Pittsburgh Panthers
University	University of Pittsburgh
Head coach	Jamie Dixon (6th season)
Conference	Big East Conference
Arena	Petersen Events Center (Capacity: 12,508)
Nickname	Panthers
Student section	Oakland Zoo
Colors	Blue and Gold
Uniforms
Home Away Alternate
Pre-tournament Helms champions
1928, 1930
NCAA tournament Final Four
1941
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1941, 1974
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1957, 1974, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009
NCAA tournament appearances
1941, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Conference tournament champions
1981, 1982, 2003, 2008
Conference regular season champions
1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1987, 1988, 2002, 2003, 2004

The Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball program, popularly known as the Pitt Panthers, is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh. The team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in the Petersen Events Center.

History

Initial Era

The University of Pittsburgh began playing men's basketball in 1905-06 under coach Benjamin Printz, however the University did not field a team during the 1909–10 and 1910–11 seasons. The program was resurrected in 1911 under head coach by Wohlparth Wegner, and the following year Dr. George M. Flint assumed head coaching duties and began rebuilding Pitt's program essentially from scratch. Flint lead the Panthers to eight winning seasons during his ten years at the helm and coached future legendary Pitt coach H. C. Carlson.

"Doc" Carlson Era

Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, MD took over as coach in 1922 and soon turned Pitt into a national power as evidenced by Pitt's two Helms Foundation National Championships in 1927–28 and 1929–30. Those teams were led by National Player of the Year, 3-time All-American and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Hyatt. Carlson was a legendary and ground-breaking coach who would be inducted into the Naismith and Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fames. In the late 1920s, Carlson initiated playing a "national schedule" by taking his teams on midwestern road trips that included games against several Big Ten schools. He developed the Figure Eight Offense and also experimented with various conditioning techniques, including the use of oxygen on the bench. Under Carlson, and led by two-time All-American Clarie Cribbs, Pitt continued success through the 1930s winning four Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Championships. On February 28, 1940, Pitt played in the first ever televised basketball game, a 57–37 victory over Fordham at Madison Square Garden that was televised by NBC station W2XBS.^[1] Carlson also led Pitt to its first ever NCAA appearance en route to the 1941 NCAA Final Four. Carlson tenure at Pitt's helm lasted for 30 consecutive years before eventually retiring following the 1952–1953 season.

Timmons-Ridl Era

Robert Timmons took over as head coach from Carlson for the 1953-1954 season and, led by two-time All-American and Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame inducte Don Hennon, appeared in two NCAA tournaments during the late 1950s. Timmons also led Pitt to an NCAA appearance in 1963 and its first NIT appearance in 1964. Timmons was succeeded by head coach Charles "Buzz" Ridl who, with All-American Billy Knight, led Pitt to the Elite Eight in 1974 and an NIT appearance the year after. Pittsburgh native Tim Grgurich became head coach following Ridl's retirement following the 1974-75 season.

Eastern Eight Era

Tim Grgurich led Pitt into the inaugural 1976–77 season of the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League, which would change its name to the Eastern Eight (forerunner to the Atlantic 10) the following year. Grgurich, who led Pitt to the 1980 NIT, was succeeded by Lafayette coach Dr. Roy Chipman who began Pitt's rollercoaster-like ride back to national significance. In his first season at the helm, the Panthers won the Eastern Eight Conference Tournament. Pitt continued onto the NCAA tournament, where after a thrilling overtime defeat of Idaho, they were eliminated in the second round by the North Carolina. Chipman's Panthers were able to experience similar success the following season, defeating rival West Virginia for their last Eastern Eight Tournament Championship - energized by insulting remarks by WVU Coach Gale Catlett^[2]. Pitt was knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the first round by Pepperdine to end Chipman's second season, as well was Pitt's last as a member of the Eastern Eight Conference.

Big East Era

With the opening of the 1982-1983 season, Pitt began play as a member of the new Big East Conference. Although Chipman would lead Pitt to three more post-season appearances, he was replaced by Paul Evans as head coach in 1986-87. In eight seasons as head coach, Paul Evans' teams, led by All-Americans Charles Smith and Jerome Lane, would capture two regular season Big East Championships, secure several top 10 rankings, and advance to five NCAA tournaments and one NIT. Following Evans' departure, Ralph Willard took over the Pitt program in 1994-95 and advanced to one NIT in 5 seasons.

Ben Howland, who became national coach of the year while at Pitt in 2002, took over in 1999-2000. In his second season as head coach, Howland's Pitt team would be led by All-American guard Brandin Knight to the Big East Tournament championship game and NIT, followed the next two seasons by back-to-back NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, back-to-back Big East regular season championships, and two more Big East tournament championship game appearances topped by winning the Big East tournament in 2003.

During Howland's tenure, Pitt found itself holding onto top 10 national rankings for several seasons. During this period, in 2002, Pitt began their first season of play at the 12,508-seat Petersen Events Center. Pittsburgh had previously played at Fitzgerald Field House and prior to that the Pitt Pavilion inside Pitt Stadium (now demolished). Their first opponent at "the Pete", as the facility is called by students, was against cross-city rival Duquesne University.

Howland's assistant, Jamie Dixon, took over as head coach of the team in 2003-2004 and the program did not miss a beat registering a third straight Big East regular season championship, a NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance, as well as another appearance in the Big East Tournament championship game. The success under Dixon has continued with almost continuous national rankings, four Big East tournament championship appearances in five seasons , a Big East Tournament Championship in 2008, and NCAA appearances in all six years under Dixon's leadership, including trips to the Sweet Sixteen in 2004, 2007, and 2009. Under Dixon, the Panthers also achieved their first ever #1 ranking in the Associated Press poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll during the 2009 season, and received their first ever #1 seed (East Region) in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. In 2009, Dixon also broke the record for the most victories in the first six seasons as a Division I head coach.

Traditions

Student Section

Rivalries

Pitt has several established rivalries. Perhaps the fiercest rivalry is against West Virginia University in the basketball version of the Backyard Brawl, a spill over from the football rivalry. Adding to the importance of the game, Pitt and West Virginia have shared membership in the Eastern Intercollegiate Conference (1933-1939)^[3], the Eastern Continental Basketball League West Division (1977)^[4], Eastern 8 Conference(1978-1982)^[5], and the Big East Conference (1996-present) throughout their history. The Panthers also have a sustained rivalry with cross-town opponent Duquesne University in the City Game. Peaking if ferocity in the from 1977–1982 when both were members of the Eastern Eight Conference, the rivalry has diminished in competitiveness since Pitt's move into the Big East Conference beginning with the 1982-83 season.^[6] Pitt has also had a variety of rivals within the Big East Conference, notably cross-state rival Villanova University; the University of Connecticut who played the Panthers in the Big East Tournament championship game in 2002, 2003, and 2004^[7]; a burgeoning rivalry with Marquette University since the meeting of the teams in the 2003 NCAA Sweet Sixteen^[8], and a rivalry that spills over from the gridiron with Syracuse University.

Team awards & accomplishments

2-Time National Champions

Pitt men's basketball teams of 1927-28 (21-0) and 1929-30 (23-2) were recognized as National Champions both popularlyThe Owl and by the Helms Athletic Foundation^[9]. These teams of "Doc" Carlson, led by three-time All-American and two-time National Scoring Champion Charley Hyatt, played a "national" schedule that during the 1927-28 season that included the following wins:^[10]

The 1929-30 National Championship team racked up wins that included the following:

Although there was no NCAA Tournament at that time, there were "National Championship Games". The 1930 game in particular helped Pittsburgh legend Charley Hyatt cement his place in history by scoring 27 points, including a last second game-winning shot, at the defending national champions and assumed #1 squad Montana State.^[11]

Post-season national tournaments

Pitt has appeared in 29 national post-season tournaments, appearing in 53 total games with a combined record of 24-29 (.453). Pitt's longest consecutive streak of making post-season national tournaments is nine from 2001-current.

NCAA

NCAA tournament appearances (21)

NCAA Tournament Seeding History
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.

Pitt has appeared in 41 total NCAA Tournament games and has a record of 20-21 (.488). Pitt's longest consecutive streak of NCAA appearances is eight from 2002-current. Pitt has reached the following milestones in the NCAA Tourament:

• Final Four (national semifinal) in 1941
• "Elite Eight" (regional final) in 1941 and 1974
• "Sweet Sixteen" (regional semifinal) in 1957, 1974, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2009

NIT

Pitt has made eight appearances to the post-season National Invitational Tournament (NIT), appearing in 14 games with an overall NIT record of 6-8 (.429).

NIT tournaments appearances (8)
1964 • 1975 • 1980 • 1984 • 1986 • 1992 • 1997 • 2001

Conference Championships

1932-33 Eastern Intercollegiate Champions
1933-34 Eastern Intercollegiate Champions
1934-35 Eastern Intercollegiate Champions
1936-37 Eastern Intercollegiate Champions
1980-81 Eastern Eight Tournament Champions
1981-82 Eastern Eight Tournament Champions
1986-87 Big East Regular Season Co-Champions
1987-88 Big East Regular Season Champions
2001-02 Big East Regular Season West Champions
2002-03 Big East Tournament and Regular Season West Co-Champions
2003-04 Big East Regular Season Champions
2007-08 Big East Tournament Champions

Pitt is the only team in Big East Conference history to reach the Big East Championship Game seven times in eight seasons having earned a trip to the title game in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.[1] Pitt played in the Eastern Eight Tournament Championship games in 1979, 1981, and 1982.

Individual awards & honors

National honors

National Player of the Year

Charley Hyatt won the National Player of the Year in 1929-30, he was the America's leading scorer that season (his second time as leading scorer) and made a last second basket to win the National Title Game with 27 points against what many considered the best team in the country. This season was also to be the third consecutive time he had earned consensus All-American status (the second time he won the honor owing to him being in the inaugural class of consensus in his second season).

National Coach of the Year

• 2001-02: Ben Howland won National Coach of the Year honors from the AP, Naismith, USBWA, ESPN The Magazine, and The Sporting News.
• 2008-09: Jaime Dixon won the Jim Phelan Coach of the Year mid-season award.

Hall of Fame inductees

Four inductees represent the University of Pittsburgh in the Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame, two of those, Carlson and Hyatt, are also represented in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Both Carlson and Hyatt were selected as the first class inducted to each hall in 1959.^[12]

• Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson|Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, M.D., Pitt head coach from 1922–1953. He is noted as the innovator of the "figure 8" play, the first coach to take his team cross country and a leading advocate for intersectional games. Despite great modern eras in Pitt Basketball (late 1950s, 1980s, 2000s) he continues to be the most winningest coach in program history as well as the only one to lead the program to National Championships.
• Charley Hyatt, Pitt player and 3-time All-American and 2-time national scoring leader, he also was a senior year All American in High School and earned 3 other all-pro awards in the pre-NBA era playing after Pitt. He was a member of the very first Consensus All American team in 1929.
• Don Hennon, two time All-American (with one being a Consensus All American), led Pitt to two NCAA Tournament bids.
• Chuck Ridl, head coach that last lead Pitt to the Elite Eight and won 22 straight games in 1973–1974. Credited with creating the "amoeba defense" that his assistants took to UNLV in the 1980's during their national title run.

All Americans

Thirteen different Pitt players have receivedAll-American honors 14 unique season. Pitt players have been named First Team All-Americans 13 times, Second Team All-Americans seven times, and Third Team All-Americans six times. In addition, players have been named as Freshman All-Americans four times and Honorable Mention All-Americans three times. A Pitt player has achieved Consensus First Team All-American, as listed in the Official NCAA Records Book, on eight different occasions. Charley Hyatt and Sykes Reed, who together lead Pitt to an undefeated national championship season, were Pitt's first Consensus All-Americans in 1928. The other consensus first-team All-Americans include Don Smith, Claire Cribbs, and Don Hennon.^[13] Don Hennon is also recognized as a Consensus selection in 1959, appearing on the UPI and Helm's Foundation First Team and the AP Second Team, although he is not recognized as a First Team Consensus selection for that season in the official NCAA Records Book. In addition, Billy Knight and Jerome Lane received Consensus Second Team All-American status.

NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships

Three Pitt players have earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships which are awarded annually to select student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.^[17]

• Thomas Richards, 1976
• Joseph David, 1986
• Darren Morningstar, 1992

Other Awards

• Joseph David was selected as a Second Team Verizon/CoSIDa Academic All-American in 1986.

• Orlando Antigua was selected as the USBWA Most Courageous Athlete in 1994.

Conference honors

Player of the Year

• Charles Smith won Big East Player of the Year in 1987–88.
• Brandon Knight won Big East co-Player of the Year in 2001–02.
• DeJuan Blair won Big East co-Player of the Year in 2008–2009.

Coach of the Year

• Ben Howland won Big East Coach of the Year in 2001–02.
• Jamie Dixon won Big East Coach of the Year in 2003–04.

Tournament MVP

• Lenny McMillan won Eastern 8 Tournament MVP 1981.
• Clyde Vaughan won Eastern 8 Tournament MVP 1982.
• Julius Page won Big East Tournament MVP in 2003.
• Sam Young won Big East Tournament MVP in 2008.

Other honors

• Larry Harris won Eastern 8 Scoring Title in the 1976-77 season.
• Sam Clancy won Eastern 8 Rebounding Titles in both the 1978–79 and 1979–80 seasons.
• Dwayne Wallace won Eastern 8 Assist Title in the 1981–82 season.
• Clyde Vaughan won Big East Scoring Title in the 1982–83 season.
• Jerome Lane won Big East Rebounding Titles in both the 1986–87 and 1987–88 seasons.
• Darelle Porter won Big East Assist Title in the 1989–90 season.
• Aaron Gray won Big East Most Improved Player in 2005–06.
• Sam Young won Big East Most Improved Player in 2007–2008
• Ronald Ramon won Co-Big East Sportsmanship award in 2007–08.
• DeJuan Blair won Co-Big East Rookie of the Year in 2007–08.

University honors

Retired jerseys

Four players have had their jerseys retired at Pitt.

Points club

37 total Panther players have achieved the 1,000 points club. Of these, fourteen total Panther players have scored over 1,500 points in their career. Two of these Panther players, Charles Smith and Clyde Vaughan, scored over 2,000 points in their career.

2,000+ points

1,500+ points

1,000+ points

Projected 1,000+ points:

• DeJuan Blair 929 (as of 3/21/09)

NBA Players

The Pittsburgh Panthers have had 37 players drafted by the pros, 26 picks in the NBA (Billy Knight was drafted twice in 1974) and 11 in the CBA. This number does not reflect the many other Panthers that have played professionally prior to the NBA such as national MVP and 3 time All-American Charley Hyatt in the 1930s. Six Panthers have been selected as first-round NBA draft picks with Vonteego Cummings being the most recent in 1999. Before him Eric Mobley in 1994 was drafted 18th overall.

In addition, more than 23 Panthers have played professionally in international basketball leagues. Clyde Vaughan especially stands out in averaging 28 points per game over his decade-long basketball career in Europe.

Season-by-Season Basketball

The Pittsburgh Panthers have a record of 1,409 wins and 1,020 losses since their inception in 1905. (as of March 13, 2009)

External links

• Official Site of PITT Panther Athletics
• Big East Website - PITT Athletics Profile
• Jerome Lane feature, Top 10 greatest college dunkers, CBS video, YouTube

References

• 2008-09 Pittsburgh Men's Basketball Media Guide, University of Pittsburgh, accessdate=2008-11-05