NEW YORK -- It's not impossible to reach the Big East championship game from a low seed. Pitt has accomplished the rare feat of winning three games in three days twice to play under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden Saturday night.

The Panthers did it in 2001 and again in 2006, both times losing in the title game. The only other teams to do that in the 28-year history of the tournament are Connecticut (2000), West Virginia (2005) and Syracuse (2006). The Orange beat Pitt in the '06 title game to become the only team to win the Big East tournament championship by winning four games in four days.

Pitt will have to take the road less traveled again this week if the Panthershope to play in the championship game for the seventh time in the past eight seasons.

"It takes a lot of teamwork, a lot of effort," Pitt senior Keith Benjamin said of advancing as a lower seed. "It takes big-time games from different players. When we did that [in 2006], there was a different guy every game. There was always someone stepping up. As long as someone steps up, and you have consistency from your big guys, you can do that."

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Scouting report

• Matchup: Pitt (22-9) vs. Cincinnati (13-17), 7 p.m. today, Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.
• TV, Radio, Internet: ESPN, WWSW-FM (94.5), WBGG-AM (970), www.pittsburghpanthers.com.
• Pitt: Has advanced to six of the past seven Big East tournament championship games. ... Is 19-8 at Madison Square Garden since 2000-01. ... Led by junior F Sam Young (18.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg), freshman C DeJuan Blair (12.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and junior G Levance Fields (11.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg).
• Cincinnati: Has lost five consecutive games entering the tournament, including a 96-51 loss at Connecticut in the regular-season finale Sunday night. ... Led by first-team all-Big East guard Deonta Vaughn (16.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and senior F John Williamson (11.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg).
• Hidden stat: Cincinnati is in the midst of its second five-game losing streak of the season. Pitt has not lost five in a row since January 2000.

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Madison Square Garden has become Pitt's home away from home, and the Panthers are hoping to rekindle some magic at the grand old building.

The Panthers are the No. 7 seed and will play No. 10 seed Cincinnati in a first-round game tonight.

Since Pitt's run of success at the Big East tournament started in 2001, the Panthers have won 15 of 21 tournament games.

"We get to play at the greatest place in America for basketball," Benjamin said. "It reenergizes us every time we get to go."

"We are very comfortable playing in the Garden," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. "We're 2-0 this year and have a great record there. We've consistently done well at the Big East tournament. We do call it our second home. Besides [the Petersen Events Center], it's our favorite place to play."

Pitt is playing a familiar opponent in the first round. Cincinnati and Pitt played twice during the regular season, with each team winning on their home court. The Panthers won the most recent meeting, 73-67, Feb. 27. In that game, Pitt trailed by seven points early in the second half before rallying for the victory.

That game appears to have taken a lot out of the Bearcats. They have not won since and will take a five-game losing streak into the game tonight. Even if Cincinnati is struggling, the Bearcats remain a concern because of the inside-outside duo of John Williamson and Deonta Vaughn.

Vaughn, who made first-team all-Big East, is averaging 16.7 points per game. He scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers in the last meeting at the Petersen Events Center.

Williamson, a senior forward who scored 27 points in the last game against Pitt, is averaging 11.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was 12 for 18 from the field and pulled down nine rebounds in the game two weeks ago.

No other player for Cincinnati averages more than seven points per game. The Bearcats' past three victories have come against St. John's, South Florida and Rutgers..

"We have a lot of New York dudes on the team," freshman center DeJuan Blair said. "I love to play there. I can't wait to see the crowd. I can't wait until Wednesday at 7 o'clock."