Pitt Basketball Preview (Delaware State, Northeastern, UMass and Oakland (Mich.)

OK, Pitt has four games this week -- all at home -- against Delaware State (tonight at 7:30), Northeastern (Friday at 5), UMass (Saturday at 5) and Oakland (Mich.) (Sunday at 5). These games can possibly deceive us. At least Delaware State and UMass might.

Let's get right to it. I'll let you know what to look for in each game and how the Panthers can beat that particular opponent.

Delaware State is on the rise out of the MEAC, after getting into the NCAA tourney two seasons ago and making the second round of the NIT last year.

Jahsha Bluntt is a stud on the wing for the Hornets. He was the best player in the MEAC last year, and at 6-6, will probably be guarded by Mike Cook, Antonio Graves, Sam Young and Keith Benjamin. He's a sharpshooter and doesn't mind getting physical underneath if he has to.

At the point, Delaware State should be sturdy with 6-0 senior Darrin Shine. He doesn't turn the ball over and has a knack for finding his scorers. He will be a tough in-between cover for Levance Fields and Ronald Ramon.

6-9 center Aaron Fleetwood will be tough underneath for Aaron Gray. He's not going to drop 20 points on you. Hell, he won't drop 10. But he will challenge Gray's shots, block a few and clog the paint on driving Panthers. If he stays out of foul trouble, he might be able to minimize Gray's impact.

Don't count the Hornets as terrible. They are a formidable group of scrappy players. They have a slick scorer, a strong point, athletic big man and a couple of solid, smaller forwards. Still, the size and speed of Pitt will be too much. Pitt by 20.

Northeastern is missing its surprisingly successful coach Ron Everhart, who is now at Duquesne (how's that going, coach?). They are also without Jose Juan Barea and Shawn James, who helped the Huskies ride into fourth place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Now the Huskies will rely on 6-9, 220 forward Bennet Davis. Davis brings tenacity and defense, but like Fleetwood from Delaware State, he lacks some major offensive skills. And that will be problematic.

6-3 guard Bobby Kelly will be relied on from the guard position. His shooting is lights out, but he can't create his own shot. Still, he plays hard and looks ready to take over the reigns in the wake of Barea's departure.

Northeastern doesn't have the horses to run with Pitt. Inside, Pitt will dominate the glass and score plenty of points in the paint. Outside, the pressure defense will be too much for the mediocre guardplay of Kelly and Adrian Martinez. Sure, they're seniors, but those two can't handle the wave of talent at both guard positions for the Panthers. Pitt by 30.

UMass comes in ready to turn back the clocks to the 90s. The Minutemen are stacked underneath with Rashaun Freeman, Stephane Lasme and Gary Forbes. Coach Travis Ford, the guy with the mustache on Kentucky at the turn of the 90s, has the Minutemen back on the map and in the hunt for the A-10 title. He'll have them ready for this game.

Freeman is the force for UMass. He can score, bang, rebound and defend with the best of 'em. He might give Gray fits. With Lasme coming in on weakside help, Gray might have a tough day. Throw in athletic Forbes and 6-6 up-and-comer Brandon Thomas, and UMass is just as deep as Pitt in the frontcourt.

The advantage for Pitt comes in the backcourt, where Tiki Mayben and Chris Lowe will do most of the ball-handling and penetration. Pitt should overwhelm them with Fields, Graves, Ramon and Benjamin. Cook will have his hands full with Forbes and Thomas on the wing, so he'll need the guards to handle things.

This is no snoozer. Pitt will probably win by 7 to 12 points, but UMass is not going to lie down and die. There will be a physical game inside and if the Panthers find Gray and Kendall in foul trouble, they'll need huge games from Ty Biggs and Sam Young.

Oakland (Mich.) is the easiest game of the four this week. They lost Calvin Wooten who was expected to be their go-to guy this year for academic reasons.

Vova Severovas and Rick Billings will be forced to carry the load for this club. That's like asking your grandma to lift 250 pounds -- it ain't happenin'. They don't have the guys to guard Gray and they don't have the guards to get the ball up the floor.

Pitt will demolish Oakland (Mich.). Call it a 35-point win for the Panthers.

Hope this is helpful for you guys going to the games. I'll be there Friday through Sunday. See you then.