Pitt freshman Chris Taft continues to get more praise from opposing coaches. Yesterday, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim called Taft one of the "three or four best centers, not in the conference, but in the country."

Why?

"He can score, he can rebound and he can block shots," Boeheim said on the Big East Conference media conference call.

Taft has established himself as one of the top freshmen post players in the country. He is coming off a 16-point, 15-rebound effort in Monday's 68-67 double-overtime loss to Seton Hall. A 6-foot-10, 250-pound New York native, Taft is averaging 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in conference play.

"That's a great honor for a coach like that to say something like that about me," Taft said. "I'm only a freshman, but I'm so confident. I feel like I'm the best player in the world when I'm out there. Nothing I have done has really surprised me. I'm so confident. I feel like I can get 30 rebounds and 40 points a game. I feel I can do anything when I'm out there."

Taft has NBA potential, but he said he will not discuss his plans for the future until after the season ends.

"I'm not thinking about the NBA right now. I'm thinking about winning a national championship. After the season is over, I'll sit down with my family, the coaches and my friends, and we'll talk about it."

A big game

The Pitt media relations department is bracing for an onslaught from the national media that will converge Sunday on the Petersen Events Center for the first-place showdown between No. 4 Pitt and No. 5 Connecticut.

Pitt has issued 120 credentials for the game, more than for any other basketball game in school history.

ABC television is sending its No. 1 college basketball crew of Brent Musberger and Dick Vitale to do the game.

Reporters from the Los Angeles Times, Sporting News, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer and USA Today will be in town to cover the first meeting of two top-five teams at Pitt.

Pitt is 8-43 against top-five teams, 3-4 since 1996.

McCarroll sits out

Junior reserve forward Mark McCarroll did not practice yesterday because of a sore left knee.

Coach Jamie Dixon said McCarroll should be ready to practice today and play Sunday.