Pitt basketball to deal with the SI cover jinx

 When you get your new Sports Illustrated in the mailbox next week a couple of Pitt athletes will be gracing the cover. Men's sophomore DeJuan Blair, a graduate of Schenley High, and women's senior Shavonte Zellous, of Orlando, Fla., appear on one of six regional covers for SI's college basketball preview editions. The Pitt cover will be available in the mid-Atlantic states.

So will the Panthers be jinxed? If they are they won't be alone in the Big East. Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet and Maya Moore grace the cover in the northeast.

 

Other tidbits from Pitt practice Wednesday ... senior point guard Levance Fields is expected to dress for the first time this season when the Panthers take on LaRoche in their final exhibition game on Sunday. If all goes well Sunday, Fields should be ready for Friday's season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson.

 

Also on Sunday Pitt will play host to its second annual alumni game at the Petersen Events Center. The game will take place at 11:00 a.m. before the 1 p.m. tip against LaRoche. Among those expected tot ake part are: Keith Benjamin, Kirk Bruce, Sam Clancy, Mike Cook, Brandin Knight, Carl Krauser, Jerome Lane, Jason Matthews, Chris McNeal and Charles Smith