My personal feeling is that it is always difficult in the Big East to win 2 games against the same foe in a year. That is only magnified when it is a team that is also a top-10 team. Nonetheless, a Valentines special tomorrow up in the HVAC Carrier Dome. Of course, that also means if it is a blow out on either side there will be the obligatory “Valentine’s Day Massacre” headline for a story on Tuesday. Heck, even if it’s a close game some copy editor will think he’s being original and go with some such pun. I beg them now, don’t take the easy way. Skip it.

Game notes for Pitt and Syracuse (PDF). The odds are stacked against Pitt. In 42 games in Syracuse, Pitt has only won 9. Syracuse is coming off a strong win down in Philly against Villanova, and looking for payback from a couple weeks ago.

The game is part of ESPN’s Big Monday at 7pm with Sean McDonough (Syracuse grad), Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas calling the game.

I’m not predicting anything with this game.