The 7-1 Pitt Panthers play “host” to the 3-4 Indiana Hoosiers tonight at Madison Square Garden, Pitt’s home away from home, in the Jimmy V Classic. The game is the second game of a double header. The first game is between Georgetown and Butler. Tip off will be around 9:00 PM, depending on when the Georgetown-Butler game finishes on ESPN.

The Garden is considered to be Pitt’s home away from home. They have played 32 games there since the 2000-2001 season, amassing a record of 23-9 and winning two Big East tournament titles. The biggest win in this building for Pitt was back in 2007 against Duke. Pitt also has 3 players from the New York area, Ashton Gibbs, Travon Woodall, and Dante Taylor, along with head coach Jamie Dixon.

The Hoosiers are led by a familiar foe to the Panthers in head coach Tom Crean, who coached Marquette before leaving for Indiana. Indiana is led by G Maurice Creek (16.7 points per game), F Christian Watford (12.6 points per game), and G Verdell Jones III (11.4 points per game).

The Panthers are coming off an embarrassing game against New Hampshire, where the Panthers won 47-32, but the two teams combined for only 22 points in the first half, breaking a record for lowest point total in any half since the shot clock was introduced. Ashton Gibbs had 23 points, and Brad Wanamaker had 19. These two men will have to lead Pitt again tonight, and returning starter Jermaine Dixon will be a game-time decision tonight. His and Gilbert Brown’s returns will help hopefully jump start the relatively flat Panther offense.

While Pitt’s offense has been flat the past two games, I look for them to bounce back at the Garden tonight against a Hoosiers team who is giving up 71.7 points per game.

Prediction: 72-60 Pitt