From the major sports sites regarding this Saturday’s game. I’m happy to say that Seth Davis at SI.com is once more picking against Pitt. He is 0-2 so far on Saturday Pitt games, so let’s hope the streak continues.

Yes, the Irish handed BC its first loss of the season, but it would be much more impressive if they can pull out this one on the road. Chris Thomas played his best game of the season by far — and maybe the past three seasons — against the Eagles, dishing out nine assists without a turnover while scoring 19 efficient points. We’re used to thinking of Pitt as a stout defensive team, but this group is actually better on offense. (The Panthers lead the Big East in 3-point percentage.) The problem for Pitt is you never know which Chris Taft is going to show up. I also thought they had found another perimeter scorer to complement Carl Krauser when freshman Ronald Ramon scored 21 in the win at Rutgers on Jan. 8. But Ramon hasn’t scored in double figures since, which underscores why, even playing at home, Pitt is vulnerable against a good team that’s just hitting its stride.
Seth’s Pick: Notre Dame 77, Pittsburgh 72

Greg Doyel doesn’t make a pick in the game, but sees it coming down like this.

The Panthers (16-4, 6-3) are no longer invincible at home, as Bucknell and Georgetown proved earlier this season. The Irish (14-6, 6-4) are playing awesome of late, sandwiching wins against Connecticut and Boston College around a loss at Syracuse — a game Notre Dame probably should have won. With third or fourth place in the Big East at stake, this game will come down to what games involving these two teams always come down to: inconsistent point guards Carl Krauser and Chris Thomas.

Personally, I’m with Troutman. I’ll take Krauser (also it notes that Aaron Gray has been ill this week as well). Right now, Pitt is a 5 to 5.5 point favorite.

Hopefully the game will not come down to officiating, because this has not been a great year for BE officials. Syracuse Hoops Blog notes how bad it was in just a few days — and when a Syracuse fan is wondering how the ND can get whistled for the technical during the ND-‘Cuse game you know it’s not a good scene.

The issue of questionable officiating is also a story in a Connecticut paper.

It’s a safe bet the telephone in Art Hyland’s office got quite a workout in the past week or so. Hyland is the coordinator of men’s basketball officiating for the Big East Conference and the impact his officials have had on conference games lately has certainly warranted a heated discussion or two about their competence.

Officials, naturally, always have an impact on the games they work, but good officials do not decide games, they allow the players to do so. But that hasn’t been the case in a number of conference games.
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Criticizing officials is a no-no for coaches and usually draws a reprimand from the league office, but these calls were so blatantly bad and unnecessary, it’s doubtful the coaches heard a harsh word from the Big East administrators.

Well, perhaps Providence coach Tim Welsh will get a little flak after his assessment following the Friars’ 67-65 loss to West Virginia on Wednesday. Providence took just three free throws, all in the first half, courtesy of officials Pat Driscoll, Will Bush, and Joe Lindsay.

I saw the second half of that game. Gomes was being mugged under the boards without any calls.

I try to avoid talking about how games were called because more often than not it comes off like sour grapes. Still, that will be another thing to watch in tomorrow’s game.