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No. 23 Pitt keeps Big East race interesting with takedown of No. 17 Cincy

Tray Woodall, Sean Kilpatrick

Pittsburgh guard Tray Woodall (1) and Cincinnati guard Sean Kilpatrick (23) collide during the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

AP

Ah, Big East, how we will miss ye.

The No. 23 Pitt Panthers reminded us again how great a league game can be, battling back and forth with No. 17 Cincinnati for 33 minutes before grabbing hold of the game with both hands down the stretch.

The Panthers are making a statement in a stacked conference race that currently features seven nationally-ranked teams. Jamie Dixon’s team is tough, disciplined, and opportunistic, qualities that will come in very handy as the Big East season grinds to a close. In today’s game, they kept the Bearcats from ruling the boards, and completely shut them down from the perimeter, harrassing their hosts into 30.8 percent shooting from the floor.

The most encouraging thing to come out of Pitt’s recent three-game win streak is a balanced scoring attack that leaves few gaps for opposing teams to exploit. Tray Woodall (14 points) has shown the ability to take over a game in crunch time, and he’s got the horses inside to make perimeter scoring easier. Talib Zanna (11 points, 9 rebounds) and seven-foot freshman Steven Adams (13 points, 4 blocks) have found their groove on the blocks, and that creates room for everyone.

Pitt is just one game back in the Big East right now, and will travel to face league leader N0. 24 Marquette next Saturday, and then host No. 25 Notre Dame two days later. After that, no ranked teams stand between them and a postseason bid. That doesn’t mean much in the Big East, but it beats the alternative. And, while all schedules are not equal, there is this:

P-I-T-T RT @kellytm: @oaklandzoo Quick, what’s the only team in the Big East with 20 wins?

— Oakland Zoo (@OaklandZoo) February 10, 2013

Don’t be surprised if the Panthers keep fighting for a title in their final Big East season.