Actually meant to get to this yesterday, but time didn’t permit.

Mike DeCourcy at the Sporting News has a couple mentions of Pitt. First, regarding, not getting stressed about the RPI with half the conference schedule left, among other things

Pittsburgh is No. 67. Wait, no, that was before the Panthers beat Syracuse. Now they are No. 46. They gradually are erasing the stain of their weak nonleague schedule. They are 2-0 against RPI top 30 teams and play four more. That will bring up their average.

The Pac-10 is No. 2 among conferences. That’s nice, but against the other five BCS conferences, the Pac-10 is 10-12. Though ranked behind the Pac-10, the Big East was 16-10 in such games, and the Big 12 was 18-14.

For Pitt, though, they have to win those games. The margin of error is smaller. Still it’s a valid point, even if I am one of the guiltiest of harping on the non-con.

In another segment, he comments about Chris Taft.

Pittsburgh C Chris Taft gets along too well with backup Aaron Gray for the Panthers to use the threat of playing Gray more as a means of motivating Taft. But they can hope Gray’s effort in running the court, diving for loose balls, setting screens and fighting through fatigue serves as an example of how Taft should be playing. A gifted big man with NBA potential, Taft did not work hard enough to improve during the offseason and has been disappointing as a sophomore. Although he is an excellent passer, Taft has only 12 assists in 17 games. However, after Pitt essentially had to take him out to defeat UConn, Taft delivered one of his steadiest, most consistent efforts in the comeback victory against Syracuse. . . .

Um, uh, I have to disagree. He was not in the game for half of the second half, when Pitt took the lead on Syracuse. Len Elmore was also on Taft during the game (about 10 minutes into the 1st half of the notes is where I mention it) for his effort and looking for shots.

Finally, from Pat Forde at ESPN.com regarding the Big East at this point:

Better Than Advertised: Boston College, ya think? Not even the omniscient Minutes could foresee the Eagles rolling along at 18-0.

Worse Than Advertised: The senior seasons of Ryan Gomes and Chris Thomas. Notre Dame is just 4-3 in league play with a 62 RPI, and Thomas is shooting a career-low 35 percent from the field. Friars forward Gomes once again has lovely numbers (19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game) but that hasn’t deterred an 0-6 league start. Providence has lost all six of those games by single digits, but four have been at home.

Player of the Year (so far): The league with the best collection of big men in America has been raided by a slender sophomore wing forward, Boston College’s Jared Dudley (7). It might sound ludicrous to tout him over Syracuse’s Hakim Warrick, teammate Craig Smith, Gomes, Pittsburgh’s Chevy Troutman and UConn’s Josh Boone, but check the kid’s numbers in league games — 20.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 51 percent shooting from the field and 79 percent shooting from the line. He’s more versatile than Warrick and better across the board than Smith or Gomes.

Coach of the Year (so far): The Minutes will go out on a limb and plug BC’s Al Skinner (8), who brings a refreshingly calm presence to the sidelines. (Honorable mention to John Thompson III for making Georgetown relevant again.)

Freshman of the Year (so far): Rudy Gay came in with the biggest name, but Georgetown’s Jeff Green (9) has shown the most game. The 6-foot-8 Green is all over the stat sheet, ranking among the league leaders in scoring (13.9), rebounds (6.9), assists (3.8) and field-goal percentage (47.7).

Best Game To Come: Syracuse at Boston College, Feb. 19. With no return game to the ‘Cuse, a whole lot could be on the line in Conte Forum.
…
COACH WHO EARNED HIS COURTESY CAR THIS WEEK:

Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon (26), who orchestrated the Panthers’ second consecutive 17-point comeback against a high-level Big East opponent. First it was a rally in Storrs to shock Connecticut, then it was a comeback at home to beat No. 4 Syracuse. Now if he can just get his guys to answer the opening bell.

Pitt answered the opening bell last night. Saturday is the next bell down in Morgantown.