Pitt-Seton Hall game prediction

Monday, 04 February 2013 17:13

Written by Ray Fittipaldo

Pitt-Seton Hall game prediction

(Season record: 6-4)

Guard the 3-point line. That’s pretty much all Pitt has to do tonight in order to dispatch of the Seton Hall Pirates, who are among the worst offensive and defensive teams in the Big East.

The only way Pitt lost to Seton Hall last season was by allowing the Pirates to make 10 of their 23 attempts from 3-point range. Aaron Cosby took full advantage of Pitt’s poor perimeter defense by going 5 for 9 from 3-point range and scoring 19 points in the 73-66 contest at the Prudential Center.

Cosby is shooting 36 percent from 3-point range this season, but the top outside shooter is leading scorer Fuquan Edwin, who is shooting 44 percent. The Pirates are shooting 35 percent overall from behind the arc, which ranks third in the Big East.

If Seton Hall does not get hot from the outside it should be an easy victory for the Panthers. Seton Hall has scored 70 points or more just twice in Big East play and has failed to do in the past seven contests. The Pirates defense is suspect as well. They rank 10^th in the conference in scoring defense, allowing almost 65 points per game.

There aren’t many easy games in the Big East, but this should be one for Pitt. It’s at home and against a team with just two conference wins. The only thing that can spoil that is poor perimeter defense.

The pick is the Panthers.

Pitt 70, Seton Hall 60