Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team is the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
Division I intercollegiate men's
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
program of the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
, often referred to as "Pitt", located in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
(ACC) and plays their home games in the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers were retroactively recognized as the pre- NCAA tournament national champion twice by the
Helms Athletic Foundation The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his owners ...
and once by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. Pitt has reached one Final Four, received 15 First Team All-American selections, appeared in 26
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
and nine
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
s (NIT) and through the 2019–20 season, and has recorded 1,631 victories against 1,189 losses since their inaugural season of 1905–06.


History


Initial era

The
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
began playing men's basketball in 1905–06 under coach Benjamin Printz. The University did not field a team during the 1909–10 and 1910–11 seasons. The program was resurrected in 1911 under head coach Walter "Dutch" Wohlfarth, and the following year Dr. George M. Flint assumed head coaching duties and began rebuilding Pitt's program essentially from the ground up. Flint led the Panthers to eight winning seasons during his ten years at the helm and coached future Pitt coach H. C. Carlson.


H.C. "Doc" Carlson era (1922–1953)

Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, MD took over as coach in 1922 and soon turned Pitt into a national power. In the era preceding the initiation of national tournaments, the Panthers were both contemporaneously and later retroactively, by the
Helms Athletic Foundation The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his owners ...
(1927–28 and 1929–30) and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll (1927–28), regarded as national champions. 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 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 The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
schools and, in 1931, is credited as the first coach to take an Eastern team out west. He also developed the widely emulated 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 Claire Cribbs, Pitt continued success through the 1930s winning four Eastern Intercollegiate Conference championships. In 1935, Pitt, as Eastern Intercollegiate champions representing the best of the East, lost a 41–37 season-ending contest to SEC champion LSU in the American Legion Bowl in
Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
, a game on which LSU bases its claim on that season's national championship. On February 28, 1940, Pitt played in the first-ever televised basketball game, a 57–37 victory over Fordham at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...
that was televised by
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
station W2XBS. Carlson also led Pitt to its first-ever NCAA appearance en route to the 1941 NCAA Final Four. Carlson's tenure at Pitt's helm lasted for 30 consecutive years before he retired following the 1952–53 season. Pitt moved their competition into the Fitzgerald Field House in 1951, leaving the Pitt Pavilion, housed inside of
Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in the eastern United States, located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1925, it served primarily as the home of the un ...
. Pitt would continue to play in the Fieldhouse until 2002.


Bob Timmons era (1953–1968)

Robert Timmons took over as head coach from Carlson for the 1953–54 season and led by two-time All-American and Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
Don Hennon Don Leroy Hennon (born November 8, 1937) is an American surgeon and a former basketball player for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team, where he was a two-time Consensus All-American. A tall guard, Hennon was noted for his proli ...
, appeared in two NCAA tournaments during the late 1950s. Timmons also led Pitt to an NCAA appearance in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...
and its first NIT appearance in 1964.


Buzz Ridl era (1968–1975)

Timmons was succeeded by head coach Charles "Buzz" Ridl who became famous for his 'amoebe' defense, an ever changing man to zone match-up defense. With All-American Billy Knight, Ridl led Pitt to the Elite Eight in
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
, with early round victories over St. Joseph's and Furman. Pitt lost to eventual national champion North Carolina State in the Eastern Regional Final (Elite 8) played in
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Sout ...
amid a hostile local crowd. This Pitt team was filled with local players such as Mickey Martin, Jim Bolla, Tom Richards, Keith Starr, Kirk Bruce and Billy Knight, who went on to star in the ABA for the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first estab ...
and with several teams in the NBA. Following the graduation of Knight and Martin, Pitt made an NIT appearance the following year, Ridl's last before retiring.


Eastern Eight Conference (1976–1982)

For the 1976–77 season, Pitt began play as a member of the Eastern 8 Conference.


Tim Grgurich era (1975–1980)

Pittsburgh native Tim Grgurich, who was an assistant coach under Ridl, became Pitt's next head coach. He 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 Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Easter ...
) the following year. That initial year, Larry Harris, a 6'6" forward with an impressive outside shot and an ability to score points in traffic, won the league scoring title. Grgurich also led Pitt to the
1980 NIT The 1980 National Invitation Tournament was the 1980 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Selected teams Below is a list of the 32 teams selected for the tournament.
.


Roy Chipman era (1980–1986)

Grgurich 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. In the 1981 NCAA tournament, Pitt defeated
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...
in overtime in the first round; they lost to
North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
in the second round. Chipman's Panthers enjoyed similar success the following season, defeating archrival
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
for their last Eastern Eight tournament Championship, energized by remarks by WVU Coach
Gale Catlett Wendell Gale Catlett Article refers to Catlett as "W. Gale Catlett". (born October 31, 1940) is a retired American basketball coach who was head coach at the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University. Playing career Born in Hedgesvil ...
. Pitt lost to
Pepperdine Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...
in the first round of the 1982 NCAA tournament to end Chipman's second season and Pitt's last as a member of the Eastern Eight Conference.


Big East Conference (1982–2013)

For the 1982–83 season, Pitt began play as a member of the
Big East Conference The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
.


Paul Evans era (1986–1994)

Although Chipman would lead Pitt to three more postseason appearances, he was replaced by Paul Evans as head coach in 1986–87. Led by All-Americans Charles Smith and
Jerome Lane Jerome Lane Sr. (born December 4, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lane played college basketball for the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an A ...
, Pitt would capture its first two regular season Big East Championships and secure several top 10 rankings reaching as high as number two in the nation. However, compared to the expectations of the fans, these teams had disappointing showings in their Big East and NCAA tournaments appearances. After the departures of Smith and Lane, Pitt basketball continued to have a national, if not inconsistent, impact with players such as
Sean Miller Sean Edward Miller (born November 17, 1968) is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as head coach of the Xavier Musketeers. He previously was in that position from 2004 to 2009, after which he took the head coach position f ...
,
Brian Shorter Brian William Shorter (born November 28, 1968) is an American-Italian former professional basketball player. He spent two decades playing in European leagues. High school career Shorter, a Philadelphia native, grew up in a low-income neighborh ...
,
Jerry McCullough Jerry McCullough (born November 26, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player. He spent most of his professional career playing in Europe. College career McCullough played college basketball at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) ...
, and
Eric Mobley Eric Mobley (February 1, 1970 – June 2, 2021) was an American professional basketball player who played three seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round (18th pick overall) ...
. In eight seasons as head coach Evans' teams advanced to a total of five NCAA tournaments and one NIT.


Ralph Willard era (1994–1999)

Slumping play led to Evans' departure, and he was replaced by
Ralph Willard Ralph Daniel Willard (born March 28, 1946) is an American former basketball coach. He served as the head men's basketball coach at Western Kentucky University from 1990 to 1994, the University of Pittsburgh from 1994 to 1999, and the College of t ...
who headed the Pitt program from 1994–95 through 1998–99. Despite highly regarded recruiting classes and stars such as
Mark Blount Mark D. Blount ( ; born November 30, 1975) is an American retired professional basketball center with four teams in the National Basketball Association between 2000 and 2009. Career Blount spent his freshman year of high school in Summerville, ...
and
Vonteego Cummings Vonteego Marfeek Cummings (born February 29, 1976) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Atenienses de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. A combo guard, he played in the National Basketb ...
, Pitt advanced to only one NIT in five seasons under Willard.


Ben Howland era (1999–2003)

Ben Howland was hired as head coach of the Panthers in 1999–00 and led them to sustained success for 4 seasons. In Howland's second season (2000–01), the Pitt team, led by senior standout Ricardo Greer and All-American guard Brandin Knight, advanced to the Big East tournament championship game and NIT. In Howland's third (2001–02) and fourth (2002–03) seasons, Pitt won back-to-back Big East regular season championships, appeared in back-to-back Big East tournament championship games and won the Big East tournament in 2003. Pitt advanced to consecutive NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteens (
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
,
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...
). For his success in the 2001–02 season, Howland was named the Big East Coach of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year, and won the
Henry Iba Award The Henry Iba Award was established in 1959 to recognize the best college basketball coach of the year by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Five nominees are presented and the individual with the most votes receives the aw ...
as best college basketball coach as named by the
United States Basketball Writers Association The United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) was founded in 1956 by National Collegiate Athletic Association director Walter Byers to serve the interests of journalists who cover college basketball. Scholarships The USBWA annually awar ...
. Following the 2003 season, Howland left Pitt for the only job he said he would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for: the head coach position at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
. In 2002, Pitt began their first season of play at the 12,508-seat Petersen Events Center which sits on the former site of
Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in the eastern United States, located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1925, it served primarily as the home of the un ...
. The first opponent at "the Pete", as the facility is called by students, was against cross-city rival
Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( or ; Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a private Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Gh ...
.


Atlantic Coast Conference (2013–present)

For the 2013–14 season, Pitt began play as a member of the ACC.


Jamie Dixon era (2003–2016)

Jamie Dixon, Howland's assistant at Northern Arizona and Pitt, was named head coach of the team in 2003. Under Dixon, the Panthers continued the progress begun under Howland, registering a third straight Big East regular season championship (2004), a fourth straight appearance in the Big East tournament championship game (Pitt 58, UConn 61) and a third straight appearance in the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen. With Dixon at the helm, Pitt's success continued with frequent national rankings, four Big East tournament championship game appearances in five seasons (2004, 2006, 2007 2008), a Big East tournament Championship in 2008, and NCAA tournament appearances in nine of ten years under Dixon's leadership (2004–11, 2013), including trips to the Sweet Sixteen (2004,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
,
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...
) and Elite Eight (2009). The 2008–09 season was notable for several historic accomplishments. The Panthers were ranked #1 in the Associated Press poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll for the first time in school history, claiming the #1 spot for a total of three weeks. On February 16, 2009, the #4 ranked Panthers defeated the #1 ranked
UConn Huskies The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's f ...
, 76–68, for Pitt's first-ever win versus a #1 ranked team. The Panthers repeated the feat on March 7, 2009, when the #3 ranked Panthers again defeated #1 ranked UConn again, 70–60, for Pitt's second-ever win versus a #1 ranked team. In doing so, Pitt became only the seventh school in NCAA Division I history to defeat two #1 ranked teams in the same season. On Selection Sunday, March 15, 2009, the Panthers received their first ever No.1 seed (East Region) in the
2009 NCAA tournament The 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament in which 65 schools competed to determine the national champion of the men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2008–09 basketball ...
. They reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1974. Pitt's 76–78 last second loss to fellow Big East Conference foe Villanova in the East Regional final for a trip to the Final Four became an instant classic. In 2009, Dixon broke the record for the most victories in the first six seasons as a Division I head coach and won the Naismith Coach of the Year award. The success of the 2008–09 season continued over to the 2009–10 season, somewhat unexpectedly. Having lost the talents of Sam Young,
DeJuan Blair DeJuan Lamont Blair (born April 22, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2007 to 2009. Blair entered the 2009 NBA draft where he was selected as the 37th overall ...
and Levance Fields, the Panthers were picked in a pre-season Big East poll to finish ninth in the conference. Instead, Pitt earned a 13–5 Big East record, good enough for a second seed in the Big East tournament, received a third seed in the NCAA tournament, and finished 25–9 overall record. In
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
, Pitt won the regular season Big East title and, for a second time in the program's history, earned a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The program achieved a school record 10-straight seasons with at least 20 overall wins, 10 conference wins, and an NCAA Tournament appearance from 2002 through 2011. Dixon, who has been named as a national coach of the year in three separate seasons, guided Pitt to NCAA Tournament appearances in his first eight seasons as head coach, and is the only head coach in school history to guide Pitt to eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2004–2011). The
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
announced in September 2011 that Pitt and Syracuse would be leaving the Big East and had been accepted as members of the ACC, which would grow from 12 to 14 teams. Pitt officially joined the ACC on July 1, 2013. In 2011–12, Pitt failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament, but managed to again surpass 20 wins for the 11th consecutive season and qualify for the College Basketball Invitational for a 12th consecutive post-season appearance. Pitt defeated
Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a U.S. state, state in the Northwestern United States, Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first President of the United States, U.S. p ...
in the Finals in a best 2 out of 3 format to win the post-season tournament. Dixon's record at Pitt stood at 262 wins and 86 losses (.753 win percentage) in ten seasons (2003–04 through 2012–13), second in school history behind only Carlson. His league record of 127–66 in ten seasons made him the winningest coach in Big East history with a .658 winning percentage in league games and tournaments. . On March 31, 2010, Pitt extended Dixon's contract by two years, making him Pitt's head coach through 2017–18 season. Dixon signed another contract extension on March 23, 2013. This extension ran through the 2022–2023 season. Upon the extension, Dixon commented saying that his intentions were to "finish his career at the University of Pittsburgh." Dixon, however, departed to take the head coaching position at his alma mater, TCU, on March 21, 2016, after Pitt grew dissatisfied with his team's results and lowered his contract buyout clause to make it easier for him to leave.


Kevin Stallings era (2016–2018)

On March 28, 2016, the school hired Vanderbilt head coach
Kevin Stallings Kevin E. Stallings (born October 1, 1960) is a former American basketball coach, who formerly served as the head coach at Illinois State University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Pittsburgh. He was an assistant coach at Purdue Univ ...
to fill the vacant head coaching position. Pitt went 16–17 and finished 14th in the ACC, its first losing season in 17 years. The Panthers notably lost to Duquesne for the first time since 2000 and suffered a 106–51 loss to Louisville, their worst loss since 1906. The disappointing season was punctuated by a blowout home loss to #1
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
on senior night, during which the Panthers managed only 7 first half points against the Cavaliers. In Stallings second season Pitt went 8–24 and went 0–18 in ACC conference play. Pitt finished 15th and last in the conference. On March 8, 2018, Pitt fired Stallings.


Jeff Capel era (2018–present)

On March 27, 2018, Duke associate head coach
Jeff Capel Felton Jeffrey Capel III (born February 12, 1975) is an American college basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh's Panthers men's basketball team. He played for Duke University and was ...
reached an agreement to become the 16th head basketball coach at Pitt. Capel previously served as head coach at VCU (2002–06) and
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
(2006–11).


Traditions


Student section


Rivalries


West Virginia

The fiercest rivalry was with former Big East Conference member
West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...
in the basketball version of the
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
, an extension of the football rivalry. Adding to the importance of the game, Pitt and West Virginia shared membership in the Eastern Intercollegiate Conference (1933–1939), the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League West Division (1977), Eastern 8 Conference (1978–1982), and the Big East Conference (1996–2012). In addition, the two rivals have tangled in the last games played at three of their respective arenas: on February 26, 1951, Pitt defeated WVU 74–72 in the closing seconds of the last college game played at the Pitt Pavilion inside Pitt Stadium; on March 3, 1970, Pitt upset WVU 92–87 in the last game played at the West Virginia University Field House in Morgantown; and on March 2, 2002, Pitt defeated WVU 92–65 in Pitt's last game at Fitzgerald Field House. The two teams last met on February 16, 2012, resulting in a 66–48 Mountaineer victory. The Panthers and Mountaineers are scheduled to resume their annual series as part of the nonconference schedule beginning with the 2017–18 season, ending a 5-year absence. Pitt will host games in 2017 and 2019, while WVU will host games in the 2018 and 2020 seasons. WVU remains as Pitt's most-played opponent, with 184 meetings having been played between the schools as of the end of the 2011–12 season. West Virginia leads the series 98 to 88.


Penn State

Another spill-over from the gridiron, the Panthers' third-most frequently-played opponent is the
Penn State Nittany Lions The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The school colors are navy blue and white. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion. The inte ...
, whom they have played 148 times. Penn State leads the all-time series, 76–72. They played at least once every year from 1935–82 and briefly rekindled the rivalry at the turn of the century, playing annually from 2000–05. Since that time, they’ve gone against each other just twice, in 2013 as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, and in the 2016 Never Forget Tribute Classic. They are not scheduled to renew the series in the foreseeable future, though there have been significant talks between the universities about doing so.


Duquesne

The Panthers also have a sustained rivalry with crosstown opponent
Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( or ; Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a private Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Gh ...
in The City Game. Peaking in ferocity from 1977–1982 when both were members of the Eastern Eight Conference, the rivalry has diminished somewhat since Pitt's move to the Big East Conference in 1982.


Syracuse

A spillover from their football rivalry, the Panthers and
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
also maintain a rivalry on the hardwood. The series intensified during the first decade of this century, during which both teams were highly competitive in the Big East and made numerous appearances in both the AP Top 10 and NCAA Tournament. They continue to play at least twice each season as members of the ACC.


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 popularly and by the
Helms Athletic Foundation The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his owners ...
. 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: *@ Michigan *@ Chicago *@ Northwestern *@ Iowa *Ohio State * Dartmouth (defending Eastern Collegiate Champions) *Syracuse *@ Army *@ Colgate *Notre Dame *@ West Virginia *@ Penn State The 1929–30 national championship team racked up wins that included the following: *@ Indiana *@ Northwestern *@ Iowa *Ohio State *Nebraska *Georgetown *@ Montana State (defending national champions) *Notre Dame *Fordham *@ Penn State *West Virginia *@ Temple *@ Army Although there was no NCAA Tournament at that time, there were contests billed as "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.


Early-season national tournaments

Starting with the NCAA rule change regarding exempt tournaments in the 2006–07 season, Pitt has participated in an event every year.


Postseason


NCAA tournament results

The Panthers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 26 times. Their combined record is 24–27. NCAA Tournament Seeding History
''The
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.''


NIT results

The Panthers have appeared in the
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
(NIT) nine times. Their combined record is 6–9.


CBI results

The Panthers have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 5–1 and they were CBI champions in 2012.


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 8 Tournament Champions
1981–82 Eastern 8 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
2010–11 Big East Regular Season Champions Pitt was 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 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
,
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
,
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...
,
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...
,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
, and
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
br>
Pitt played in the Eastern 8 Tournament Championship games in 1979 Eastern 8 men's basketball tournament, 1979, 1981, and
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C ...
.


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
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
, Naismith, USBWA, ''
ESPN The Magazine ''ESPN The Magazine'' was an American monthly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998. Initially published every other week, it scaled back to 24 issues a year ...
'', and ''
The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
''. * 2008–09: Jamie Dixon won the Naismith Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year as well as the Jim Phelan Mid-season Coach of the Year award. * 2009–10: Jamie Dixon won the
Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award The Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award (formerly called the CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year Award from 2003 to 2009) is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball head coach in NCAA Division I ...
. * 2010–11: Jamie Dixon won the ''Sporting News'' National Coach of the Year award.


Hall of Fame inductees

Three inductees represent the University of Pittsburgh in the Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame; two of them, Carlson and Hyatt, are also represented in the
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and prese ...
and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Both Carlson and Hyatt were selected as the first class inducted to each hall. * Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, M.D., Pitt head coach from 1922 to 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, mid 1970s, 1980s, 2000s), he continues to be the winningest coach in program history as well as the only one to lead the program to national championships. * Charley Hyatt, Pitt player and three-time All-American and two-time national scoring leader, he also was a senior year All American in High School and earned three 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 Don Leroy Hennon (born November 8, 1937) is an American surgeon and a former basketball player for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team, where he was a two-time Consensus All-American. A tall guard, Hennon was noted for his proli ...
, two-time All-American (with one being a Consensus All American), led Pitt to two NCAA Tournament bids.


All Americans

Thirteen Pitt players have received All-American honors 14 unique season. Pitt players have been named First Team All-Americans 15 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 six times. A Pitt player has achieved Consensus First Team All-American, as listed in the Official NCAA Records Book, on nine occasions. Charley Hyatt and
Sykes Reed Wallace Sykes Reed (December 14, 1904 – March 21, 1972) was an American basketball player and dentist, best known for his All-American college career at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Sykes came from Braddock, Pennsylvania, where he pl ...
, 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,
Don Hennon Don Leroy Hennon (born November 8, 1937) is an American surgeon and a former basketball player for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team, where he was a two-time Consensus All-American. A tall guard, Hennon was noted for his proli ...
, and
DeJuan Blair DeJuan Lamont Blair (born April 22, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2007 to 2009. Blair entered the 2009 NBA draft where he was selected as the 37th overall ...
. In addition, Don Hennon, Billy Knight and
Jerome Lane Jerome Lane Sr. (born December 4, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lane played college basketball for the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an A ...
received Consensus Second Team All-American status. Honorable Mention All-Americans :1979
Sam Clancy Sam Clancy (born May 29, 1958) is a former defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and Indianapolis Colts. He also played for the Pittsburgh Maulers and the Memphis Showboats o ...
, AP :1988 Charles Smith, AP, UPI :2003 Brandin Knight, AP :2004
Carl Krauser Carl Isaac Krauser (born May 13, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Quebec Kebs of the National Basketball League of Canada. He was a point guard for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers from 2001 to ...
, AP   :2008 Sam Young, AP :2009 Levance Fields, AP :2011 Ashton Gibbs, AP &
Brad Wanamaker Bradley Daniel Wanamaker (born July 25, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. Wan ...
, AP Freshman All-Americans :1978
Sam Clancy Sam Clancy (born May 29, 1958) is a former defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and Indianapolis Colts. He also played for the Pittsburgh Maulers and the Memphis Showboats o ...
, Second Team :1985 Charles Smith, First Team :2004 Chris Taft, Second Team :2008
DeJuan Blair DeJuan Lamont Blair (born April 22, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2007 to 2009. Blair entered the 2009 NBA draft where he was selected as the 37th overall ...
(consensus pick, but not for a particular team)


Academic awards

Two Pitt players have earned Academic All-American status from the
College Sports Information Directors of America College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) is an organization that focuses on professional development and support for sports information directors at all levels. It offers awards, scholarships, and grants in support of SIDs and pros ...
. 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.


=Academic All-Americans

= *Peter Strickland, 1978 *Joey David, 1986


=NCAA Postgraduate scholarship winners

= *Thomas Richards, 1976 *Joseph David, 1986 *
Darren Morningstar Darren Morningstar (born April 22, 1969) is an American retired professional basketball player who was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round (47th pick overall) of the 1992 NBA draft. A 6'10" and 325 lb Center (basketball), cent ...
, 1992


=Other awards

= *
Orlando Antigua Orlando Radhames Antigua Fernández (born February 20, 1973), nicknamed "Hurricane", is a former Dominican-American basketball player and is currently an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky under John Calipari. He is widely known as bec ...
was selected as the USBWA Most Courageous Athlete in 1994.


Conference honors


Player of the Year

*Charles Smith, 1987–88 *Brandin Knight (co), 2001–02 *DeJuan Blair (co), 2008–09


Most Improved Player

* Ricardo Greer (co), 1999–00 *Brandin Knight, 2001–02 *Carl Krauser, 2003–04 *Aaron Gray, 2005–06 *Sam Young, 2007–08 *Ashton Gibbs, 2009–10


Scholar-Athlete of the Year

*Joe David, 1984–85 *
Darren Morningstar Darren Morningstar (born April 22, 1969) is an American retired professional basketball player who was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round (47th pick overall) of the 1992 NBA draft. A 6'10" and 325 lb Center (basketball), cent ...
, 1991–92 *Aaron Gray, 2006–07 *Cameron Wright, 2013–14


Sportsmanship Award

*Jaron Brown, 2003–04 *Ronald Ramon (co), 2007–08 *Brad Wanamaker, 2010–11


Coach of the Year

*Ben Howland, 2001–02 *Jamie Dixon, 2003–04


Rookie of the Year

*Charles Smith, 1984–85 *
Sean Miller Sean Edward Miller (born November 17, 1968) is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as head coach of the Xavier Musketeers. He previously was in that position from 2004 to 2009, after which he took the head coach position f ...
, 1987–88 *
Brian Shorter Brian William Shorter (born November 28, 1968) is an American-Italian former professional basketball player. He spent two decades playing in European leagues. High school career Shorter, a Philadelphia native, grew up in a low-income neighborh ...
, 1988–89 *Chris Taft, 2003–04 *DeJuan Blair (co), 2007–08


Tournament MVP

* Lennie McMillian, Eastern 8 1981 * Clyde Vaughan, Eastern 8 1982 * Julius Page, Big East 2003 *Sam Young, Big East 2008


Conference stat champions


Scoring

*Larry Harris won the Eastern 8 Scoring Title in the 1976–77 season (22.9 ppg). * Clyde Vaughan won the Big East Scoring Title in the 1982–83 season (22.0 ppg).


Rebounding

*Sam Clancy won the Eastern 8 Rebounding Titles in both the 1978–79 (12.8 rpg) and 1979–80 (11.1 rpg) seasons. *Jerome Lane won the Big East Rebounding Titles in both the 1986–87 (14.0 rpg) and 1987–88 (11.6 rpg) seasons. *Isaac Hawkins won the Big East Rebounding Title in the 1997–98 season (9.7 rpg). *Aaron Gray won the Big East Rebounding Title in the 2005–06 season (10.5 rpg). *DeJuan Blair won the Big East Rebounding Title in the 2008–09 season (12.4 rpg).


Assist

*Dwayne Wallace won the Eastern 8 Assist Title in the 1981–82 season (6.2 apg). *Darelle Porter won the Big East Assist Title in the 1989–90 season (7.6 apg). *Levance Fields won the Big East Assist Title in the 2008–09 season (7.5 apg).


University honors


Retired numbers

Four players have had their jersey numbers retired at Pitt.


Points club

41 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. Stats updated through February 5, 2014.


=2,000+ points

= *Charles Smith (1984–1988) 2,045 * Clyde Vaughan (1980–1984) 2,033


=1,500+ points

= *Larry Harris (1974–1978) 1,914 *Sam Young (2005–2009) 1,884 *Don Hennon (1956–1959) 1,841 *Jason Matthews (1987–1991) 1,840 *Ricardo Greer (1997–2001) 1,753 * Ashton Gibbs (2008–2012) 1,748 *Billy Knight (1971–1974) 1,731 *Sam Clancy (1977–1981) 1,671 *Carl Krauser (2002–2006) 1,642 *Brian Shorter (1988–1991) 1,633 *
Vonteego Cummings Vonteego Marfeek Cummings (born February 29, 1976) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Atenienses de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. A combo guard, he played in the National Basketb ...
(1996–1999) 1,581 *Demetreus Gore (1984–1988) 1,555 *Julius Page (2000–2004) 1,512


=1,000+ points

= *Brandin Knight (1999–2003) 1,440 *Lamar Patterson (2009–2014) 1,392 *Jerry McCullough (1991–1996) 1,342 *Sean Miller (1987–1992) 1,282 * Bobby Martin (1987–1991) 1,282 * Chevon Troutman (2001–2005) 1,274 *Jaron Brown (2000–2004) 1,258 *Levance Fields (2005–2009) 1,247 *Jerome Lane (1985–1988) 1,217 *Curtis Aiken (1983–1987) 1,200 *Bob Lazor (1954–1957) 1,175 *John Riser (1954–1957) 1,164 *Kent Scott (1969–1972) 1,143 *Isaac Hawkins (1996–2001) 1,127 *Calvin Sheffield (1961–1964) 1,115 *Brian Generalovich (1961–1964) 1,114 * Aaron Gray (2003–2007) 1,109 * Tray Woodall (2008–2013) 1,108 *
Donatas Zavackas Donatas Zavackas (born 23 April 1980) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at University of Pittsburgh. Standing at , he plays the power forward position. College career During his successful career ...
(1999–2003) 1,099 *Ronald Ramon (2004–2008) 1,096 *
Brad Wanamaker Bradley Daniel Wanamaker (born July 25, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. Wan ...
(2007–2011) 1,090 *
Talib Zanna Talib Zanna (born 1 October 1990) is a Nigerian professional basketball player who last played for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. Zanna played high school basketball at Bishop McNamara High School and competed collegiately with the ...
(2009–2014) 1,089 *Chris McNeal (1990–1993) 1,067 *Carlton Neverson (1978–1981) 1,057 *Julius Pegues (1955–1958) 1,050 *Rod Brookin (1986–1990) 1,047 *
Gilbert Brown Gilbert Jesse Brown (born February 22, 1971) is a former American football player. A nose tackle who played for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (1993–99, 2001–03), Brown played 125 Packers games (103 starts) recordin ...
(2006–2011) 1,046 *Darelle Porter (1987–1991) 1,007


NBA players

Pittsburgh Panthers have been selected 27 times in the NBA draft, 3 times in the ABA draft ( Billy Knight was drafted by both the NBA and ABA in 1974). In addition, 11 former Panthers were selected in the CBA draft. Seven Panthers have been selected as first-round NBA draft picks with
Steven Adams Steven Funaki Adams (born 20 July 1993) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing one season with his hometown team, the Wellington Saints, in 2011, Ad ...
being the most recent in 2013. In addition, 48 former 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 records


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pittsburgh Panthers