Today the Post-Gazette follows the Tribune-Review‘s lead and does their article on Page’s offensive problems this year. I have to say, and this is probably a perception/subjective thing more than actual proof, that the Trib has been superior in their coverage, analysis and columns on Pitt sports. Both tend to use similar themes, but the Trib publishes the stories faster. The P-G is slower, giving less priority.

The Trib does a story on Notre Dame’s own star player with shooting problems. Point guard Chris Thomas, who last time torched Pitt for 29 points. Right now he’s in a major slump going a combined 8-36 in their last two games, 2-15 from 3-point land. Not surprisingly, ND lost those two games. As the Chicago Sun-Times points out, his poor play has been the reason that ND has fallen far short of pre-season expectations and why they are fighting for their tournament life.

Of course, Chris Quinn has really stepped up this year for Notre Dame — another Quinn bailing out an ND team.

The struggles of Thomas, though point out the risk/reward of relying or being carried by one player. It’s why Pitt has only lost once this season. No one player is the only option at crunch time. With this team, the ball could easily be in Krauser, Troutman, Taft, Page or Brown’s hands and you would like the chances.

Of course the reward is when that one key guy is on, he’s unstoppable (see, Wade, Dwayne, Marquette 2002-2003; also, Nelson, Jameer, St. Joe’s 2003-2004), and he can carry the entire team on his back. The thought of Pitt running into a team like Marquette with their best player on fire in the tournament again, gives me cold sweats.