As expected the trickle of useless advanced predictions is underway. The only advantage is that it makes it more likely for Pitt to be among the pre-season polls and magazines in the fall.

This from Fox Sports:

12. Pittsburgh: Panthers guard Carl Krauser is gone, but Jamie Dixon still has plenty of quality guards at his disposal — Ronald Ramon, Levance Fields and Keith Benjamin. Seven-footer Aaron Gray may have been the most-improved big man in the country, and Pittsburgh will also bring back Sam Young and Levon Kendall — who split time at power forward this season.

The only BE team ranked higher is Louisville at #10.

This offering from Andy Katz at ESPN.com goes higher.

10. Pitt: The Panthers only lose Carl Krauser. He was a major player for the Panthers throughout the course of his career, but Pitt can take the hit of losing the veteran point guard. Big man Aaron Gray and forwards Sam Young and Levon Kendall give the Panthers one of the toughest front lines in the country. Guards Ronald Ramon, Levance Fields, Antonio Graves and Keith Benjamin should show everyone that the Panthers have the goods on the perimeter to match up with any team in the country. And you wonder why Jamie Dixon stayed?

Pitt is the highest ranked of the BE teams in Katz’s rankings. In the rest: UConn (11), Georgetown (13), Villanova (16) and Marquette (24). Louisville is just outside the top-25.

Lots of expectations for 2006-07.