A bunch of other stuff. Notre Dame’s Chris Thomas, while never quite living up to what was expected from him (maybe he can advise Taft), still has amassed some impressive numbers.

Thomas will make his 126th consecutive start — and last at home — when Notre Dame (17-9, 9-6 Big East) plays Pittsburgh (19-7, 9-6) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Joyce Center. He’ll leave the arena as the school’s all-time leader in consecutive starts, assists, free-throw percentage and possibly three-pointers made. He sits behind two legends, Austin Carr and Adrian Dantley, in points scored.

Someday, they may retire Thomas’ No.1 jersey. Someday, we may all look back at his achievements and marvel.

“I get numb to his numbers sometimes,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. “They really are staggering.”

Thomas’ most recent milestone — passing 800 career assists to join Sherman Douglas and Gary Payton as the only college players to record that many assists and 2,000 career points — was impressive simply by the company he joined.

Here’s the interesting part of what Thomas thinks about Pitt.

“They’re just as hungry as us,” Thomas said. “I guess it’s our rivalry because we’ve played some great games in the past. I always feel when we lose we should have won.”

That’s cute. Funny thing, Pitt doesn’t really feel the same way about the Domers. In terms of rivalries for Pitt basketball, you just don’t think about them. Sure, we want Pitt to beat ND, because they are Domers, but I think it safe to say most of us would rather beat UConn, Syracuse, WVU and maybe even Villanova first in the BE. The Irish don’t really have a true rivalry game in basketball in the Big East.

As for this game, well it is a big one for the weekend. So there are thoughts.

No. 24 Pittsburgh at Notre Dame: Pittsburgh (19-7, 9-6) quieted its media-induced bubble scare by beating Boston College earlier this week, but Notre Dame (17-9, 9-6) faces a (more legitimate) scare of its own. The selection committee might not forgive the Irish for losing their past two difficult home games (to UCLA and Pitt). With fifth place in the Big East on the line, the winner won’t have to play on the first day of the conference tournament. That’s a sure thing. This is a mystery: Which big man won’t show, Pitt’s Chris Taft or Notre Dame’s Torin Francis?

I guess we can consider this a friendly reminder that Pitt isn’t the only school with a talented big man who seems to show inconsistency on motivation.

Seth Davis at SI.com, who is now 1-4 in predicting Pitt games makes his call.

On the one hand, Notre Dame seems like it has more to play for, though I think the Irish sealed their NCAA tourney ticket by beating Rutgers on Wednesday. The Irish are also at home, which is another reason to like them. Unfortunately, while I have extolled the abilities of Notre Dame’s big men, Torrin Francis and Dennis Latimore, those guys are only effective against smaller players. The physical Panthers are exactly the kind of team that gives ND trouble — witness the 33-23 rebounding advantage Pitt had while winning the first meeting between these teams. Pitt’s inconsistency is Notre Dame’s best hope, but the Panthers showed what they’re capable of in routing Boston College on Monday. I think they’ll show it again.
Seth’s Pick: Pittsburgh 71, Notre Dame 64

Just what Pitt is capable of, is up for discussion. Steve Lavin had this to say in his chat session.

Jason (Pittsburgh): Lav, Do you think Pitt can pull a 4 seed? Do you see them getting past the sweet 16 this year?

Steve Lavin: In spite of some close losses this season, the Pitt Panthers will be a dangerous team to be reckoned with come postseason. They will need to have a strong showing in the Big East Conference tourney in order to secure a top five seed. Ironically, even though this Panther team does not have as outstanding a record as recent Pitt teams, I think they actually have a better chance of advancing past the Sweet 16. I believe the reasoning for this potential tourney run is because I think their offense is more explosive and balanced this year both inside and out.

Then there is ESPN’s bracketologist, who seems less than enamored about Pitt.

Vic -Pittsburgh: Where does Pitt stand? They are still a tourney lock right?

Joe Lunardi: First of all, thanks to bracketology assistant Jeff Martin for transcribing these first few questions/answers while I was driving back from ESPN News. Now, as for Pitt, yes, they are in the tournament. But, no, its hard to think they string together more than a win or so.
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Mark (Vatoman): Who is the most overrated team in the country?

Joe Lunardi: Pittsburgh.

I feel no need to rail against this slight. The only way to counter this slur is for Pitt to go out and win.

And finally, for what it’s worth, Dick Vitale makes his Big East Conference calls.

All-Big East Team
Carl Krauser | junior guard | Pittsburgh
Gerry McNamara | junior guard | Syracuse
Hakim Warrick | senior forward | Syracuse
Craig Smith | junior forward | Boston College
Jared Dudley | sophomore forward | Boston College

Big East Diaper Dandy of the Year – Jeff Green | freshman forward | Georgetown

Big East Coach of the Year – Al Skinner | Boston College

Big East Player of the Year – Hakim Warrick | Syracuse

Comment – It’s a tough call between Warrick and Craig Smith for player of the year. Al Skinner is a legit candidate for national coach of the year. Jared Dudley gets the nod over Ryan Gomes, because to the victor goes the spoils.

I have some disagreements with his All-BE team, but not with his individual calls. I’ll make my 1st, 2nd and 3rd BE teams Sunday or Monday.

Both teams have issued their game notes. Here’s ND and Pitt (PDF). As of yesterday, tickets were still available for the game. The game is at 2 pm on CBS as called by Dick Enberg (over/under on times he noticeably doesn’t know who is making a play — 10) and Clark Kellogg.

This will be the 50th meeting of the teams. ND has a 1 game edge in the series history, but Pitt has won 4 of the last 5. Both teams are shooting for 10 wins in the BE. For Pitt, it would be the 4th straight year. For ND, that would be 4 times in 5 years. A win for Pitt would give them 4 straight years of 20 wins or more. Before this present run, Pitt had 8 20-win seasons in its history.

Everyone is just focused on this game getting them the first round bye in the BE Tournament. ND has had its practice schedule disrupted a bit thanks to President Bush.

This afternoon’s speech at the Joyce Center by President Bush has forced the Irish to juggle their typical game preparation. That didn’t sit well with Brey, who admitted to being distracted during the week in devising both an alternate practice schedule and game plan for Pittsburgh.

“I was a little concerned and probably a little disappointed at the timing of it all,” said Brey, whose team will practice in its basement facility today at noon, four hours earlier than usual. “I certainly understand you have to adjust for a situation like that.”

Once the Irish start practice, the building will be locked down until doors open for the speech. Should anyone leave for any reason before that, they would be required to return through a security checkpoint.

Members of the FBI advance team have been seen in the Joyce Center hallways all week, where behind-the-scenes work for the president’s visit has been an ongoing process. It kicked into gear immediately after Wednesday’s game against Rutgers as the basketball goals at each end of the arena were wheeled out and the satellite television trucks near the arena loading door were moved to the parking lot near Eck Stadium.

Wonder how having to re-install the basketball goals will affect the rims? If there is any change, ND won’t exactly have a big advantage in getting used to them.

This will not be the same ND team that Pitt managed to defeat a few weeks ago. They will likely be without their top 3-point shooter, Chris Quinn. Quinn is doubtful for the game with a sprained ankle. Quinn torched Pitt for 25 points last time.

Expect ND to work harder to do more inside. They got absolutely nothing in the paint. Latimore and Francis will trying to get some more shots, and I expect Chris Thomas to be looking to go inside some more. And the odds Colin Falls shoots as poorly as he did last time is unlikely.

The Domers should also be as desperate as we felt Pitt was on Monday. ND is tied with Pitt in the BE standings, 9-6. The problem for ND is that their non-con was as weak Pitt’s, but they lost more games. So, despite ending up with the toughest schedule in the BE — because in addition to 2 games with Pitt, Syracuse and UConn, they ended up with 2 against G-town and ‘Nova — they are a bubble team. High on the bubble team, but a bubble team, nonetheless. ND would then need at least one win, maybe two in the Big East Tournament. I don’t care what their coach claims.

“I think it’s very clear,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said yesterday. “If you get to double-digit wins in our league, it’s great for your NCAA tournament resume if you look at the history.”
…
“Overall, I think our resume is in better shape this year than last year,” Brey said.

“That’s why we’re not viewing this game as doe or die. I think us and Pitt have strong resumes. If you can earn a bye, it would help us in New York and also it would say a lot to the selection committee. We have a heck of an argument, but by no means are we satisfied.”

Of course, Coach Dixon tried to downplay the importance of the BC game beforehand in the press, and it seems more likely that Brey is just trying to take some of the extra pressure off of his players.

The BE Tournament, though is the more immediate concern for both teams. Who ever wins, finishes 5th in the standings and gets that all-important 1st round bye. And since Pitt still wants to win the BE Tournament, it matters.

The statistic has been bandied about many times over: No team in the history of the Big East Tournament has won the title without a first-round bye.
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“Everybody should want that bye, because it’s going to be hard to win four games and win the whole thing,” Pitt center Chris Taft said.

Pitt’s earned a bye the past three seasons and made it to the title game each time, winning it in 2003. The most recent time the Panthers failed to receive a bye was 2001, when they powered their way to the championship game before running out of gas and getting blown out by Boston College.

“That bye is real important,” junior point guard Carl Krauser said. “Nobody wants to play four nights in a row. Playing in the Big East, in the most physical conference in the country, and playing 40 minutes each night, it’s a battle. You’ve gotta be tough to do it. I love it, but at the same time, you gotta worry about your body because all those hits can take a toll on you.”

More importantly, playing four games in four days can wear a team down for the NCAA Tournament.

If Pitt loses, depending on what G-town and WVU do in their finales, Pitt could end up falling to the #8 seed in the BE Tournament thanks to head-to-head tie-breakers.

And for additional pressure on the Irish, it’s going to be Senior Day. Starters Chris Thomas and Dennis Latimore, along with Jordan Cornette and Greg Bosl will be honored.

The weekly Q&A with Ray Fittipaldo is up. Lots of grousing about Coach Dixon’s substitution patterns. Question about Kendall’s confidence, Chris Taft questions, and at the end a little note about where Ricardo Greer really is playing at the moment, as supplied by some guy living in Ohio.