look to carry-over that effort tonight.

Over the last two seasons, no team has been a tougher match-up for the Panthers than Marquette. The Golden Eagles' attack is centered around their three-guard attack of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wes Mathews. The trio's quickness and speed gives any backcourt difficulty and Pittsburgh's backcourt has been short-handed for the past seven weeks due to the injury of Levance Fields. The junior point guard Fields is expected to play tonight, his first action since December 29th, but there probably is not a tougher game to get back into action for a guard than this one.

Marquette does struggle shooting the ball and teams have found success playing a variety of zones and forcing Marquette to play at a slower pace and rely on their inconsistent perimeter attack. They have Dan Fitzgerald and David Cubillan off the bench to knock down the three's, but they give up something in other areas with them on the floor (rebounding, defense). Pittsburgh, however, is a tough as nails man-to-man defensive team. That is their identity and Jamie Dixon is not one to often vary from that plan. Playing a zone could allow Pitt to go with a big line-up against Marquette and try to dominate the paint and the boards.

Marquette will be challenged by Pittsburgh's strength inside. DeJuan Blair will look to be physical inside against Ousmane Barro to score around the basket and control the defensive glass. Sam Young and Lazar Hayward might be the key match-up of the night. If Hayward can be similarly production as Young, Marquette's chances are great. If Young gets to the foul line and Hayward is in foul trouble, it could mean big trouble for MU as they do not likely have another forward on their roster to guard Young.

Keys for Pitt include Blair staying out of foul trouble and getting some perimeter scoring from senior gaurds Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin. Both players have played well in the 12 games since Fields have been injured, as they have persevered through their own ailments. Ramon has a bad shoulder and Benjamin cut his shooting hand a few weeks ago and his perimeter shot has not been the same. If he can regain that touch, and with the return of Fields, the Pitt backcourt suddenly becomes one to fear as well.

Marquette is a 4.5-pt favorite tonight and the history of these two teams indicates a game played relatively close to that number. The return of Fields is likely to give the Panthers a bit of an emotional lift and he is their leader on the court with his play and his fire. Marquette is eager to prove that they are a team that will contend for a Big East title down the stretch and closer to a top-10 calibre team. They know they need to beat some big players in the game and this would definitely qualify.

With the Friday night crowd howling behind them, look for the Golden Eagles to get a tough and important conference win.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Marquette 72 Pittsburgh 66

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ PITTSBURGH

February 12, 2008


Providence is quickly watching an anticipated season get away from them before their very eyes. The potential of missing the Big East Tournament is very real for a squad that was quietly picked by many to challenge foe a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Their fortunes turned sour when Sharaud Curry broke his foot prior to the season.

Speaking of tough breaks, Pittsburgh lost their floor general to a broken foot six weeks ago. This was two days after Mike Cook was lost for the season with a knee injury. However, the Panthers have remained above water and are 6-4 in the Big East and very well could have Levance Fields back on the court tonigth.

Here are the local media previews and stories on tonight's match-up:


Pitt's Fields Likely to Rejoin Team (Tribune-Review)
Pitt's Fields a Gametime Decision for Tuesday (Beaver County Times)
Panthers Face Rough Road for Stretch Drive (Post-Gazette)
Welsh Enters Center of Fan's Ire as Friars Stumble in Big East (Providence Journal)
PC @ Pitt Preview (Providence Journal)
It's Time for PC to End Welsh Era (Providence Journal)

It might be the night that the Pittsburgh players and fans have been waiting for since December 29th, the return of Levance Fields. The status of Fields and his likely return kind of sums up the direction of the two programs. Although Pitt is 3-3 in their last six since beating Georgetown, the Panthers have some optimism heading down the stretch and they stayed alove while Fields was out injured. Providence, on the other hand, has lost five of their last six since a stunning win at Connecticut. The win over UConn represents their lone road victory in Big East play as they sit at 4-7 with a tough stretch of games to finish out conference play. Making the Big East Tournament looks like a tough task as of this morning.

However, teams can sometimes rally around a cause and right now, that cause could be saving coach Tim Welsh's job. The pressure from fans and media is mounting on the Friar head man whose in his 10th season at PC. In those 10 years, Welsh has yet to win a game in the NCAA Tournament and they have made the Big Dance just two times. In what is widely regarded as the toughest job in the conference, there are legit concerns if Welsh would ever get the Friars to move up in the 'New' Big East. This was the season he pointed to, with an experienced and talented group, however, the injury to Curry has set them back, but injuries have been very common around the Big East and other teams have overcome them.

Looking at the Friars, you still see pieces that should be foing better than they are, but for some reason, the sum of the whole is less than it's parts. The Friars still struggle rebounding and defending, a common shortcoming of recent Friar teams, and spend an awful lot of time depending on the three-point attack. While Dwain Williams, Jeff Xavier and Brian McKenzie are all excellent three-point shootets, that seems to be their attack, pass around the perimeter hoping a three-point opportunity presents itself. When they are falling, like at UConn, they can look pretty good. When they are not falling, it can be disaster, especially with out Curry to create.

Still, the Friars seem to match-up pretty well here, but they will be tested inside by Pitt's DeJaun Blair. The big frosh has the beef and quickness inside that really tests the Friars inside game of Randall Hanke, Jonathan Kale and Ray Hall. The Friars will need to try to get Blair in foul trouble, if they are able to, it evens the match-up considerably. Sam Young and McDermott could be a physical battle at the forward position. PC does not run enough of its offense through McDermott and Young will look to attack him off the dribble. Any foul trouble here for either team is a big blow.

Pitt's senior guards Ron Ramon and Keith Benjamin have played really well in place of Fields, but getting Fields back should energize this group and make this unit deeper and stronger. Brad Wanamaker has gained valuable experience and fellow freshman Gilbert Brown is an exciting wing that seems to be on the verge of taking off.

Pitt has a tough schedule down the stretch and after this game they have back to back road games with Marquette and Notre Dame. Hitting this stretch with a win tonight will be a big lift. If Levance Fields enters the game, the place could go crazy and the energy lift Pitt needs from their emotional leader returning to the court could give them an extra push. The Friars, as 9-point underdogs, will rely on their three's, but if they are not falling, Pittsburgh should handle them well.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 71 Providence 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ PITTSBURGH

February 7, 2008



The Backyard Brawl is one of the most heated rivalries in college sports. Tonight, the hardwood version of the rivalry takes center stage on ESPN's Rivalry Week as West Virginia and Pittsburgh meet at the Peterson Events Center.

Here are the local media previews and stories on the game:


Win at Pitt Would Be Huge for WVU (Charleston Gazette)
WVU Aiming for Upset Against Old Nemesis Pitt (Martinsburg Journal)
Huggins Patient to Instill Style at WVU (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Pitt-WVU coaches History Dates Back 10 Years (Tribune-Review)


It is the 174th meeting all-time between Pittsburgh and West Virginia, with the Mountaineers holding the all-time series edge of 92-81 heading into tonight's clash. Each team enters the contest with identical 5-4 records in the Big East, so tonight's game has plenty of meaning outside of the rivalry.

West Virginia broke a 2-game losing streak with a road win over Providence last weekend, 77-65. The Mountaineers had lost a pair at home, a heart-breaker to Georgetown on a couple last second plays by the Hoyas and a 62-39 drubbing at the hands of Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh has also lost two of three, including their inexplicable loss of the season, 77-64 to Rutgers, at home. Pitt lost their last outing, 60-53 at UConn. The game was tied at 51 with just over two minutes to go, but the Panthers did not make the plays down the stretch.

Much like the teams John Beilein coaches at West Virginia prior to Bob Huggins, the Mountaineers rely on the three-point shot. Alex Ruoff is their top sniper, averaging 14.5 ppg and shooting 44% from beyond the arc. Joe Alexander leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounds (5.8) and was a prep teammate of the Panthers' Sam Young and Hargrave Military Academy. The WVU attack is rounded out by sophomore Da'Sean Butler, likely their best all-around player, who averages 12.7 ppg and 5.7 rebounds and senior point guard Darris Nichols averages 12 ppg.

The Mountaineers do a better job of rebounding this season than they have in the past, but it is still an area that opponents attack. In Beilein's system it was more finesse than the style Bob Huggins prefers and he has questioned his team's toughness in the past. The lack of toughness was evident in the loss against Cincinnati where WVU shot just 10-50 from the floor and 1-20 from 3-pt range.

If your toughness has been questioned, there is no better team to prove that wrong than against Pittsburgh, annually one of the toughest teams in the country. With freshman DeJuan Blair in the post, their trademark toughness continues. Blair will look to anchor down inside and clean up the boards. Sam Young has also had some of his strongest games against WVU in the past, dominating along the baseline against their 1-3-1 zone defense.

Because of their injury issues, it is a must for Pittsburgh to keep Young and Blair out of foul trouble. The Panthers are without Levance Fields and Mike Cook, and that adds pressure to the backcourt of Gilbert Brown, Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin to score, defend and make smart decisions all game. Ramon and Benjamin are seniors and have had some very good moments this season, but both have been quiet offensively lately. Benjamin has been struggling with a nasty cut on his shooting hand that required stiches, but looks to be healthier tonight. Ramon has a nagging shoulder injury, but as the point guard, he does not look for his shot enough. He has done a solid job as the point guard, but he does not have the ability to break down the defense and score like Fields had. This seems to hurt Pitt down the stretch of close games.

The Panthers are a slight 3-pt favorite on their home floor. The Mountaineers have a road-heavy schedule down the stretch and are 2-2 in the Big East away from home with wins over South Florida and PC. The Panthers have lost just once at home, to Rutgers, giving all teams some hope when coming into the Pete.

However, following a night when all three road times were victorious in the Big East, look for the home team to tough out a victory.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 71 West Virginia 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ CONNECTICUT

February 2, 2008


Over the last half-dozen years or so, no game on the schedule has seemed to mean as much as one between Pittsburgh and Connecticut in the Big East conference. They have played some classic thrillers in the regular season or in Madison Square Garden in the Big East Tournament. Jim Calhoun seems to use the Pitt game as a measuring stick for the toughness of his ballclub. The Panthers seem to relish the role of battling the Big East stalwart program of the last decade or so, hoping to achieve continued success to some day take that crown.

This year promises to be no different as both teams enter the contest at 5-3 in Big East conference play. Connecticut has rebounded from a surprising home loss to Providence to win four games in a row. One of those games was a non-conference road match-up at Indiana, who was ranked in the top 10 in the country. Their latest win was a thrilled over Louisville on Monday night. Making those wins even more impressive was they did them without the services of leading scorer Jerome Dyson and 6th man Doug Wiggins as both had been suspended for possession of alcohol on the UConn campus while under 21.

Dyson has now been suspended for a mandatory 30 days by the University because he failed a drug test in the aftermath of the incident, a process that has caused an additional rift between coach Calhoun and his athletic director. Wiggins passed his drug test. Wiggins had failed one earlier this year which resulted in him being away from the program for 30 days, so another failed test would have meant a suspension for the remainder of the season. A decision has not been made public, but Wiggins did return to practice yesterday and there are signs he will be available this Saturday, but that has yet to be confirmed.

In the absence of Wiggins and Dyson, AJ Price has continued to strenghten his role of on-court leader of the Huskies and continues to mature into one of the finest players in the conference. Added responsibility in the offense for Stanley Robinson has allowed him to find comfort and produce a pair of double-doubles in the impressive wins. Jeff Adrien continues to supply energy and emotion with his trademark toughness inside and Hasheem Thabeet continues to evolve as an offensive threat while changing everyone's game plan on the offensive side.

Pittsburgh is not going to feel sorry for the Huskies being short-handed. The Panthers have already lost Mike Cook and Austin Wallace for the season and Levance Fields has missed the last nine and a half games with a broken foot. The Panthers have held things together to post a 5-3 record in conference play which includes a win against Georgetown. They have also won on the road, beating South Florida and St. John's, but a few cracks in their usual toughness and effort have been detected recently as they lost at Cincinnati and were shocked at home agianst Rutgers. In both games, freshman DeJuan Blair found himself in some foul trouble and the consistent characteristics that have personified Pitt over the years were missing. With four freshmen in the eight-man rotation that has been diced because of the injuries, the up and down nature is to be expected.

There are some match-ups that Pittsburgh will have trouble with right from the get-go, but they match-up pretty well with UConn. Sam Young and Gilbert Brown give the Panthers an extremely athletic duo at the forward position and Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon are a pair of steady senior gaurds who have been through it all before. An area that sticks out right away is the height differential between the 7'3 Thabeet and the 6'7 Blair in the middle. However, knowing Pitt was able to overcome that match-up while beating Georgetown gives Pitt confidence heading to the XL Center in this one.

The way the Big East has gone, once a team seems to be gaining some momentum, the BE(ast) pulls them back to the pack. Connecticut really has a chance to solidify themselves as a clear challenger in the conference with a win this weekend. However, you wonder if the Dyson/Wiggins situation, now that the unknown is settled, will allow the team to relax just a bit. While they played with an edge in their last two games, can they keep that edge sharpended for a third?

Pittsburgh will likely come in with a nothing to lose attitude, but with the confidence that they have knocked off Georgetown in a similar situation, although it was at home. The way the conference is...I wouldn't be surprised to see UConn get pulled back into the pack.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 68 Connecticut 66

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ PITTSBURGH

January 30, 2008


The Big East conference can change on a whim and two teams that suddenly find themselves facing lots of questions meet in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. Pittsburgh has lost two of three, including a shocking home loss Saturday night to Rutgers. The Panthers circled the wagons when injuries decimated their club in late December, but the lack of depth and numbers looked to be taking a toll as the Panthers seemed in a mental fog on Saturday. However, that performance came just days after a dominating win over St. John's on the road.

After Villanova won at Syracuse, it was the Wildcats that seemed poised to make a litte run and position themselves favorably in the conference race. However, a trip to the RAC was no picnic as Rutgers came up with a win and then a trip home to face Notre Dame resulted in another double-digit loss. The Wildcats yielded 85 points a game in two losses last week, nunbers that Jay Wright will implore his team to improve upon vry soon.

Here are the local media previews on tonight's game:

Snapping out of Funk Wont Be Easy for 'Cats (Philadelhia Inquirer)
Pitt in a Must-Win Situation (Beaver County Times)
Panthers Must Avoid Turnovers (Beaver County Times)
Ramon Settles in at Point (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Pitt Tries to Solve Villanova (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

These two teams have already met once and Villanova came away with a thrilling one-point victory at the Villanova Pavillion when Dante Cunningham hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left. Villanova extended their defense and forced the Panthers to commit 22 turnovers, including one as the clock expired saving the victory for 'Nova. The Wildcats were keyed in that victory by Malcolm Grant and Antonio Pena off the bench as the Villanova reserves combined for 34 points and Dwayne Anderson added five more for 39 points from the bench compared to just 7 from the Pitt bench.

Villanova will have to use their deeper numbers and defensive pressure again to come up with a road victory. By extending the pressure against Pitt's guards, who do not have a true poit guard, Villanova can counter the Panthers' inside advantage.

On the other side, Pittsburgh needs to get back on the boards and pick up the defensive intensity once again. The Villanova guards are tough match-ups for Pitt, but the Panthers will have to make adjustments to control the dribble penetration of the Wildcats and to make sure they can get into their offense and are able to get shot attempts during their possessions. Pitt will likely get second chance opportunities, so every turnover takes away not only one shot attempt, but also potentially Pitt's biggest advantage, their front line duo of DeJuan Blair and Sam Young.

For Pitt, staying out of foul trouble and hiting some perimter shots to free up room for Blair and Young is the key to their offense. Rediscovering their intensity level is also a must and must come on their home floor.

While Pitt is not getting any healthier soon, Villanova might have Casseim Drummond available and the big body would be a big help against the Pittsburgh front court.

A lot of things point to Pittsburgh in this game, but this is a difficult match-up for the Panthers without Levance Fields to handle the ball. However Pittsburgh usually finds a way to get things down when you begin to count them out. The game is huge for both teams, while the loss to Rutgers is concerning, as of now it looks like an anomaly for the Panthers rather than the norm. So, look for the home team to pull it out, but it likely will not be easy. The Panthers are a 7.5-pt favorite and that seems a little too high to me.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 67 Villanova 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ PITTSBURGH

January 26, 2008



There definitely should be a little extra hop in the step of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights when they travel to face Pittsburgh Saturday evening. The Scarlet Knights have struggled mightily offensively this season, but after nearly knocking off DePaul on the road, they returned home and dominated Villanova at the RAC for their first conference victory of the season.

Pittsburgh rebounded from a disappointing loss at Cincinnati by taking St. John's out behind the woodshed of Madison Square Garden during an 81-57 victory. Sam Young continues to make his case for Big East Player of the Year candidacy with 26 points in the victory.

The key for the Panthers seem to be early starts offensively. In their three losses this season, Pitt has struggled to score in the first 8-12 minutes. Although each game was still close through that portion of the game, runs by the opponent later put Pitt in a tough spot. However, those games were on the road, at home the Panthers seem to be a different level of team. Even with Levance Fields out at least another three weeks and Mike Cook gone for the season, Pitt has made their case to be one of the top teams in the Big East. Freshman DeJuan Blair teams with Young to give the Panthers one of the nation's best 1-2 combination in the front court. Young seems to be a bureoning star in the league and is scoring in a variety of ways both inside and out. The senior guard combination of Keith Benjamin and Ronald ramon entered the season expected to play complimentary roles, but have shown to be more than adequate in the Big East. Freshman such as Gilbert Brown, Brad Wanamaker and Gary McGhee are improving with more playing time and junior Tyrell Biggs could likely be the next Panther to step up his game when called on.

Pittsburgh can be tested by teams that pressure on the ball with a deep group of guards or an effective zone that limits Young's ability to penetrate if their perimeter shooting is off. Foul trouble is also a point to watch as the Panthers are thin in numbers (Fields, Cool, Austin Wallace and Cassin Diggs all out with injuries) and foul problems with Blair could be especially damaging.

Rutgers, however, does not look like a team that can challenge the Panthers' vulnerable areas. The Scarlet Knights are down in numbers as well and the recent development of Courtney Nelson being ineligible for the remainder of the season leaves RU extremely thin. Offensively, Byron Joynes and Hamady N'Diaye do not pose much of a threat to get Blair in foul trouble. Rutgers' best player is forward JR Inman who will be directly matched up with Young in what should be an interesting battle. If Inman relaxes mentally on defense, Young could be past him in a blink and drawing fouls as he attacks the rim.

Fred Hill's most talented offensive option is Corey Chandler, however the freshman guard is battling a nagging stress fracture in his foot and facing the tough, physical Pitt defense could mean a long game for him. Mike Coburn, another freshman, and Anthony Farmer had career games against Villanova and will look to carry over that success. Wing Jaron Griffin is a very streaky shooter whose bad streaks seem to outnumber the good streaks, however, if he is on, he can score some points.

For Pittsburgh, the key is likely the first 10 minutes. If they can avoid early fouls on Blair, but the ball in the basket and get a lead, Rutgers could become discouraged quickly on the road, especially in one of the best home court atmospheres in the college game. It is hard to believe a 1-6 team could be looking at a let down, but Rutgers beat Jay Wright, Fred Hill's former boss, in their last game and they have rival Seton Hall up next, so a quick strike from Pitt could take RU out of the game early.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 77 Rutgers 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ ST. JOHN'S

January 23, 2008


The Pittsburgh Panthers head to New York City to meet the Redstorm of St. John's. The Panthers return to Madison Square Garden where, earlier this season, they had one of their biggest victories in recent memory, but in the same game, suffered a tough loss as well. St. John's will hope to surprise the Panthers, yet again, on Broadway.

Here are some local media previews and stories on the game:

The Future is There for St. John's (Big East Basketball Report)
Former High School Teammates Reunite When SJU Battles Pitt (NY Daily News)
Pittsburgh Perseveres Without Injured Starters (NY Times)
Storm Brace for Pitt Stop (NY Post)
Pitt Hopes for Reversal of Fortune (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Shooting Practice Pays off for Panthers' Benjamin

The last two times that Pittsburgh has entered Madison Square Garden to face the Redstorm under Jamie Dixon, the Panthers have lost. It has not been an issue of playing under the bright lights of Broadway as Dixon has guided the Panthers to wins over Alabama, Memphis and Duke in non-conference games at MSG and Pitt has won seven Big East Tournament games in his four seasons as the head coach in the World's Most Famous Arena. However, the Redstorm have been effective in keeping the game bogged down and low scoring, much like Cincinnati did in the Bearcats' 62-59 win over Pitt last weekend.

The Panthers sport quite a New York City flavor themselved with area natives such as Ronald Ramon, Keith Benjamin and Tyrell Biggs from the area as part of their 8-man rotation. Injured players Levance Fields and Austin Wallace are also New York City natives. Sometimes going back home is tough on players, but Pitt's success in other contests in New York City throws that theory out of the window.

Earlier this season Pitt knocked off Duke in front of a large Duke contingent on national TV, 65-64 on a Levance Fields 3-pter in the waning seconds. In the game, Pitt lost senior G/F Mike Cook for the season with a knee injury and Fields, who is out until at least mid-February, went down with a foot injury in their next game. Without two starters, the Panthers have a much smaller margin of error. Foul trouble, especially with DeJuan Blair, and some inconsistent shooting nights from the perimeter will make many games without Fields a struggle. That really bit them in their last outing.

St. John's is a young team still trying to find their footing in the Big East. The Redstorm have lost 9 of 12 and had a disappointing loss at Carnesecca Arena in their last hime game when they let a 9-pt second half lead slip away and turn into a 60-54 loss to DePaul. Last week they hung tough on the road against West Virginia showing more energy and dominating the boards in a 73-64 loss.

The 'Storm will need to continue that energy tonight on the defensive end and on the boards against a Pittsburgh team that will likely be showing more life on the floor than they did in their last outing. Both teams need to take care of the basketball. St. John's might be a little short-handed with Eigene Lawrence hobbling, freshman Malik Boothe could be called on more often and he would be in charge of applying ball pressure to the Panther guards, which is an area other teams can exploit in the absence of Fields. St. John's is also moving Ayodele Coker into the starting line-up to give them added toughness and size to face the Panthers.

If St. John's can control the tempo and keep this game on pace to be played in the 50's, with the first team to 60 winning, they can follow the plan that has led to their previous two victories against Pitt. Pitt plays well in transition with Sam Young finishing and DeJuan Blair finding room inside. If the game slows and the Redstorm can pack in a zone defense, it could become a perimeter shooting contest, something neither team particularly excels at and plays more into the favor of St. John's in staying in the game and stealing it late.

I look for Pittsburgh to have a little more life tonight and pull it out as a 55.5-pt road favorite.


NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 67 St. John's 60

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ PITTSBURGH

January 14, 2008



Big Monday on ESPN kicks off with a heavyweight match-up as the Georgetown Hoyas travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers at the Peterson Events Center. The road has not been kind to Big East teams this year and, with conference play only two weeks old, Georgetown is the only team in the Big East without a conference loss.

The Panthers have overcome injuries to starters Levance Fields and Mike Cook to get off to a 2-1 start in the conference. Pittsburgh has a completly new starting five from last season and after a 64-63 road loss to Villanova to open conference play, the Panthers have won two in a row.

Here are the local media previews on tonight's game:

Panther's Young is a Slam Dunk and Then Some (Washington Post)
Plenty of Talk About Hoyas (Washington Times)
Hoyas Surged After Wins Against Pitt (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Pitt's Blair Faces Tall Order Against Georgetown (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Pitt's Blair Ready for Hibbert (Tribune-Review)
Pitt Still Evolving as Hoyas Arrive (Washington (PA) Observer)

Over the past seven years the Pittsburgh Panthers have had a lot of success, losing just 26 games in conference play. However, one team the Panthers have struggled with of late has been the Georgetown Hoyas, who have beaten the Panthers in four of the last five meetings, including a 65-42 drubbing in the Big East Conference Tournament Championship game last season.

Other than that lopsided affair, the other games have come down to the wire in back and forth contests. One thorn in the Panthers' side is no longer there as Jeff Green has moved on to the NBA, but the Hoyas still return four other starters from last year's Final Four team.

Georgetown is led by Big East preseason Player of the Year, Roy Hibbert. The 7'2 center has a signficant height advantage over a Pitt line-up that will likely have 6'7 DeJuan Blair and 6'8 Tyrell Biggs playing the post. Blair will try to use his exceptional feet and hands to work inside and Biggs will try to pull Hibbert away from the basket. On defense, the Panther big men will have to use their bodies and strength to keep the bigger Hibbert out of his comfort zone on the block. Hibbert, at times, can be bodied up, but his enourmous size advantage could lead to foul trouble for the Panthers, something that could reallu hurt Pitt with their lack of depth due to injuries. Freshman Gary McGhee (6'10) offers more of a size match-up for Hibbert and will likely see action. His play against USF's Kentrell Gransberry when Blair picked up two first half fouls was a key ingredient to Pitt's road win over the Bulls.

One of the candidates for Big East Player of the Year AND Most Improved Player is Panther forward Sam Young. The 6'6 jumping-jack from Clinton (MD) grew up close to Georgetown and now will try to lead Pitt to a win over the Hoyas. Young scored 50 points in the Panther's wins last week and is averaging over 18 PPG on the season. itt is doing a tremendous job in getting Young the ball in position to score and take advantage of his inside-out strengths. Georgetown does have the perfect player to match-up with Young in sophomore DaJuan Summers, a 6'7 F who can also go inside and out on each side of the ball. Summers also has the ability to be a dominate scorer, but in the Georgetown Princeton-style system, he shares the scoring load with the rest of the line-up.

Georgetown also has some added depth in the frontcourt with sophomore Vernon Macklin and senior Patrick Ewing Jr. Both offer excellent size, strength and athleticism for theirt positions.

On the wing, the Panthers are without senior Mike Cook for the rest of the season and redshirt freshman Gilbert Brown has stepped into his spot in the starting line-up. Brown is one of the best athletes in the entire conference and should emerge as a terrefic wing player. He is still looking for his comfort zone offesively, but in every game he makes a couple athletic plays that leaves observers impressed. For Georgetown, freshman Austin Freeman can fill up the basket quickly and will be a good match-up with Brown when they are on the floor together. This could be a major coming out party for Freeman if the freshman continues his solid play. He is averaging 13 PPG in conference action, shooting 50% from the arc (6-12) and 62% (16-26) from the floor in three games.

The backcourts look pretty identical with Pitt starting a pair of seniors in Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin and the Hoyas have senior Jonathan Wallace at the point and Jesse Sapp at the off guard. Ramon is averaging 8 PPG and 6 assists in Big East action, but looked to find his shooting stroke on Saturday against Seton Hall. Benjamin has really stepped up his game since the injury to Fields, averging nearly 16 PPG in the three Big East contests. Both are good defensive players as well. Sapp and Wallace both average 9 PPG in conference play, but they each have the knack of coming up big when needed. Georgetown has added depth with Chris Wright and Jeremiah Rivers giving very good minutes. Pitt only has freshman Brad Wanamaker in the backcourt to provide relief for the starters, unless they go with a bigger line-up with Gil Brown at guard.

Georgetown is about a 2-pt favorite in this one. They have a very versatile line-up that can go big or small. I look for them to play a mixture of man to man and zone defense and if they can settle into a zone, they will force Pitt to beat them from the perimeter. Without Levance Fields to break down the defense, I think that could give the Panthers trouble. Pitt also will have to watch the foul trouble as I expect them to be physical with Hibbert in the paint, but for John Thompson III to make it a priority to point out the physical play to the officials. Jamie Dixon will have Pitt ready and he has done a masterful job putting his injury-riddled line-up together and keeping them in position to win. I expect their veterans to be ready to play and the crowd to give them that extra lift. If they hit from the perimeter, I like their chances. However, the lack of depth makes the margin of error a little too narrow for me tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Georgetown 73 Pittsburgh 72

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ PITTSBURGH

January 12, 2008


On paper, this does not look like a close match-up. Pittsburgh has one of the strongest home court advantages in the country while Seton Hall is still looking for their first road win under Bobby Gonzalez.

However, Pittsburgh, as everyone knows, has injury issues with Mike Cook gone for the season and Levance Fields out for at least another 6 weeks. Seton Hall likes to pressure the basketball the full court for the full 40 minutes, but their own injury issue with Paul Gause makes them much less effective playing that style.

Local Media Previews of the Game:

Pitt Players, Coaches back Ramon Despite Troubles (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Pitt Displaying Diverse Line-ups (Tribune-Review)


Pittsburgh has shown a lot of resilency since the injury bug has hit. Sure, they have dropped a couple games, but judging by their 1-pt loss in the waning seconds at Villanova and a double-digit road win at South Florida, this team still has a lot left and they are not spending any time feeling sorry for themselves.

Villanova did set a blueprint to be successful against Pitt, pressuring the ball the entire game. It does not have to be fullcourt pressure, but extending the defense on the perimeter will keep Ronald Ramon, not a true point guard, from setting up the offense easily. Once Pitt is set up, they are tough to stop as Sam Young and Dejuan Blair still make up a top frontcourt duo. Zone pressure full court also might not be that effective as Pitt is still a veteran-based team and might even be a better finishing team now with Young, Blair, Gilbert Brown and Keith Benjamin running the floor. Each of their games seem to be stronger in the open court and that was definitely shown against South Florida. Villanova was able to slow the game and force Pitt to run a halfcourt game with heavy pressure on the ball, forcing 22 turnovers, most after Pitt broke the token full court pressure.

Seton Hall has been an interesting team to say the least. They have already played in four overtime contests, including at home against Monmouth, Robert Morris and James Madison. At times, the Pirates play down to their competition and find themselves in HUGE holes, only to use their full court frantic pace to pull themselves out. Luckily, they do play more consistent against the better teams, because that style is not likely to find success against Big East teams when trying to climb out of a big hole.

Seton Hall was very successful in nearly stealing a road win at Marquette this week by settling back into a zone defense and working to keep the score in the 50's against Marquette. To win on the road, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty and be able to grind it out in the half court. If they can do this and turn it into a posession by possession game in the last three minutes, the athletic ability and quickness of Eugene Harvey could give Pitt trouble on both ends of the floor. It might be a tougher task against Pitt as the Panthers will rebound the ball very strong and use their size against a smaller Pirate club, but that is probably the best strategy for Bobby Gonzalez to follow.

The other key for Seton Hall is to make shots, especially on the perimter. Jamar Nutter, who is the only Pirate likely to play that has experienced a Big East road win, is a hot and cold player. If he is hot from the perimeter it will give the Pirates a huge list. Freshman Jeremy Hazell is also very capable of letting them fly from deep, against Pitt, however, that is tough. Ask high scoring freshman wing players such as Dominique Jones and James Anderson, or even experienced shooters like Scottie Reynolds or Jon Scheyer how tough the Pitt perimeter defense can be.

If Seton Hall can put Pittsburgh into a halfcourt game and pressure the ball from there, they could turn this one into a similar contest as they did against Marquette. Pittsburgh is returning home after a couple road games, and they have to avoid looking past the pesky Pirates to a Big Monday date with Georgetown. This wounded Pitt team does seem to be playing with extra motivation as some players who were previously role players want to prove they are capable of succeeding in the Big East.

Seton Hall has not one a road game in the Big East since then-coch Louis Orr brought his team to the Peterson Events Center for the last regular season game of 2005. That win liekly clinched the Pirates a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Can they taste road success at Pitt again? Maybe...but, I would not count in it just yet.


NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 74 Seton Hall 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ SOUTH FLORIDA

January 9, 2008


The Pittburgh Panthers take their depleted line-up back on the road for a meeting with South Florida at the Sun Dome. The Panthers lost their first Big East conference game at Villanova last Sunday. The Bulls are 1-1 in league play, earning a home win over Rutgers in their opener and fell at Syracuse last weekend.

Here are the local media previews on tonight's contest:

Pitt Gets Chance to Rebound (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Running the Point for Pitt Leaves Ramon with Fewer Shots (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Pitt Could Play More Zone (Tribune-Review)
USF Sees Pittsburgh as a Start (Tampa Tribune)
Pitt Readies for South Florida


Pittsburgh concludes a two-game road trip to open Big East play tonight as the 3-pt favorite Panthers travel to South Florida to meet Stan Heath's Bulls. The last time a Stan Heath-coached team played Pittsburgh, Ben Howland was the Panther coach and Heath was leading Kent State to an overtime victory over the Panthers in the Sweet 16 of the 2002 NCAA Tournament.

Playing their first Big East opponent since the injuries took Levance Fields (6-12 weeks) and Mike Cook (season) out of Pitt's line-up, the Panthers turned the ball over 22 times in a 64-63 loss at Villanova in a frenzied Pavillion. Coming up a point short and knowing that 22 possessions did not result in a shot attempt has left Pitt more determined to take care of the basketball.

The Bulls opened conference play last week with a 68-45 win over the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers in the Sun Dome. The win was the Bulls 10th in 11 games, following three losses to start the season. On the road in Syracuse on Saturday, it was a different story for USF as they fell 89-77.

We are still trying to get a feel for this new-look Panther squad. Their effort at Villanova was impressive, but with a very limited 7-man rotation there are a lot of factors that could derail a Panther victory because of few options. Foul trouble or an off night by one of the players they now lean more havily on will make any game trecherous for Pittsburgh.

The Panthers still boast a talented front line duo in the form of junior Sam Young and freshman Dejuan Blair. Getting the pair the ball in position to score will be the key to Pitt's success. When they got them the ball on Sunday, good things usually happened. Teams will try to extend defense against Pitt to prevent the guards from making easy passes to the post. Instead of sagging into the paint defensively to slow the inside game of the Panthers, attacking and pressuring the ball looks like the route teams will take. Ronald Ramon is not a true point guard, he is an adequate ballhandler, but he has trouble navigating trapping defenses.

On the wings, the Panthers can be exciting as Gilbert Brown is a high-flyer, but still needs to develop the mid-range game to score other than on dunks or three-pointers. Keith Benjamin, a senior, has shown signs of being a consistent offensive threat in the two outings since Fields was injured, if that continues, it will be a big lift for Pitt while Fields is out and could make the Panthers even more of a dangerous team when Fields returns.

For the Bulls, their offense is led by the inside-out combination of freshman Dominique Jones (16.7 PPG) and senior big man Kentreall Gransberry (15 PPG and 11 rebounds/game). Pittsburgh has been known to make it a long day for scorers, already shutting down players such as John Scheyer, Jermine Anderson and Scottie Reynolds this season, so look for Jones to be concentrated on by the Pitt defense. Gransberry is built much like Pitt's Blair and the Panthers do not have much size or depth in the front court, so Gransberry will be a tough task as he loves to anchor himself inside for rebounds. He and Blair should be a very fun battle, if either gets in foul trouble, it could spell doom for their respective team.

Where the Bulls are better this season is they do not have to rely on just one player. jesus Verdejo has been more consistent this season and Chris Howard is showing more signs of being an offensive threat. Howard and Sam Young were high school teammates before heading off the prep school and now college.

I can't help but think the short-handed Panthers were helped by the energetic crowd at Villanova. It provided both teams with energy, but the Wildcats had more answers, their bench outscoring the Panther reserves 39-7 in a 64-63 contest. The crowd will definitely be less than intimidating tonight, the Bulls average just under 4,000 fans a contest. Sometimes an opposing team can draw on the energy and motivation a crowd brings with it as well.

Tonight, Pitt will have to find their own sources of energy, protect the ball and make shots. The Bulls are unlikely to force the amount of turnovers Villanova did with extended pressure, but they have more of an inside threat to counter Pitt. I see this game coming down to the wire, just like Pitt/'Nova did.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 63 South Florida 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ VILLANOVA

January 6, 2008



Although Sunday afternoon is a match-up of a pair of current Top 20 teams in Pittsburgh and Villanova, it is also a match-up of two teams with numerous questions surrounding them both.

The obvious questions at Pittsburgh is how are they going to navigate the Big East conference schedule with a depleted roster. Heading into practice in mid-October, the Panthers were expecting a full allotment of 13 scholarship players available. The news of Darnell Dodson not being cleared by the NCAA hardly caused a stir as he was expected to be redshirted because of depth on the wing. The news of Austin Wallace being injured in practice and lost for the season also hardly made waves since his contributions were expected to be minimal this season. Pitt pressed on, winning their first 10 games and met Duke at Madison Square Garden on ESPN. The Panthers pulled off the upset when Levance Fields hit a clutch three pointer with 4.7 seconds left in the contest, just moments after his best friend on the team Mike Cook went down with a serious knee injury.

Cook's injury raised a question on the Panthers, but they were still regarded as a Top 10 team and a Final Four contender once another of the pieces of the puzzle (Gilbert Brown) was plugged into the mix. Afterall, that is what Pittsburgh does, they plug in good players in place of good players each and every season. Brown even brought a little extra promise as the exciting redhsirt freshman has loads of potential in his 6'5 frame. However, things got worse, during a 25-point drubbing at Dayton, the Panthers saw their most irreplacable player go down with an injury, Levance Fields suffered a broken foot and initial reports had him sidelined for 8-12 weeks, if not the season. He could be back sooner, but now the Panthers enter Big East play with five new starters from a year ago.

for Villanova, the out of conference schedule was a solid success for Jay Wright's young squad. They won 10 of 11 contests, only a controversial last second foul against North Carolina State prevented them from being unbeaten. They did not overly push themselves (no games against Top 25 teams) and the only true road game took place at Temple, but they were working the kinks out as they looked to replace seniors Curtis Sumpter, Mike Nardi and Will Sheridan from last year's team.

Sometimes, winning masks problems, and Jay Wright raised concerns about his team's defense on several occassions, but the young Wildcats were scoring a lot of points and winning. However, that ended on Thursday night in Chicago when a 4-7 DePaul squad rose up and defeated the 17th-ranked Wildcats, 84-76. Now, the Wildcats return home to face cross state rival Pittsburgh in a key game.

Pittsburgh does have one game under their belt since Fields was injured, a 96-75 home win over Lafayette. The Panthers will move Ronald Ramon, a senior, into the starting point guard spot and senior Keith Benjamin will start at shooting guard. In their debut without Fields, Ramon had 11 pts, 10 assists and no turnovers and Benjamin had a career-high 20 pts. However, Lafayette maybe a school in Pennsylvania, but that is all they have in common with Villanova. The Wildcats will likely come out with a little more fire defensively, especially on the perimeter and will likely challenge the ball-handling abilities of Ramon and Benjamin. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher will likely be after the Panther gaurds from start to finish, trying to force them to set-up their offense out of their comfort zone and make it difficult for them to get the ball inside to Dejuan Blair or to Sam Young on the baseline for then to work against Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham.

The Panther defense will also be challenged by the Wildcats as they will try to attack off the dribble and draw fouls. Pitt is down to jusy nine scholarship players, but Gary McGhee is also hobbled and likely headed for a redshirt and Cassin Diggs is a likely match-up dilemma that the Panthers will be unwilling to use, leaving them with a 7-man rotation. Villanova on the other hand can go with Corey Stokes, Antonio Pena, Malcolm Grant and Dwayne Anderson off the bench as options, so despite missing Casseim Drummond due to injury, the Wildcats are the deeper team.

One thing we do know about Pittsburgh is they will not quit. Jamie Dixon will have them playing hard, but the pressure opposing guards will apply against Pittsburgh is going to make it awful tough for them to run their offense effectively and take advantage of a pair of very good forwards in Blair and Young. it will be a tough game, but Villanova rebounds at home to win this one.

NBE Blogger: Villanova 67 Pittsburgh 62

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