If you look at the slate of games today, the Pitt-Georgetown game is the game of the day.

Game worth flying to see in person: I wrote a column earlier this week about Cincinnati and how its schedule is impossible, at which time an astute reader pointed out that though it’s just as tough as I described it’s actually one of the easier Big East schedules. That’s a fair point, and for proof consider that No. 11 Georgetown opened league play with a win at No. 2 Connecticut, and now the Hoyas will spend Saturday hosting No. 3 Pittsburgh. Then on Monday, they’re at No. 7 Notre Dame, which means Georgetown could lose its next two games and still be a legitimate top 10 team. And that, my friends, is life in the Big East this season.

Maybe Tennessee-Kansas would have been if both teams were playing better. The Big 11 offers some surprisingly interesting games with OSU-Minnesota and even PSU-Wisconsin. The most underrated and few will see is tonight with Wake Forest at BYU — but airing on the mythical Mtn. Network. I do a chart of all games that air on Saturday. There is no game that features higher teams facing.

In ESPN.com’s power poll this week, Pitt moves to #2 and G-town at #4. At least for now.

Even though, this is only the second game in the Big East for each team, this game is even bigger when you look at the last couple of years.

“Playing Pittsburgh is a beautiful thing,” Georgetown senior guard Jessie Sapp said. “You always know when you play them, it’s going to be a war. I think there’s still a bitter taste in our mouths left over from last season’s Big East Tournament final, [which the Hoyas lost 74-65]. They played so hard in that game, and I don’t think we matched their intensity in that game. Everybody’s ready to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

One of the game’s more intriguing matchups pits Sapp against senior point guard Levance Fields, who leads the Big East and ranks third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.4). The two first met on the court seven years ago when both tried out for New York’s famed AAU program, the New York Gauchos.

“The way we met was going against each other in that tryout,” Sapp said. “I’ve never beat him at Pittsburgh, and he’s never beat me here. I told him that’s not changing.”

Dating to March 2007, the Hoyas have a Big East-best record of 46-8. Pittsburgh is the only team responsible for more than one of those losses.

The guard I am most fearful of for this game, though is Chris Wright. He is healthy this year, and has looked so quick to the basket. Like what was expected last year.

Hopefully Sam Young won’t come down with the affliction that seemed to hurt so many Pitt players when it was time for a road game at MSG vs. St. John’s. He is very excited for this game.

While Pitt’s players from New York City always seem to leave their hometown with a win or a trophy, Young is still searching for his elusive first victory in the District.

“I always play in front of my family when I’m down here,” he said, “and we always seem to lose.”

Brad Wanamaker’s performance against Rutgers made Coach Dixon happy.

“There has never been a doubt in my mind how good a player he is,” Dixon said. “I was so sure he was going to be such a good player, and nobody thought he was as good as he was. I have so much confidence in him. At times, I’ve been harder than I should on him.”

Looks like Coach Dixon has seen the tapes with his facial expressions when Wanamaker has screwed up in the past.

The bench performance against RU impressed Andy Katz, who for reasons that escape me, was at the regional telecast as a sideline reporter.

But the Panthers will get even better throughout the course of the season if Gilbert Brown and Brad Wanamaker can duplicate what they did against the Scarlet Knights.

Few teams in the Big East, let alone the country, have a player like Brown off the bench. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon envisioned that Brown was going to be a star. But injuries have constantly limited him. That wasn’t an issue Wednesday. Brown made shots (4-of-8), got to the free throw line (3-of-4), elevated for an intimidating dunk, blocked a shot, scored in double figures (11) and gobbled up important minutes (22).

“The injuries have been slowing me down all year,” said Brown, a 6-foot-6 sophomore wing. “I’ve had both ankles, forearm, knee, shoulder, everything.”

Dixon said the running joke among the staff is that Brown is always hurt. But what’s no laughing matter is how much Brown will change the Panthers if he stays healthy.

“He can make shots, defend; he’s athletic, and he’s very smart,” Dixon said of Brown. “He knows everything that is going on.”

Sounds more like gallows humor. Pitt fans as well have high expectations of Brown if he can stay healthy.