In-laws staying with us. Kids off from school. And basically, just trying to get all the crap I’m expected to do so I can start watching basketball around 3:30 with UConn-Nova. Liveblog for the Cuse-Pitt game at 7:30 tonight, as you would expect.

Just going to plow through the links and stories. And if you are a student going to the game, shouldn’t you be in line?

Helps that the students had the day off, and I’m guessing most of them were willing to come back early from a long weekend for tonight’s game.

Joe Lunardi and ESPN.com aren’t doing their mock brackets until Tuesday to wait and see what happens in this game (Insider subs.). Winner gets to be a pretend #1 seed.

There are two major themes that are set up for this game (three if you include that not incidental match-up of two top-5 teams). The first being that Pitt is at home where Pitt dominates against a team they have owned in recent years and happens to be without their leading scorer. The second being that Pitt’s ownage of the Orange is because Pitt is the only team that knows how to consistently beat the 2-3 zone.

“I think we do a great job of penetrating, making the extra pass and getting great shots,” Panthers guard Brad Wanamaker told Sporting News. “Syracuse, in their zone, they try to get you to take a tough shot, a contested shot. And when you pass the ball, a lot of times you can do better than that.”

These are two extraordinary programs that never stray far from the top of the Big East Conference. When they play one another, though – the only scheduled meeting this year is Monday at the Petersen Events Center at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN — Pitt has dominated the series.

Not only have the Panthers compiled an 11-3 record against SU since the 2001-02 season, many have not been close. Seven of Pitt’s wins came by double figures.

While Pitt does do extra practice against the zone every day, that has more to do with the fact that a lot more teams are willing to throw that defense out there at points of the game if there are foul issues or man-to-man isn’t working.

Really, it isn’t that Pitt is doing anything that different. It’s that the Panther offense is built on passing the ball and finding the best look (and of course, getting rebounds). It’s part of why Pitt’s tempo is alway in the lower end, while the offensive efficiency is so high.

How is this different from Pitt’s normal offense?

But Jamie Dixon’s team is well-versed in how to attack Syracuse’s zone defense, doing a good job of working the ball into the high post and not settling too often for the three. So many coaches and analysts highlight that foul line area as the key for breaking down a zone but when it comes time to perform many teams fail to fully utilize the area. Pitt can either flash a perimeter player into the area or they’ll have a Gary McGhee, who isn’t a prolific scorer but does a good job of passing the ball from that area when needed, flash into the opening. Frontcourt players like Dante Taylor and Nasir Robinson will also have opportunities against the Syracuse defense, and with Pitt boasting an offensive rebounding percentage of 46.3% keeping the big men off the offensive glass will be crucial for the Orange.

As far as team records, something gives tonight. Pitt is 8-0 at the Pete against top-5 teams. Pitt has never been 6-0 in Big East play. A win would give Pitt its longest consecutive win streak vs. the Orange at five games. Syracuse would tie their best start ever with a win tonight. The last time Syracuse beat Pitt at the Pete was an ugly OT loss in 2004 with neither team able to break 50 points. Even with a 12-3 record against the Orange since 2001, Pitt has a woeful 37-61 all-time mark against Syracuse. So, it will take another 30 years of domination by Pitt to get above .500 historically vs. the Cuse.

That long history of not beating Syracuse, is part of why it still an odd thing (at least to me) to see articles about how Syracuse is the underdog in this game, and the Orange fans are playing to the “nobody believes in us” card — I mean other than their usual whining about how the media hates and disparages them.

There’s the overrated “this is Syracuse’s first road game outside of NY (or NJ)” issue. Which is just stupid filler stuff. And, by the way, Pitt really can’t say much this year. Aside from the trip to Madison Square Garden, Pitt never left the city limits in the non-con.

The teams are also slightly different in what they are actually doing on the court.

This year, though, Syracuse and Pittsburgh are playing against their stereotypes. Syracuse, known for its high-flying transition offense, is scoring less than Pittsburgh — 75.5 points per game to Pitt’s 80.2.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh, noted for its hard-hat and lunch-bucket style and dedication to defense, is giving up 62.6 points per game while Syracuse is holding opponents to 59.3.
Pittsburgh ranks third in the Big East in field goal percentage, but Syracuse leads the conference in field goal percentage defense. Pittsburgh leads the Big East in 3-point shooting. Syracuse tops the conference in defending the three.

The one constant remains Pittsburgh’s excellence on the boards. The Panthers lead the Big East in rebounds per game and rebounding margin.

Last year it was Pittsburgh going into Syracuse and stunning everyone with the win over an undefeated Orange team. A second straight year of that sounds really good.

How do we know that all people care about is the game? The fact that Scoop Jardine’s preseason whiny accusation has barely merited a mention. But in case you’ve forgotten (insider subs):

They play dirty, and the refs allow it.

Guaranteed, the Pitt players and coaches haven’t forgotten.