Syracuse Pittsburgh Betting – Big East Rivals Clash In Pennsylvania Monday
It will be the most highly anticipated matchup of the early Big East schedule when the top two teams in the conference clash at the Peterson Events Center in Pennsylvania on Monday, as the No. 4 Syracuse Orange travel to take on the fifth-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. The Orange and Panthers are both undefeated in conference play, with a Pittsburgh loss against then-no. 13 Tennessee the only blemish on either teams record this season.
- (4) Syracuse Orange @ Pittsburgh Panthers (5)
- Monday January 17, 2011 – 7:30 PM ET
- Peterson Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsyvania
- Online Sports Betting Odds: Pittsburgh – 2.5
The Orange have been as close to perfect as they could be, keeping pace with the defending national champions and current No. 1 Duke Blue Devils among a handful of undefeated teams. They’ll face their toughest task so far against a Panthers team that has beaten three of the four ranked opponents they’ve faced heading in to the super bowl betting weeks.
Syracuse Pittsburgh Betting Preview: Syracuse
The Orange are off to an unbelievable start, having won two of their four games against their division by double-digit point differentials, including a 12-point win over then-no. 15 Notre Dame on the first of January. Junior guard Kerry Joseph has led the way with a team-leading 15.1 points per game, and is second on the team with 5.4 rebounds, while fellow junior Scoop Jardine is right behind him in average points with 13.8, and has done a better job of distributing the ball with a team-high six assists per game. Syracuse ranks 18th in the country with an average of 17.2 assists per game during their undefeated start, but have had the benefit of a relatively mediocre schedule that has included just two ranked opponents.
Syracuse Pittsburgh Betting Preview: Pittsburgh
A tough home loss to the Volunteers marks the only stain on an otherwise perfect season for the Panthers so far, and the team has proved that defeat was an aberration with double-digit wins over the two ranked opponents that they have faced since in Connecticut and Georgetown. Ball distribution has been the key for a Pittsburgh team that ranks first in the country in assists with an average of 20.1 per game, with senior guard Brad Wanamaker leading the way with a 5.2 mark. Wanamaker is second in team scoring with 13 points per game, just behind leader Ashton Gibbs, who has registered a 16.8 mark to this point in the sports betting bonus year.
Syracuse Pittsburgh Betting: Outlook & Pick
The Orange are the undefeated team heading in to this game, but it will be Pittsburgh that gets through it with their perfect Big East record still intact. The Panthers have looked dominant since their loss to Tennessee, and should continue at that pace against a Syracuse team that has had the benefit of playing only two ranked opponents so far this season.
Syracuse Pittsburgh Betting Pick: Panthers
