If the Panthers want to win tonight they have to do the following:

1. Stop the 3 – Marquette is one of the top 3 point shooting teams in the nation, 42.3%, and all 5 starters shoot successfully more then 35% from behind the arc. The old adage goes, “Live by the 3, Die by the 3″ and Marquette escaped their game against South Florida on Saturday after shooting 6 of 16 from behind the arc, but their defense stepped up big time.
2. Gilbert Brown shows up – Gilbert Brown has been a roller coaster since the South Florida game, huge game, terrible game, repeat. Brown played really well in the OT thriller against WVU, lets hope the roller coaster ride stops and instead of having a let down game he goes off. When he goes off, it really allows Ashton Gibbs to shine; when Brown is off, Gibbs has to force shots.
3. Hit the boards – For 4 of the past 5 games, the Panthers have been outrebounded. Tonight they cannot give Marquette second chance oppurtunities. Gary McGhee should thrive tonight on the glass, as Marquette’s tallest player in the starting 5 is 6’6″.

Marquette is going to come out fighting, they see this as their ticket to the Big Dance as it is the last chance they have until the Big East tournament to face a Top 25 school and have a record of 2-4 currently against Top 25 schools. I see tonight being the night finally scores a victory in the Bradley Center and holds onto the 4 seed in the Big East.

Prediction: 68-61 Pitt

Honestly, what is there to preview for this game? Both teams hate each other, the fans hate each other. There is going to be animosity, there is going to be an intensity level that is rarely seen, and there is going to be extra security. I hope Pitt fans are more intelligent then Mountaineer fans and don’t throw things on the court and try and cause a break in the game. Cheer your heart out, boo the hell out of the Mountaineers, but don’t throw anything on the court. Show WVU we are better than they are, especially after we pull the upset and beat WVU.

That’s right, put the upset alert out, because Pitt is sending the Mountaineers home with a loss. McGhee will not miss 8 layups again, Gilbert Brown and Brad Wannamaker will have more than 0 points each and seeing how Brown disappeared in the game against Robert Morris, he is due for one of his big games. Jermaine Dixon and Ashton Gibbs will continue to stay hot and light it up for the Panthers. And finally instead of having to hear the Mountaineer fans, the Oakland Zoo will be rocking tonight on ESPN.

Prediction: 73-61 Pitt

Pitt has looked more and more like a Big East contender these past couple of games and it can be seen in the polls and Bracketology. Pitt went from being unranked two weeks ago to being ranked 15 in the AP Poll and 16 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. In Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology on ESPN.com, Pitt went from being out of the tournament two weeks ago to being a 4 seed in the latest Bracketology.

This is a game between the two winningest Big East teams of the decade and they renew their rivalry tonight. Once again, Pitt looks to end an opponent’s undefeated record at home as UConn is 11-0 at home, while Pitt is 3-0 on the road. It will be a hostile environment for the relatively young Panthers.

UConn coming off of a loss where they blew a 19 point half time lead is not good for the Panthers. Look for Jim Calhoun to have his Huskies back in line when they play the Panthers tonight. Pitt is going to need a little luck and be hot from the outside to win tonight. It’s going to be a game of UConn’s height versus Pitt’s perimeter game and speed. The only height Pitt has is in Gary McGhee at 6’10” and unless he has become or channels the spirit of DeJuan Blair tonight, there isn’t much McGhee will do. Jamie Dixon should look towards a faster lineup tonight against UConn’s tremendous transition game. Ashton Gibbs needs to stay hot tonight. The 5 men who need to get the majority of the minutes tonight have to be Gibbs, Jermaine Dixon, Gilbert Brown, Brad Wanamaker, and Travon Woodall. Tonight would be a perfect place for a breakout game from Dante Taylor.

Pitt needs to follow these keys to victory for any chance to win tonight:

1. Gibbs stays hot
2. Slow down UConn’s transition game
3. Contain Jermaine Dyson
4. Hit the makeable shots (Free Throws, the bunnies, high percentage)
5. Be aggressive

This will be another brutal test for the Panthers, a win makes them a perfect 4-0 in the conference and would make UConn 2-3 and really set them back in the conference.

Maybe I’m being a homer, but I sense another upset for the Panthers, so fans get your Colhoun Crying Towel out.

Prediction: 74-69 Pitt

While my score was off by a little bit, I was accurate in that this game would be close. The viewers got to see some stars in the making from both teams. From Pitt, Ashton Gibbs had another impressive game and Gilbert Brown had an amazing second half. For Cincinnati, Yancy Gates, Deonta Vaughn, and Lance Stephenson all looked amazing. I was honestly surprised Pitt came out with the win looking at the box score. I predicted yesterday that Pitt needed to shut Vaughn and Stephenson down and they did not, yet still came out with a win. ESPN’s announcers stated it best in that Pitt isn’t about beating you down low anymore, but more around the perimeter.

As impressive as Gibbs has been, Gary McGhee as been the complete opposite. He is listed at 6’10” and is averaging only 6.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Okay, I get it, Pitt is looking to go to the outside a little bit more than in previous years, and DeJuan Blair was a freak of an athlete, but come on, you’re 6’10” how hard is it to box everyone out at that height and put the second chance points in? If you are 6’10” play like you are 6’10”. We shouldn’t be seeing Gibbs or Brown or Jermaine Dixon having to box out the big men for the boards, that’s your job McGhee, starting doing it. The thing is, Pitt doesn’t have a backup that could fill in for McGhee right now. So unfortunately for us fans, we are stuck watching McGhee play each and every game. Pitt put up 74 against Cincy and McGhee had 6 points, 82 against Syracuse and he only put up 2 points. And it’s not like he isn’t getting the minutes, he is averaging 21.3 minutes a game. McGhee, get in shape and start acting like a center who is 6’10”, not a guard playing down low who is 5’8”.

Both Pitt and Duquesne are 5-1. Pitt’s one loss came to number 3 Texas in the CBE Classic Final after going point for point with them the majority of the game. The Dukes single loss came to Western Carolina. Pitt looks to beat Duquesne for the 9th straight time.

The Dukes have 4 players averaging double digits in points, but really lack bench depth. The Panthers have to contain F Damian Saunders who is averaging 16.8 points and 15.5 rebounds and G Melquan Bolding who is averaging 25 points. The Dukes marquee win has been an upset of Iowa, at Iowa.

The Panthers will be lead by Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, and Nasir Robinson. All four men scored double digits against Youngstown St. and McGee and Robinson had double-doubles.

This game, more than anything, is about tradition. This is the 35th and final time these two teams will play at the Mellon Arena, and will be the final college basketball game there. It will be interesting to see what both schools have in store for this final farewell as these two teams prepare to really ignite the rivalry once again.

Duquesne is a good school, and they have a very good coach in Ron Everhart. I just don’t feel like they are complete enough yet to beat Pitt. The game will be close I feel, but I give the edge to the Panthers on this one. The Dukes may be averaging 4 more points than the Panthers, but Pitt can shut down the most potent offenses with Jamie Dixon’s man-to-man defense.

Prediction: 68-55, Pitt Wins