With conference play set to begin Saturday, six games on the slate Sunday, highlighted by Bucknell's visit to No. 10 Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is one of just nine unbeaten teams left in Division I.

According to the game notes on the Bucknell Web site:

Pittsburgh is the first ranked foe the Bison have battled since meeting No. 3 Michigan State in last year's season opener in East Lansing.

The Bison actually came close to upsetting the Spartans in that one. That, though, is meaningless trivia heading into this game. For starters, that Michigan State team proved to be highly overrated, finishing the season 18-12, losing in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and the first round of the NCAAs.

Bucknell had the surprise factor working for them against the Spartans. It was the season-opener for both teams, and nobody, outside maybe Pat Flannery and his staff, had any inkling how good that Bucknell team was. In fact, it wasn't until about two months later, when the Bison got on a run in league play, that people began to notice Bucknell.

In other years, the Panthers might be tempted to look past Bucknell, especially since the game falls between Pitt's best win of the season, a 72-68 win over South Carolina and the Panthers' Big East conference opener Wednesday vs. Georgetown.

Not this time, though, says Dave Mackall of the Tribune-Review:

Bucknell, the Panthers' final nonconference opponent, might not be the usual pushover. The Bison will come to Petersen Events Center on Sunday night with credentials that have grabbed the Panthers' attention.

According to Mackall, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon knew when he scheduled the game that Bucknell was expected to be pretty good. Dixon said the Bison's win over Saint Joseph's last week should ensure his ballclub doesn't take Bucknell lightly.

"It got my attention," Dixon said. "I think it got everybody else's attention, too. It just shows that -- St. Joe's was a team that won 30 games last year; granted it's hard to do it every year -- Bucknell represents a good challenge. And again, they won at St. Joe's."

Dixon said he has been impressed by Bucknell's inside play, telling Mackall:

"It's a good challenge. What they do possess is a good inside game. Their main offense is inside."

Kevin Bettencourt's three-point bombing aside, Dixon is pretty accurate. Chris McNaughton is probably the best post player in the Patriot League and both Bettencourt and Charles Lee have the ability to penetrate.

But Pitt's big men are a few steps above the frontlines Bucknell has faced so far this season.

Chevon Troutman is an experienced 6-7 senior forward who plays much bigger. Troutman's strength and athletic ability have made an impression on both NBA scouts and observers from the National Football League, who think he could be the next Antonio Gates.

Troutman, who has led Pitt in scoring four times this season so far, averages over 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Troutman, along with 6-10 Chris Taft (13 ppg, 7 rpg), gives Pittsburgh a considerable presence in the paint.

The Panthers also bring 7-footer Aaron Gray (6 ppg, 4 rpg) and 6-10 senior Mark McCarroll off the bench.

Obviously, Flannery needs to keep McNaughton out of foul trouble. One option that might help could be increased minutes for junior Tarik Viaer-McClymont. Viaer-McClymont averaged 9 minutes per game for Bucknell last season, but has lost playing time of late to 6-8 freshman Darren Mastropaolo. Unlike many big men he faces, Viaer-McClymont would not give up much in height against Troutman and his strength might matchup better with Troutman than other options Flannery might employ.

One thing that often causes a lot of trouble for mid-majors playing big-time schools is the difference in size at the guard spots. It is not uncommon for the major conference powers to have 6-4 or 6-5 kids playing in the backcourt.

That should not be as big a problem for Bucknell against Pitt. The Panthers starting guards go 6-2 (Carl Krauser) and 6-3 (Antonio Graves), with 6-4 senior Yuri Demetris at the small forward spot.

Krauser, Pitt's leading scorer at 16 ppg, also dishes out 5.5 assists per game. Graves averages 9 ppg.

According to Ray Fittipaldo in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in recent games Dixon has been going with more of a three-guard look when senior Demetris is not in the game. That has meant more time for 6-1 freshman Ronald Ramon.

The game is sold-out. You can follow the action using Pitt's Livestats.