So, tonight is Pitt’s first game in the Big East Tournament. Right now it is about being in the familiar.

Whether it’s superstition or consistency, the Pitt men’s basketball team follows an exact routine during their trips to the Big Apple.

The Panthers stay at the same hotel, eat at the same restaurant, practice in the same gym and even use the same bus driver.

“Our team,” coach Jamie Dixon said, “is a creature of habit.”

That familiarity may be one reason why Pitt feels so comfortable at Madison Square Garden and has reached the finals of the Big East Tournament seven of the past eight seasons.

“It’s hard to explain,” Dixon said. “Maybe (our routine) has something to do with it.”

The interesting thing in this game. Pitt and its fans have talked about how part of why Pitt has had so much success at MSG in recent years involves all the kids from NYC and the NY/NJ area that are coming back there. Tonight, the edge in that goes to WVU.

In Pitt’s rotation it is: Fields, Biggs and Gibbs with the local ties. On the Hoopie side there’s: Da’Sean Butler (NJ), Devin Ebanks (Long Island), Kevin Jones (Mt. Vernon), Darryl Bryant (Brooklyn) and Wellington Smith (NJ).

Does Pitt prefer being the perceived underdog? Well, they really won’t be in that role for a while. They are definitely not under the radar.

Speaking of under the radar:

Fields has three double-doubles in a row, averaging 12.3 points and 10.7 assists per game. How hot is the 5-foot-10 senior? In the past three games, he has more double-doubles than either DeJuan Blair (two) or Sam Young has in the past month. Fields also needs 15 assists to break Brandin Knight’s single-season assist record of 251.

The Sporting News, named DeJuan Blair an All-American.

DeJuan Blair, So., F/C, Pitt. Although he averaged more points and more rebounds, and outplayed Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet in two head-to-head meetings — both Panthers’ victories — Blair shared Big East player of the year with Thabeet. That mistake will not be repeated here.

Sam Young made the 3d team.

Pitt is about a 4 point favorite tonight.

More silliness from out west.

Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon was the most popular choice when 31 Pac-10 media members were asked whom they’d most like to see named UA’s next coach, according to an Oakland Tribune survey published Wednesday.

Dixon received six votes, while Randy Bennett of St. Mary’s was second with four and Mark Few of Gonzaga was third with three.

Other votes included: Steve Lavin, ESPN analyst; Steve Kerr, Suns GM; Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s coach; and … Lute Olson.

But Dixon was not first when voters were asked whom Arizona will actually hire. That prognostication most often went to Few (six) with Dixon (four) and Tom Izzo of Michigan State (four) tied for second. UNLV’s Lon Kruger had three votes.

I’m not surprised that many picked Dixon. He’s not mean to the media.

Seriously? There are that many people in the media out there that think Izzo is leaving Michigan State? Where he is one of the highest paid coaches in the Big 11? Where he was an assistant? The fact that Izzo is a Michigan native? That he has no problems recruiting, and has won a national championship at MSU? Yet, that many really believe he will be lured out to the desert?