I really love reading something like this
What to watch:Sunday, SU at Pitt. No better way for the Orange to become a stone-cold lock – and transform Pitt from top seed to a 2 – than gain by far its most meaningful win of the season.
It’s a thrill to see that Syracuse — a basketball team, and let’s be honest here, that has been one to envy for its consistent success in the Big East — is looking to get it’s “most meaningful win of the season” against Pitt. Not that it should happen.
Though the Orangemen, are saying they are just taking it one game at a time, and not looking to the NCAA tourney. Sure.
Despite, having McNamara back and healthy to face Pitt this time, Syracuse lacks Billy Edelin for “personal reasons” and the fans are a little doubtful about their chances against Pitt in the Pete.
That said, Syracuse will have to exceed expectations if they hope even to stay close with Pittsburgh on Sunday. Earlier in the season, the Panthers destroyed Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
I don’t think that will happen again, but I think Pitt will win this game.
What is Being Said in Pittsburgh
The beat reporters do their feature notebook stories on Chevy Troutman.
Columnists have chosen to focus on the NCAA Tournament. Smizik at the P-G has a bizarre piece arguing that Pitt might be better as a #2 seed than a #1 — this after decrying the whole obsession that has arisen over seeding in the tourney so early, and that seeding is overrated.
Pitt and the NCAA tournament are so large in our sports consciousness that while the Panthers flirted with defeat Tuesday at Georgetown, the all-consuming fear of those at the game in Washington or watching on television no doubt was not what it would do to the team’s ranking or to its place in the Big East Conference standings but what the loss would do to the its seeding.
The Panthers, after all, are in line for a precious No. 1 seed, which, in theory, gives them the easiest path to the Final Four.
But theory and practicality are two different things. Truth be known, seeding is grossly overrated, as anyone who follows Pitt basketball should know.
It’s rare to get to see such inconsistency in the same column.
Ross at the Trib wonders what will be Pitt’s distraction at the NCAA Tourney, this year.
Two years ago, pre-tournament diversion was provided by Brandin Knight’s right knee, injured in a collision with Connecticut’s Caron Butler late in the Big East title game.
…
Last year, the distraction came straight from the top. UCLA fired head coach Steve Lavin on March 17 and Howland’s name was first on the list of potential replacements.
He thinks the distraction might be a problem with Krauser. He doesn’t know/say what, but he just doesn’t see anything else that could be a significant distraction. I think it will be allegations from St. John’s players that it was the Pitt players that tipped them off to go to Club Erotica in McKees Rocks.
