What’s home court advantage worth in college basketball? 3 points? According to the latest line from the Stardust, Pitt is a 2 point favorite. On a neutral court, this would be a pick-em or Syracuse would be a slight favorite. As usual, the oddsmakers know.

Looking at the basic stats in conference play only, shows similar numbers, with an edge to Syracuse.

Avgs. per game — FG-FGA —- 3FG-FGA — FT-FTA —- Rebounds — Assists — Turnovers
Syracuse, 7 gms — 28.6-55.4 — 5.6-14.6 — 13.7-21.7 —— 34.7 ——– 15.9 —- 12.4
Pitt, 5 games —- 23.6-49.2 — 5-12.6 —– 14.8-22 ——- 34.2 ——– 11.8 —- 12.6

The edge is obviously in shots taken and made. Syracuse has averaged 76.4 points per game in conference, while Pitt is nearly 10 points lower at 67.

Defensively, Syracuse has allowed only a .394 shooting percentage on 159-104 shooting. What stands out, though, is that in those games, opponents averaged 24.3 3-point attempts in a game. Take out the 3-point shooting (a .324 average) and the shooting from the rest of the field was .444 (104-234). It should also be noted that in 3 of the last 4 games, Syracuse has allowed 70 points or more. On the whole, Syracuse has allowed opponents 66.9 points per game

Pitt’s defense has not been as good as the past couple years. The Panthers have allowed Big East opponents to shoot .430 overall. Pitt’s opponents have taken a significant number of 3-point shots, 18.6 per game, and once those are taken out of the mix, opponents have shot about .461 (88-191). Pitt though, has been more effective at limiting shot opportunities, hence why no BE team has scored more than 67 against them.

Then there are the deeper numbers. Ken Pomerory, has his own set of stats (explanation for them here) for all Division I basketball programs. Through games played on Wednesday, January 26, here are these numbers all are adjusted, except for the last one, the number in parenthesis is the overall rank amidst the 326 teams:

———- Tempo/Pace — Offensive Efficiency — Defensive Eff. — Shot Att. Diff.
Syracuse — 69.4 (121) — 114.6 (14) ———– 92.4 (46) —— 1.9 (115)
Pitt ——– 64.9 (289) — 112.2 (21) ———– 94.6 (69) —— 3.6 (77)

The overall edge goes to Syracuse. Both teams are very efficient in taking advantage of scoring opportunities, but Syracuse plays at a faster pace (though the Orange won’t exactly be confused with being a running team), and is slightly better on defense. Pitt, though, is better at denying more shot opportunities.

The pace issue may be the biggest factor. It’s really one of the major differences between the two teams. Pitt plays a very slow half-court game. Not just on offense, but on forcing opponents to work for their shots. Last week UConn became frustrated with trying to set the play and get the ball inside for good shots in the second half and started throwing up jumpers.

I’ll look at the individual players later.

Okay, the Orange have their Game Notes available (PDF) for this match-up. This is Syracuse’s first game against a ranked foe since December 7, when they lost to Oklahoma St. at the Jimmy V. Classic. Pitt has them beaten to that by a week, thanks to the UConn game. Since that loss, Syracuse has rattled off 13 wins. They had a huge, gut-check, come from 20 points down win against Rutgers at the RAC. For those Pitt fans feeling cocky about that, consider the RAC Syracuse’s house of horrors, much like Pitt playing St. John’s in NYC.

Strange article from the Daily Orange about a Syracuse athlete, Xavier Gaines, who quit the football team because he couldn’t get far up the depth chart and the team was losing, and rejoined the basketball team where he was a walk-on for a season. He’s not going to get off the bench, but…

Gaines will most likely be on the bench – the place he’s spent most of this season – when Syracuse faces Pittsburgh on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center. He has only appeared in four games for a total of 13 minutes, but Gaines, a junior, is just happy to be on a winning team.

“This is real good,” Gaines said of his situation with the basketball team. “Everybody’s really nice. And it’s a good learning experience with all the coaches and the players.”

He sounds like a quality teammate. Quits the football team because he wasn’t good enough to beat out the stiffs Syracuse had playing QB, but happy to be on the B-Ball team since they are at least winning.

For information from the Syracuse perspective, there are 3 Syracuse blogs to take a look at. Orange Juice is hosted on Syracuse.com. Also hosted at the same place is O-Zone. The newest, and very promising, is SyracuseHoops. All are worth an unfiltered look.

In Syracuse, they seem to like their chances because of turnovers.

Strength:Chevon Troutman played like a first — team all-conference pick in last Saturday’s win at Connecticut. He scored 29 points — 25 in the second half — in a breakthrough performance.

Weakness:Carl Krauser hurts the Panthers with his out-of-control play as much as he helps the team when he’s on. Krauser averages 4.2 turnovers per game — 6.2 in Big East games.

Bottom line:If Krauser keeps his turnovers to a minimum, the Panthers can beat anybody. That’s especially true if Troutman and sophomore center Chris Taft start dominating up front.

On the national scope, this is on everyone’s list of top games over the weekend. Greg Doyel at Sportsline, seems to be giving the edge to Pittsburgh, but his reasoning is suspect.

No. 4 Syracuse at No. 20 Pittsburgh: The Orange (20-1, 7-0) have been eking out wins, scratching past Providence, Georgetown, West Virginia and Rutgers — but still, they’re winning. Now the same can be said of Pittsburgh (13-3, 3-2), which has won three of its past four, including that surprising win at Connecticut. Pitt will win again unless Syracuse finds a way to contain Chris Taft.

I would love to see Taft have a break-out game tomorrow. He let himself be pushed out of position by the frontcourt of UConn, but he should be looking to get closer to the basket for his shots.

At USA Today, the edge is given to Syracuse, because of experience.

Syracuse at Pittsburgh (Saturday)

What it means: The Orange (20-1, 7-0 Big East) have lost only to Oklahoma State and put a 13-game winning streak on the line. They’ve shown an ability to pull out some close ones. Their league schedule gets dramatically tougher starting now. The Panthers look to secure back-to-back wins against the last two national champions and move closer to the top of the league.

What to watch for: The Panthers (13-3, 3-2) are well-rested and have had the entire week to prepare for this one after Saturday’s victory at Connecticut. They will be tough physically and also have a revenge factor working. Syracuse last season gave Pitt its first loss at the Panthers’ Petersen Events Center. The Panthers have lost twice there this season, and the experienced Orange should feel good about their chances.

Then it is Seth Davis’ turn at SI.com. Davis picked against Pitt last week, and does so once more:

No. 4 Syracuse at No. 20 Pittsburgh We won’t know for a few weeks whether Pittsburgh’s comeback win at UConn was an aberration or a turnaround moment. (Or whether it simply revealed UConn ain’t all that.) A win over the ‘Cuse would certainly be another step forward, but I have a feeling it’s not going to happen. It will be harder for Chevon Troutman (29 points, 12 rebounds vs. UConn) to go wild against the veteran Orange and their 2-3 zone. (Pitt only made six 3-pointers against UConn.) Meanwhile, Syracuse staged its own comeback on the road Monday, winning at Rutgers after trailing by 18 at halftime. With Billy Edelin providing an increasing lift off the bench at point guard, the Orange is a very good team still getting better.
Seth’s Pick: Syracuse 77, Pittsburgh 72
Reader’s Pick: Syracuse 75, Pittsburgh 70

I don’t mind Davis doing it, but Yoni as the Guest Picker? I’m hurt. Coming off getting named as one of the best basketball bloggers in another SI.com column, he does this. Disappointing.

If you are like me, living out of the Pittsburgh area, you look forward to the NCAA tournament but with a sense of annoyance already in place. Why? Because you know you won’t get to see Pitt’s first tournament game and likely their second round game (assuming they advance) unless they happen to play a team that is deemed the best fit for your media market. There is the option of spending $60 for the CBS March Madness package (assuming you have the Dish or they make it available through cable). For me, the wife would veto that in a heartbeat. What does she care? She knows her team — Cinci — will get shown locally. That is why this is exciting:

College Sports Television (www.cstv.com) has secured a multi-year agreement with CBS SportsLine.com and the NCAA for the exclusive video streaming rights for out of market game coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship beginning with the upcoming 2005 tournament. Fans will be able to watch the live CBS Sports NCAA Tournament broadcasts from outside their area on their computers, following the action as it is broadcast by CBS Sports announcers such as Jim Nantz, Billy Packer and Bill Raftery.

Beginning March 17^th, NCAA March Madness on Demand, powered by CSTV.com, will provide the most personalized, interactive online experience of any sporting event.
…
NCAA March Madness on Demand,powered by CSTV.com, will offer live and on-demand streaming video of up to the first 56 NCAA Tournament games on an out-of-market basis, through the regional semi-finals, and will also feature streaming video of interviews and pre-and post-game press conferences, in addition to video highlights. Webcasts of games broadcast by CBS Sports in fans’ local markets will be subject to blackouts.
…
Subscription packages are priced at $19.95. Fans purchasing subscriptions by February 8 will receive a 50% discount. Fans can log on to CSTV.com, CBS SportsLine.com and NCAASports.com for additional NCAA March Madness on Demand, powered by CSTV.com,subscription information.

[Emphasis Added.]

Haven’t found where to sign up on the sites, yet, or I would have already done so. This is an obvious boon, also to those who have to work, but want to see the game. Not that anyone is endorsing such a strategy. Just one more way to reduce productivity during the first week of March Madness.

UPDATE: Found order info here.

Whether its been retaining commitments of the 2005 recruiting class or luring new commits, Coach Dave Wannstedt has been generating excitement in the Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.

He met principals and teachers at Woodland Hills High School, signed autographs for some students and did a lot of handshaking. At Baldwin, he did an interview with the school newspaper, walked the halls of the school, met students and teachers and shook plenty of hands. At a few other Western Pennsylvania schools, he smiled and shook more hands.

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Dave Wannstedt was running for political office. But the new Pitt football coach isn’t trying to win votes. He’s trying to win over Western Pennsylvania high school football coaches and recruits.

In his short time as Pitt’s coach, Wannstedt has been bouncing around WPIAL schools, meeting with coaches and greeting anyone else that crosses his path. While trying to recruit some seniors, Wannstedt is more concerned with future prospects and Pitt’s image with area coaches.

He has gone to a handful of schools that don’t have any senior prospects. Wannstedt is showing himself in order to show Pitt wants control of recruiting in this area again. He brings assistant coach Bob Junko with him.

I’ve said that this is a good thing. A necessary thing. And definitely Walt Harris had fallen off in how close he and his staff were concerning themselves with much of Pennsylvania — as evidenced by the fact that not one recruit this year is coming from Eastern Pennsylvania. Still, I think back to the piece from Shelly Anderson, about where the program was when Harris got here versus now. Clearly Wannstedt is stepping into a far better situation. It just seems like a little unnecessary piling on Harris. You don’t need to denigrate Harris to help promote Wannstedt.

Wannstedt is doing the smart thing and showing as much energy as he promised he would bring. Yesterday he was up in Johnstown to visit with one of Pitt’s early commits.

NCAA regulations prohibit coaches from speaking openly about potential recruits, but it was evident that Wannstedt was in town to visit with Greater Johnstown running back LaRod Stephens. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound senior had given a verbal commitment to former Pitt coach Walt Harris and has told The Tribune-Democrat that he would still like to play for the Panthers. He is expected to sign with Pitt on Wednesday.

Stephens was The Tribune-Democrat’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 and shared the award with Berlin’s Eric D’Carrion in 2004 after he broke Johnstown’s career rushing records with 4,597 yards and 57 touchdowns.

The visit was the second of three stops that Wannstedt and assistants Curtis Bray and David Walker made in western Pennsylvania on Thursday. Wannstedt, who previously coached the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears, said that he is making an effort to keep the Keystone State’s talent in Pennsylvania. He also plans to make sure those recruits pick Pitt over rival Penn State.

Speaking of PSU,

“We’re going to. That’s the challenge,” he said. “They have a great program, we all know that. They’re our competition in state. In the great days of Pitt football and the great days of Penn State football, there were great rivalries for recruits between Pitt and Penn State.”

Wannstedt said that he will do his part to get the on-field rivalry going between the two schools again.

“Pitt needs to be playing Penn State each year. I’m all for that. I’m going to see coach (Joe) Paterno next week at the coaches convention in Hershey,” he said.

Should be a fun meeting.

Is today’s theme. Both papers have their primary story to play up the fact that Syracuse was the first team to beat Pitt at the Pete.

“Yeah, we’re pretty mad at them,” junior point guard Carl Krauser said. “We’ve got to get those guys back. They’re a great team with a great coach and we’ll need to follow our game plan and protect our house this time.”

Eight of 10 starters from the two teams will be back on the floor Saturday night, when No. 4 Syracuse (20-1, 7-0 Big East) returns to face the 20th-ranked Panthers (13-3, 3-2) at 7 p.m. The Orange have all five starters back; Pitt three.

Syracuse star forward Hakim Warrick expects the Panthers to be about as hospitable as Archie Bunker. The Orange are riding a 13-game winning streak, and Pitt wouldn’t mind putting it to a halt.

“I know they’re looking for some revenge,” said Warrick, who averages 20.1 points and 9.0 rebounds. “We know all about breaking their streak and them losing for the first time there. We expect them to be hyped up for us.”

Is he worried?

“They’re going to come after us, but it’s always that way in a game like this,” Warrick said.

“I think we’d hate them even if they didn’t break our long streak,” Gray said, laughing. “They’re real competitive games and they’re fun games to watch. We get to play them at the Petersen Center, so this gives us another big chance to show people that, after beating Connecticut (last Saturday), that we are one of the best teams in the Big East.”

Last year’s game was a frustrating and maddening one to watch. Pure ugly. Scoring was minimal.

“What I remember about that game was it just felt like the ball wouldn’t go in the basket,” point guard Carl Krauser said, recalling that Sunday afternoon when the Panthers scored their fewest points in a game in 22 years. “We had a lot of opportunities. We just couldn’t execute our plays. It was a rough game. They broke our winning streak. And we’re going to try and get them back on Saturday.”

Pitt players are feeling good after the come-from-behind-win-on-the-road-on-national-TV game against UConn. The Big East has been strange, though, 36 BE games and the record is 18-18 for home teams. Syracuse is 7-0 in the BE, including 4-0 on the road. They ended last season with 4 straight conference road wins. A win against Pitt would tie their own team record of 9 consecutive conference road wins. Just one more little incentive.

Yuri Demetris waived his preliminary hearing. His trial is scheduled for February 18. Don’t expect him to rejoin the team regardless of the outcome.

Ray Fittipaldo, the Pitt beat writer for the P-G, has his Q&A up. Some good stuff, including a few topics that have been posted here.

Q: Why is Jamie Dixon so reluctant to use his bench? It appears that other teams are more athletic and larger at the perimeter positions. He has size on the bench. Your thoughts.

FITTIPALDO: Dixon has been a coach who has liked to use seven or eight players in his rotation during his first year and a half as Pitt’s coach. That has changed somewhat with Yuri Demetris being suspended. He played 10 players during the first half of the Connecticut game. I think he was searching for someone to step up and take advantage of the minutes they were getting. He eventually settled on Levon Kendall, who played 20 minutes in that game and played very well on the defensive end. I don’t expect him to play 10 players every game, but I do think you will see him go to his bench more because he needs to match up different players in different situations, taking their strengths and weaknesses into consideration.
…
Q: Did you read the article on Chris Taft in ESPN The Magazine. What is wrong with this kid? He does not seem to get it. Talk is cheap. How about doing something on the floor.

FITTIPALDO: I did read the article and some of the things Taft said were pretty outlandish. But you also have to understand that outlandish is ESPN’s schtick. Taft has been very humble with the local media all season and never once uttered anything close to what he said for ESPN. Maybe Taft got caught up in a national magazine doing a centerpiece story on him. I don’t know. But I agree with you. If he said those things, he had better start backing it up with more consistent play.
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Q: If I had a dollar for every time Jamie Dixon has uttered the words “We need to get better”, well, you know the rest. What is behind Dixon’s generic A-Rod-esque responses to every question posed to him? Is he trying to protect his players? Does he realize that this approach is quickly getting old with fans who appreciate honest answers?

FITTIPALDO: There are people in local media circles and some at Pitt who are of the opinion that Dixon needs to take a course or two on media relations. It wouldn’t hurt. Dixon is a good man, but he does not come across well in front of the camera. I think part of it is he is being careful with his words because he is a first-time head coach and does not want his words misconstrued by his players. He has never called out one of his players in the media in his short tenure as head coach. He does not use the media in that way. In fact, I don’t think he has much use for the media at all. He understands it is part of his job, but he would much rather be poring over game tapes and meeting with his coaches than meeting with reporters. He is that kind of coach. He is not out to sell himself. But, he probably would serve the program better if he tried to use the forum in a more positive manner. That may happen as he grows more comfortable in that role.

I guess one of the positives of Walt Harris no longer coaching football at Pitt, is that the school no longer has the dullest 1-2 coaching pair in Division 1. Now there’s something to figure out. Which school has the worst coach-speak copy in both football and basketball?