March 7, 2008

Game Notes: DePaul (March 9)

PITTSBURGH--Pitt (21-9, 9-8 Big East) plays its final Big East regular season game when it hosts DePaul (11-18, 6-11 Big East) Sunday at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is set for Noon ET.

 

The contest will be televised by ESPN Regional and broadcast locally in Pittsburgh on WTAE-TV (Channel 4). John Sanders (play-by-play) and Stephen Howard (color commentary) will handle announcing duties while Bill Shissler will oversee production.

 

The contest marks Pitt's senior day as Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook, Maurice Polen and Ronald Ramon will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. Athletic department officials are urging fans to be in their seats at 11:30 a.m. for Senior Day festivities.

 

Winners of two of its last three games, Pitt is playing for seeding in next week's Big East Championship. Pitt is currently the league's seventh place team with a 9-8 record. A win would guarantee Pitt the No. 7 seed in the tournament. A win, coupled with a West Virginia loss at St. John's would give Pitt the No. 6 seed.

 

The March 9 game ties Pitt's latest date to conclude a regular season as the Panthers ended the 2002-03 year with a March 9 game vs. Villanova.

 

Pitt enters the game after dropping a 76-62 loss at West Virginia on March 3. A dramatic come-from-behind victory at Syracuse (82-77) on March 1 gave Pitt its 21st win on the year. Pitt battled back from an 11-point second half deficit and outscored SU 18-2 over the game's final 3:49. Pitt's 73-67 win over Cincinnati gave the Panthers their school record seventh consecutive 20-win season. Jamie Dixon became the first coach in school history to lead Pitt to five consecutive 20-win seasons. Pitt is the only Big East school to win 20-overall and 10-league games in each of the last six seasons. Pitt is attempting to achieve those standards for the seventh straight season. A win over DePaul would give Pitt its seventh straight 10-win Big East season.

 

Pitt's 2007-08 season has become a storybook in overcoming adversity as Pitt has battled injuries all season long. For the majority of the year, Pitt played with just eight scholarship players including four freshmen. Junior point guard Levance Fields has returned to action for the last five games after missing 12 contests with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He was cleared by doctors to practice on Thursday, Feb. 7 and made his first start in 14 games and since Dec. 29 vs. Louisville. He has started each of the last four games. Senior small forward Mike Cook (torn left ACL) is out for the season. Redshirt freshman Austin Wallace is also out for the season (fractured patella) and junior Cassin Diggs (groin/hip strain) has suffered injuries as well. In addition, several of the players competing Pitt are playing with injuries. Fields and Cook represent Pitt's two most experienced players as both started all 37 games last year and were Pitt's only two returning starters from the previous season. Through Pitt's first 12 games, Fields, Cook and Wallace accounted for 26% of Pitt's minutes played, 28% of its scoring, 47% of assists and 16% of its rebounding (see chart on page 6). Pitt went 8-4 without both Cook and Fields. In those 12 games, Pitt averaged 71.2 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent (315-672) from the floor and 38.9 percent (74-190) from 3-point range. Several of Pitt's players stepped up in their absence (see chart on page 10).

 

At home, Pitt owns a 15-2 record this year and has won 17 of its last 19 home games. Pitt is in its sixth season in the Petersen Events Center and carries a 95-10 all-time record and .905 winning percentage in the building. The .905 winning percentage ranks among the nation's best home court records over the last six years (see chart page 8). Pitt has won 44 of its last 53 Big East home games and is 39-9 against Big East opponents in the Petersen Events Center. Louisville became the first opponent to defeat Pitt two different times in the Petersen Events Center on Feb. 24 (75-73 decision). Pitt also owns a 56-1 record vs. non-conference opponents in the Petersen Events Center. Pitt has also won 77 of its last 78 home games against regular season non-conference opponents.

 

TODAY'S TOP STORYLINES

 

•Pitt is in the midst of its school record seventh consecutive 20-win season. Jamie Dixon became the first head coach in school history to guide Pitt to five consecutive 20-win seasons. Pitt is the only school in the Big East to win 20-overall and 10-league games in each of the last six seasons. A win tonight would give Pitt its seventh straight 20/10-win season.

 

•Over the last six seasons, Pitt has proven to be the Big East's leader in both overall and league winning percentage, consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (6) and most 20-win, 10-league win seasons (6).

 

•Pitt has won 17 of its last 19 home games and is 15-2 at home this year.

 

•Pitt is in its sixth season in the Petersen Events Center and is 95-10 all-time (.905 winning percentage) in the arena. Pitt owns a 39-9 all-time record vs. Big East opponents in the Petersen Events Center.

 

•Since Jamie Dixon became head coach in 2003-04, Pitt is 21-9 after a loss. Over the last five years, Pitt has dropped back-to-back games only six times.

 

2007-08 PITT SENIOR CLASS ACHIEVEMENTS

 

Four-year accomplishments of Pitt's 2007-08 senior class consisting of Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook, Maurice Polen and Ronald Ramon:

 

•Attempting to advance to its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

 

•95-34 overall record and .736 winning percentage.

 

•41-24 Big East regular season record and .630 winning percentage.

 

•Two Big East Championship Finals appearances (2006 and 2007).

 

•Four consecutive 20-win seasons.

 

•Attempting to achieve a fourth consecutive 10-plus win Big East regular seasons. A win on

Sunday vs. DePaul would give Pitt 10 wins.

 

•Attempting to become the only senior class in the Big East to win over 20 overall games and 10-

plus Big East regular season games in four consecutive seasons.

 

•One of only five senior classes in school history to win over 90 career games.

 

•Benjamin and Ramon are attempting to become the seventh and eighth players in school history to compete in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments during their basketball career at Pitt.

 

•60-9 four-year record and .869 winning percentage in games played at the Petersen Events Center.

 

•46-4 four-year record and .920 winning percentage in games played vs. non-conference teams.

 

•Ramon became the 36th player in school history to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his career.

 

•All four student-athletes are expected to graduate with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh: Keith Benjamin- Administration of Justice; Mike Cook-Communications; Maurice Polen-Psychology; Ronald Ramon-Communications.

 

MEDIA INFORMATION

 

GAME 31: DePAUL (11-18, 6-11 Big East) at PITT (21-9, 9-8 Big East)

 

Sunday, March 9, 2008 • Noon ET • Petersen Events Center (12,508) • Pittsburgh, Pa.

 

Television: ESPN Regional/WTAE-TV (Channel 4). (John Sanders and Stephen Howard; Producer: Bill Shissler).

 

Radio: Pitt Panthers/ISP Sports Radio Network (Bill Hillgrove and Dick Groat), 94.5-FM (WWSW), 970 AM (WBGG). Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 107 (Pitt feed).

 

Internet Broadcast/Live Stats: www.pittsburghpanthers.com

 

The Coaches: Pitt: Jamie Dixon, 9th year at Pitt, 5th year as head coach (126-39); DePaul: Jerry Wainwright, 3rd year at DePaul (33-47), 14th year overall (229-191).

 

Rankings: Pitt: unranked; DePaul: unranked.

 

Series: The two schools meet for the fourth time. Pitt leads the all-time series 2-1. Pitt is 2-0 vs.

the Blue Demons since they joined the Big East Conference in 2005-06.