Pitt, Seton Hall cash in Big East game

The final homecoming of Brandin Knight’s collegiate career will take place tomorrow when… The final homecoming of Brandin Knight’s collegiate career will take place tomorrow when Pitt travels to New Jersey to take on Seton Hall.

Knight, who is from East Orange, N.J., and attended nearby Seton Hall Prep, has ties to the Pirates because his father, Melvin, played basketball for them from 1968-71 and also served as an assistant coach under Bill Raftery from 1978-82. His mother, Brenda, currently works at Seton Hall and it’s the place where Knight plays his summer basketball.

But the Pirates weren’t interested in recruiting Knight, and he has yet another chance to remind them they made a mistake.

Seton Hall (12-8 overall, 3-5 Big East) enters the contest riding a four-game winning streak, with its latest victory coming last week over St. Peter’s.

Junior guard Andre Barrett leads the Pirates in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game. He enters the contest shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line.

Barrett and forward John Allen, Seton Hall’s other scoring threat, both dropped in 30 points in the Pirates’ last game.

Allen, also a junior, is averaging more than 15 points and five rebounds per game.

Forward Kelley Whitney, a 6-foot-7-inch freshman, is the only other Seton Hall player averaging double figures in scoring. Whitney’s 10.3 points per game make him the team’s third-best scorer.

Seton Hall’s season has been marred by inconsistency, as it has beaten conference powerhouses Georgetown and Notre Dame, but lost close games to small, unknown schools such as Manhattan College.

Pitt (17-3, 7-2) enters tomorrow’s contest fresh off a 82-46 home win over West Virginia, but just 2-2 in its last four games.

With Knight struggling offensively, Julius Page leads the Panther offense. Page’s 12.7 points per game make him the team’s scoring leader.

Knight, who has been plagued by injuries all season, is just five of 23 from the field in his last three games and hasn’t made more than three field goals in a game in more than a month. Despite his shooting troubles, Knight has found ways to contribute, dishing at least five assists in each of his last seven games.

Although Chevon Troutman has started only twice this season and plays roughly 21 minutes per contest, his 12 points per game average makes him the team’s second leading scorer. His .756 field goal percentage in Big East play is a conference best.

Ontario Lett has been a force on the baseline for the Panthers. Not only does he average more than 10 points and pull down six rebounds per game, he leads the team in blocked shots with 27.

To win tomorrow, the Panthers must work the baseline offensively. If they force three-point shots early, they will struggle. The Pitt offense is most effective when racking up points in the paint.

Rebounding will also be key to Pitt’s success. The Panthers are able to build bigger, more secure leads when they outrebound their opponents by large margins. If Seton Hall keeps the rebounding battle close, the Panthers will be forced to sink more of their free throws and control the pace of the game to maintain an advantage.

Tip-off is scheduled for noon at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.