Pitt the real Beast of the East?
Until late last night, it wasn't clear who was the real Beast of the Big East.
Was it Villanova? West Virginia? UConn?
Consider all of the above eliminated as contenders, at least for now. Pittsburgh (14-2, 4-0 Big East) vaulted to the top of the list with its 67-57 road win over Connecticut.
Pitt has won three straight against the Huskies.
So why are the 16th-ranked Panthers the flavor of the week? Try three straight road wins, including two against Syracuse and Cincinnati. Winning on the road is the ultimate test for any great team.
The Panthers lost a lot from last season's team, but Jamie Dixon has managed to keep his boys in contention. It doesn't get any easier for the Panthers, though, who have home games against Louisville and Georgetown over the next six days.