A closer look…

The Teams: After a nine-day layoff, the Pitt Panthers (20-3 overall, 8-1 Big East) will… The Teams: After a nine-day layoff, the Pitt Panthers (20-3 overall, 8-1 Big East) will renew their rivalry with the West Virginia Mountaineers (18-4, 7-3) when they head down to Morgantown tonight. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Coaches: Jamie Dixon holds a 96-25 record as he guides the Panthers for the fourth season while John Beilein is 95-55 for West Virginia. He is coaching the Mountaineers for the fifth season.

Coverage: ESPN Regional will pick up the action on FSN Channel 29 in Pittsburgh. FM NewsTalk 94.5 FM (WWSW), Fox Sports Radio 970 AM (WBGG) and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Channel 161) will all have the radio call.

The Series: Pitt took two of the three meetings between the teams last season – once at home and again in the Big East Tournament. The Panthers, though, still trail the all-time series 92-79.

Last Time Out: Aaron Gray scored 19 points to lead five Panthers in double figures as Pitt rallied from a 31-24 halftime deficit to tip the Mountaineers, 68-57, in the quarterfinals of last year’s Big East Tournament. Pitt went on to down No. 2 Villanova in the semis before bowing out to Syracuse in the championship game.

Historic Win: Pitt’s last game, a 65-59 win over Villanova, marked the Panthers’ 20th this season, breaking a few records. It was the Panthers’ sixth straight season with 20-plus wins, a new school record and a far cry from the string of two such years prior to the 2001 season. The win also made Jamie Dixon the first coach in program history to have 20-plus wins in four straight seasons, not to mention in his first four.

Squeezing the Rock: Pitt and West Virginia are the two best teams in the country when it comes to taking care of the ball and creating shots on offense. The Panthers (1.58) have the best assist-to-turnover ration in the country, just ahead of the Mountaineers (1.53).

Strong Starts: Pitt’s 8-1 start to conference play ties the 2003-04 squad for the program’s best start in conference play. A win at the WVU Coliseum (Pitt is only 21-58 at West Virginia all-time) would give the Panthers their first 9-1 start to conference play. In fact, Pitt is only 6-22 at WVU Coliseum.

Getting Defensive: In each of Pitt’s eight Big East victories, the Panthers have held the opposition to fewer than 70 points. In fact, 10 of the last 11 Panther opponents have failed to crack the 70-point barrier. Also, in the 121 games Jamie Dixon has coached, Pitt has held 101 opponents to fewer than 70 points.

Bombs Away: The Mountaineers’ ability to shoot the 3-pointer has been the Panthers’ undoing the last few seasons. That could be a problem for Pitt again this season, given that this West Virginia team shoots 37.9 percent from behind the arc.

Three in a Row: Tonight begins a very difficult stretch for the Mountaineers. After hosting the sixth-ranked Panthers tonight, West Virginia will prepare for No. 2 UCLA on Saturday before heading to No. 23 Georgetown next week.

Run and Gun: West Virginia has scored more than 80 points seven times this season, but only three of those outings came at home, a place where the Mountaineers are 14-0 this season.