When Pitt and Connecticut have met in recent seasons, the stakes always have been high. There were three consecutive meetings in the Big East Conference tournament championship game in the past decade and two memorable regular-season meetings in 2009 when the Panthers knocked off the No. 1-ranked Huskies twice in three weeks.
In fact, seven times in the past 13 meetings, both teams were ranked in the top 10. Three of those were when both teams were among the top five.
When Pitt and Connecticut renew one of the college basketball's best rivalries this today, the stakes again will be high, but for an entirely different reason. If the defending national champion Huskies don't beat Pitt, they will be in the same position as the Panthers heading into the Big East tournament next week -- on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament.
After battling it out in games with national implications for so many seasons, they will meet today as unranked foes for the first time in nearly 15 years. The previous time neither team was ranked was March 5, 1997.
Connecticut (17-12, 7-10) has lost nine of its past 12 games and is in precarious position for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. Pitt (16-14, 5-12) snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday against St. John's and long ago was eliminated from the conversation for an at-large berth.
"It's still two great programs," sophomore forward Lamar Patterson said. "I know they're going to fight, and we're going to come out strong. It should still be a good game."
When the teams previously met, Kemba Walker executed a move on former Pitt center Gary McGhee and made a jumper as time ran out to beat the Panthers in a Big East tournament quarterfinal game nearly a year ago. The Huskies went on to win the conference tournament and the NCAA tournament after finishing ninth in the Big East.
Connecticut enters the game today in 10th place; Pitt is in a three-way tie for 12th,
Junior center Dante Taylor said the circumstances will not detract from the rivalry.
"It's definitely going to be intense between two teams that will just get after it," he said. "Both teams just want to come out and get a win."
Both teams are drastically different than when they last met. Connecticut has had a hard time adjusting to life without Walker, who left early for the NBA.
They have found it hard to replace his scoring punch and leadership.
These Huskies are led by sophomore guards Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier, but defending the program's third national title has proved to be difficult. Their only victory in the past five games came in overtime against Villanova, and before that game Napier publicly questioned whether his team had heart.
Making matters more difficult, they've had to play the past eight games without coach Jim Calhoun, whose bad back has forced him to miss games. Calhoun had surgery earlier this week, but he attended practice Friday and is expected to coach today if he feels up to it.
"They still run a lot of the same plays," Taylor said. "Their guys get after it on defense. It's a typical UConn team."
Connecticut needs a victory more than Pitt, but the game remains important to the Panthers. They want to gain some momentum entering the Big East tournament, which begins Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
With nothing to play for except momentum, the Panthers can take on the spoiler role and exact some revenge on the Huskies for denying the team a shot at a Big East tournament title.
"We want to win for ourselves," Patterson said. "The season hasn't been that good. I feel like we can compete with every team in the Big East. I feel like we hurt ourselves in a lot of our losses.
"They're going to fight just like us. We have to win the Big East to get in [the NCAA tournament]. We're going to keep fighting and play every game like it's our last."
In fact, seven times in the past 13 meetings, both teams were ranked in the top 10. Three of those were when both teams were among the top five.
When Pitt and Connecticut renew one of the college basketball's best rivalries this today, the stakes again will be high, but for an entirely different reason. If the defending national champion Huskies don't beat Pitt, they will be in the same position as the Panthers heading into the Big East tournament next week -- on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament.
After battling it out in games with national implications for so many seasons, they will meet today as unranked foes for the first time in nearly 15 years. The previous time neither team was ranked was March 5, 1997.
Connecticut (17-12, 7-10) has lost nine of its past 12 games and is in precarious position for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. Pitt (16-14, 5-12) snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday against St. John's and long ago was eliminated from the conversation for an at-large berth.
"It's still two great programs," sophomore forward Lamar Patterson said. "I know they're going to fight, and we're going to come out strong. It should still be a good game."
When the teams previously met, Kemba Walker executed a move on former Pitt center Gary McGhee and made a jumper as time ran out to beat the Panthers in a Big East tournament quarterfinal game nearly a year ago. The Huskies went on to win the conference tournament and the NCAA tournament after finishing ninth in the Big East.
Connecticut enters the game today in 10th place; Pitt is in a three-way tie for 12th,
Junior center Dante Taylor said the circumstances will not detract from the rivalry.
"It's definitely going to be intense between two teams that will just get after it," he said. "Both teams just want to come out and get a win."
Both teams are drastically different than when they last met. Connecticut has had a hard time adjusting to life without Walker, who left early for the NBA.
They have found it hard to replace his scoring punch and leadership.
These Huskies are led by sophomore guards Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier, but defending the program's third national title has proved to be difficult. Their only victory in the past five games came in overtime against Villanova, and before that game Napier publicly questioned whether his team had heart.
Making matters more difficult, they've had to play the past eight games without coach Jim Calhoun, whose bad back has forced him to miss games. Calhoun had surgery earlier this week, but he attended practice Friday and is expected to coach today if he feels up to it.
"They still run a lot of the same plays," Taylor said. "Their guys get after it on defense. It's a typical UConn team."
Connecticut needs a victory more than Pitt, but the game remains important to the Panthers. They want to gain some momentum entering the Big East tournament, which begins Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
With nothing to play for except momentum, the Panthers can take on the spoiler role and exact some revenge on the Huskies for denying the team a shot at a Big East tournament title.
"We want to win for ourselves," Patterson said. "The season hasn't been that good. I feel like we can compete with every team in the Big East. I feel like we hurt ourselves in a lot of our losses.
"They're going to fight just like us. We have to win the Big East to get in [the NCAA tournament]. We're going to keep fighting and play every game like it's our last."
