Nasir Robinson Nearly Perfect As Pitt Upsets #9 Georgetown, 72-60; Towson Ends Record Losing Streak

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, January 28, 2012

Perfection.

It is the thing many strive for but few seldom achieve.

In Pittsburgh's 72-60 upset win over Georgetown, senior forward Nasir Robinson came within one free throw of what some may consider a "perfect" game of hoops. Robinson led the Panthers with 23 points and 8 rebounds, on 9-for-9 shooting and a 5-for-6 effort from the foul line to help Pitt win their second straight Big East contest after a string of eight straight losses had pretty much demoralized the squad and severely limited their prospects of reaching the NCAA tournament.

After beating Providence, 86-74, on Wednesday, the Panthers were in perfect position to spring the upset, at home against the #9 Hoyas and Robinson and his floor mates pulled it off with a combination of contesting defense, hard rebounding and opportunistic scoring, limiting the Hoyas to 42% shooting, while they shot 52% from the field and made 19 of 22 free throws.

The Panthers also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Georgetown, 35-23. They also had 20 assists, 10 coming from Tray Woodall, who had missed 11 games from early December to mid-January, and whose presence on the perimeter was a major factor contributing to Pittsburgh's losing streak. Lamar Patterson chipped in with 18 points and seven assists.

Pittsburgh improved to 13-9, but they are just 2-7 in the Big East. Georgetown dropped to 6-3 in conference play and are 16-4 overall.

NOTABLE: Pitt was not the only team to stun a Top 25 team on a Saturday full of ranked teams in action. Oklahoma knocked off #22 Kansas State, 63-60, but Iowa State pulled off the Big 12 shocker of the day, using home court and a raucous crowd to drop #5 Kansas, 72-64.

#13 San Diego State also fell victim to road blues, getting thumped at Colorado State, 77-60.

Elsewhere, #1 Kentucky dominated LSU with a 74-50 road win and #3 Syracuse held on for a 63-61 home win over West Virginia, aided by a controversial missed call in the final seconds of play.

#11 Murray State Racers remained the only team in Division 1 without a loss, improving to 21-0 with a 73-58 win over Eastern Illinois.

Finally, at the other end of the college hoops spectrum, Towson ended the longest losing streak in NCAA history at 41 straight with a 66-61 win over Colonial Athletic Conference rival, UNC Wilmington. It was the highest point total this season for the 1-22 Tigers and their first win since a road win over La Salle on Dec. 29, 2010.

Buzzer Beaters and Bracket Busters: Round of 64 Results, Early Games

East

West Virginia 84 Clemson 76 - the Mountaineers trailed early but rallied and led most of the second half, cruising to the win. They will face Kentucky in the next round.

Kentucky 59 Princeton 57 - John Calipari's youthful Wildcats survived an opening game scare from a very game Princeton squad. Josh Harrelson scored 15 points with 10 rebounds and 4 steals.

West

Temple 66 Penn State 64 - The Owls snapped a losing streak at the NCAA winning a nip-and-tuck battle with Vandy. Next up, San Diego State.

San Diego St. 68 Northern Colorado 50 - As expected, the powerful Aztecs cruised in their opening game. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 21 points.

Southeast

Butler 60 Old Dominion 58 - senior Matt Howard tipped in a loose ball as time expired to escape a close call with a very capable senior-led Old Dominion team. Howard played the majority of the second half with three fouls and, as usual, was in the right place at the right time.

Pittsburgh 74 NC-Asheville 51 - No match here, as the Panthers dominated. Ashton Gibbs led all scorers with 26 points, including 6 0f 9 from three-point range.

Southwest

Morehead State 62 Louisville 61 - In the upset of the day, Morehead State, the #13 seed from the Ohio Valley conference, knocked off #4 Louisville on a daring three-pointer by Demonte Harper with time running down and the Eagles behind by three. Louisville was left with lees than 3 seconds and could not get off a shot.

Richmond 69 Vanderbilt 66 - The Spiders, the region's #12 seed, hung with the Commodores throughout the second half, took a late lead and held on for the win over a badly over-seeded (#5) Vanderbilt team. Point guard Kevin Anderson was a thorn in Vandy's side all day and had the go-ahead bucket on a short runner from the left of the hoop and finished with a game-high 25 points.

Robinson Leads Panthers Past Orange, 74-66

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 17, 2011

The greatly-anticipated Big East showdown between #3 Syracuse and #5 Pitt turned into a circus when Pitt scored the first 19 points of the game and then Syrcuse returned the favor by scoring 17 straight. When it was all sorted out in the second half, the superior rebounding ability of the Panthers - who outrebounded the Orange 44-30 - and the exceptional interior play of Nasir Robinson, resulted in a 74-66 home victory for the Panthers and the first loss of the season for the Orange.

Robinson scored a season-high 21 points to lead all scorers, hitting on 8-of-12 shots from the field, mostly within three feet of the hoop. He also added 7 rebounds as the Panthers took control of the Big East standings. They now lead the conference at 6-0, while the Orange drop to 5-1. Both teams are 18-1 overall.

Gilbert Brown Powers Pitt Panthers to 11-1 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, December 17, 2010

Gilbert Brown, a 6'6" senior forward, hammered home 28 points as the Pitt Panthers got back on the winning track a week after suffering their first loss of the season, to Tennessee. Brown led four players in double figures to a 97-64 dunking of Maryland Eastern Shore, improving their record to 11-1 as Big East play beckons.

The Panthers start their conference schedule on December 27 with a home game against the Connecticut Huskies. Brown's 28 was his season high, adding five rebounds and five assists in a mere 24 minutes of play. Brown scorched the nets on 11-of-13 shooting, hitting 4-of-5 from three-point land.

Notable: Jordan Hamilton scored 24 points, to go with 10 rebounds, as the #22 Texas Longhorns outlasted North Carolina, 78-76.

Elsewhere in the Big 12, #13 Missouri routed Central Arkansas, 116-63, as seven different Razorbacks tallied in double figures.

A couple of West coast teams scored upset wins, as UCLA humbled #16 BYU, 86-79, and Gonzaga outmuscled #9 Baylor, 68-64.

Moore on Game as Pitt Smothers North Florida, 85-49

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 13, 2010

Improving to 3-0, with a 95-49 rout of North Florida, the Pitt Panthers may prove to be the "Beast of the East" once conference play starts in late December.

Not only does Pitt have some of the best shooters in the country in Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wannameker, they might have a real diamond in the rough in 6'6" freshman swingman, J.J. Moore, who tallied 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting in 19 minutes of play Saturday.

Moore, who comes to Pitt via South Kent Prep in Brentwood, NY, also grabbed seven rebounds and handed out three assists.

Now having clobbered three creampuffs, Pitt will get a real test when the maryland Terrapins visit this coming Thursday, November 19.

Gibbs Beats Buzzer as Pitt Escapes Friars

College Hoops Player of the Day for DAY, Month, 2010

It wasn't supposed to be a close game. After all, Providence had lost 8 straight games and #17 Pitt was on its home court. But the way the game turned out, the Panthers needed a near-mid-court heave at the buzzer from their best shooter, Ashton Gibbs, to finally take down Providence, 73-71.

Gibbs' trey gave him a game-high 25 points. Better yet, the win gave Pitt a double bye in next week's Big East tournament, and, with a win against Rutgers (another game Pitt is "supposed" to win easily) and a Villanova loss to West Virginia on Saturday would make Pitt the #2 seed in the tourney, an enviable position, ensuring that they would not have to face Syracuse unless it was in the final.

Gibbs, who hit 9 of 13 shots and 6 of his 9 3-point attempts, was not alone in his starring role. Teammate Jermaine Dixon poured in a career-high 24 points and added 12 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double. Providence was kept in the game largely due to the effort of their 6'6" sophomore stud, Jamine Peterson, who scored 24 points and hauled in 18 boards for his 15th double-double of the season. Despite the Friars being just 4-13 in the Big East, Peterson should get plenty of votes as conference player of the year. He has dominated the lane in just about every game this season.

Notable: Michigan State kept its hopes alive for a share of the Big Ten title Thursday night with a 67-65 win over Penn State in which the Spartans nearly blew a 10-point lead late in the game. The Spartans need a win over Michigan to tie Ohio State and Purdue, the Boilermakers expected to win their season-ender on Saturday at Penn State. In that case, all three would end with identical 14-4 records, but Ohio State would be the #1 seed in the conference tournament, Purdue, #2 and the Spartans, the #3 seed.

Pitt Stuns Syracuse; Unbeaten Teams Down to Four

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, January 2, 2010

So far, the new year has not been praticularly kind to unbeaten teams in the Big East. On Friday, Purdue sent West Virginia to its first loss of the season, and on Saturday, the Pitt Panthers stormed the Carrier Dome and swept away the Orangemen's dreams of an undefeated season, topping the Orange, 82-72.

Syracuse stormed out to an early lead, but the Panthers kept the game within range, down by just three points, 30-27, as the two teams headed into the break. While SU's big men were getting themselves into foul trouble and the rest of the team missing shots from everywhere, Pitt's solid backcourt tandem of senior Jermaine Dixon and sophomore Ashton Gibbs were wreaking havoc from the perimeter. Gibbs, quickly becoming one of the more fearsome long-range specialists in the Big East, banged home 6 of 9 3-pointers en route to a game-high 24 points.

Dixon had a career-high 21 points, hitting 3 of 8 3-pointers, while dishing 4 assists, grabbing 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Pitt, winners of 5 of their last 6 trips to Syracuse, harassed Syracuse's outside shooters into a season-low 1-for-13 on 3-poiint attempts.

Prior to the game, Syracuse was ranked #5 nationally, while the Panthers were unranked. Now 12-2, Pitt should be mentioned as at least a contender in the Big East and should crack the Top 25 poll which will be released on Monday.

NOTABLE: Kentucky is loaded with young talent, though most of the attention is directed at the sensational John Wall. The Wildcats might be developing one of the best big men in the country in 6'11" frosh DeMarcus Cousins, who put on a thoroughly dominating performance in Kentucky's 71-61 win over Louisville. Cousins scored 18 points and had 18 rebounds, his 4th straight double-double and 8th on the season. #3 Kentucky improved to 15-0.

Georgetown's Monroe Sends Hoyas Past Butler

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Following a disappointing season in which the Hoyas finished 16-15 and did not receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, Georgetown looked forward to a better 2009-10 campaign with a number of solid returnees, including guards Jason Clark and Chris Wright and center Greg Monroe. With a promising freshman class filling some roles, Monroe has emerged as a leader on the court, and that was evident as the 6'11" sophomore achieved career highs in both scoring and rebounding in Georgetown's handy 72-65 triumph over #22 Butler.

Monroe tallied 24 points on 9-for-20 shooting and snatched 15 boards in a dominating performance as the 15th-ranked Hoyas improved their early-season record to 7-0. Playing at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V. Classic, the Hoyas were never seriously threatened, upping their lead to as many as 17 points during the second half. Monroe is averaging a double-double thus far in 2009-10 with 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

While the Hoyas were soaring past the Bulldogs, Butler was en route to its third straight loss against Top 25 opposition. Now 6-3, the Bulldogs have already dropped home games to Minnesota and Clemson.

NOTABLE: In the first game of the Jimmy V. Classic, Indiana prevailed over Pitt, 74-64, but the Panthers seemed to be intent on getting sophomore Ashton Gibbs the maximum number of looks from the perimeter. Gibbs threw up a boatload of shots - 25 in all and 15 from 3-point range - as he led all scorers with a career-high 25 points. Gibbs was only 5-of-15 from beyond the arc, but the experience should pay benefits down the road when the youthful Pitt squad faces Big East opponents.

Regional Finals, Elite Eight Picks

West Regional Finals, Saturday, March 28
University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)

(1) Connecticut (30-4) (-6, 150) (3) Missouri (31-6) 4:40 pm EDT - Don't believe that Missouri's win over Memphis was a kind of fluke or that Memphis wasn't a high quality team. Nobody wins 27 straight without doing something right, but the Memphis Tigers ran into a bengal of another stripe in Missouri, one which pressed and contested every pass and dribble, throwing Memphis off their game. Even then, Memphis hung in, finally succumbing, 102-91, the highest-scoring game of the tournament, which says plenty about the quality of both teams.

Missouri can click on offense when it gets contributions outside of Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll, which it did Thursday as J.T. Tiller whipped and whizzed through the Memphis defense like a gyroscopic genie out of its bottle. Tiller led Missouri with 23 points on 10-16 shooting and his slashing style will be paramount in getting to the tin against UConn's shot-swatting Hasheem Thabeet.

Missouri must push the ball into the lane in order to be successful against Connecticut, hoping to get Thabeet into foul trouble. That seems to be just about the only way to slow down the 7'3" center - limit his playing time to under 25 minutes - and Missouri, with Tiller, Lyons (who will be on Thabeet's hip through most of the proceedings), and Carroll, all of whom love to mix it up underneath, possesses the right kind of offense.

The Tigers should create havoc for the Huskies on defense as well, their pressure style making it difficult for UConn to get into their offense early. The Huskies are basically inept from beyond the arc, so Missouri may find some opportunity to mix up the half-court defense with box-and-one, man to man and maybe even a 2-3 zone look. That will clog the lane, and the Tigers will be a force on the boards against the statuesque Connecticut big men.

UConn's win over Purdue was an ugly thing, despite the statistical edge in most categories. While the Huskies shot a respectable 45% from the field, A.J. Price and Jeff Adrien, the two players who took the most shots, were a combined 8-for-28 and only Craig Austrie was able to hit a three-pointer, canning all three of his attempts. He's not likely to repeat that against Missouri. The Tigers will likely allow Adrien to shoot form anywhere beyond 10 feet, as he has all of the touch of a sledge-hammer on a railway line.

Long story short, Connecticut simply doesn't have enough quality pure shooters to remain competitive for long at this level. Consider their pair of losses to Pittsburgh an early warning sign that they may not be the best fit for a Final Four jumpsuit. Missouri is on a mission, and the Huskies will find their timing thrown completely off and their shooting to be wanting.

PREDICTION: Missouri 85 Connecticut 82


East Regional Finals, Saturday, March 28
TD Banknorth Garden (Boston, MA)

(1) Pittsburgh (31-4) (-2, 142) (3) Villanova (29-7) 7:05 pm EDT - Every game for Villanova seems to provide matchup difficulties and tough-to-call scenarios, but the Wildcats keep winning, increasing their margin of victory with each successive foray into the tournament - 13 over American, 20 over UCLA and 23 over Duke, possibly their most dominant performance of the season. Jay Wright's Wildcats are peaking at the right time and are ready for a real cat fight with the Panthers.

The Panthers and Wildcats met once during the Big East regular season, in the last game played at Philadelphia's Spectrum, and besides home court, the Widlcats also had the luxury of keeping Pitt insider DeJuan Blair on the bench with foul trouble for most of the game, coming away with a 67-57 win. The Wildcats won't likely find the same fortune on Saturday. Blair has been amping up his inside game and will be a rock in the lane.

Pitt has not been impressive in their first three wins, beating East Tennessee State by 10, then Oklahoma State by 8 and finally getting past Xavier by 5, thanks almost exclusively to point guard Levance Fields' heroic 3-pointer and steal and layup in the final minute. That kind of storybook ending is also not probable against the Wildcats and their steady stream of upperclassmen. All of their starters are juniors or seniors.

The Panthers will try to get offense from Sam Young, but the Villanova players have seen Sam's deft ball fakes and he'll not likely have the same measure of accommodation he's had against less-experienced foes. Fields will match up with Scottie Reynolds, who may have an edge over the shorter point guard. The Wildcats role players, Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark, Reggie Redding and Corey Stokes also appear to be more in their team's flow and better able to contribute than Pitt's Tyrone Biggs, Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown.

Not that it's going to be easy (though it might be), Villanova simply is playing better than just about any other team right now and should move on to the Final Four.

PREDICTION: Villanova 75 Pitt 71


Midwest Regional Finals, Sunday, March 29
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)

(1) Louisville (31-5) (-7, 138) (2) Michigan St. (29-6) 2:20 pm EDT - In what could be either the biggest mismatch or the biggest upset of this round, The Louisville Cardinals, champions of the Big East, tangle with the Big Ten's regular season champion, Michigan State. The Trojans have been underestimated before, but they ranked in the top 10 nationally almost all season, and did what they had to against Kansas on Friday night. Point guard Kalin Lucas stepped up in the second half and outplayed the jayhawks' Sherrod Collins, and he may have the upper hand again against Louisville's Andre McGee and Edgar Sosa, though that is where Michigan's advantages may end.

Louisville is playing at an emotionally high level, matching their outstanding talent and in Earl Clark, Terrence Williams and Samardo Samuels, probably have the best front court in the nation. If Sosa or McGee can get them the ball, they will likely be too much for the Spartans' Goran Suton, Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe to handle.

Michigan State is also very young. Only one regular, Travis Walton, is a senior, while only one of Louisville's starters - Samuls, a freshman - is not an upperclassman. Both teams get after it well on defense, but Louisville is less appreciated for it than are the Spartans. Just in terms of size alone, the Cardinals should control the lane and establish a rebounding edge. If they are able to shoot anything close to 50% from the floor against Michigan State, they'll be on their way to Detroit and into the Final Four. Louisville's 103-64 dismantling of a hopelessly overmatched Arizona team in the regional semifinals sent a clear message to the remaining teams that Louisville is serious.

PREDICTION: Louisville 74 Michigan St. 59


South Regional Finals, Sunday, March 29
FedExForum (Memphis, TN)

(1) North Carolina (31-4) (-7, 164) (2) Oklahoma (30-5) 5:05 pm EDT - In one of the most highly anticipated matchups of this or any tournament, Tyler Hansbrough and Blake Griffin will go toe-to-toe in the low post. Hansbrough was last season's college player of the year, and Griffin is the leading choice for the same honor this season. Whoever survives that encounter may find themselves on the way to more glory in the Final Four.

Carolina is a perennial contender at this level, and it's no surprise that they're seven point favorites. Oklahoma doesn't get to this point often, but they have a dynamic offensive team beyond their superstar, Griffin, and they match up very well with the Tar Heels in every aspect, except possibly at point guard, where Ty Lawson is in a league of his own.

The Tar Heels have an edge in terms of margin of victory, a combined 78-51, and nobody's come closer than 14 points (LSU in the second round). That's important, because it demonstrates just how explosive North Carolina is. Oklahoma is a solid team, but if Hansbrough can keep Griffin somewhat in check, it's hard to see how the Sooners can match up for an entire 40 minutes against the Tar Heels. Besides Hansbrough and Lawson, they also have players like Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Deon Thompson, who can create their own shots. There's also legendary Roy Williams coaching this squad, which gives North Carolina one more huge advantage.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 91 Oklahoma 78

Big East: Hungry Panthers Devour Huskies

#4 Pittsburgh 70, #1 Connecticut 60

The Pitt Panthers probably won't win the Big East regular season title, but after beating down Connecticut for the second time this season, they left the impression that they are the team to watch from the nation's deepest conference.

The championship went to Louisville, though the Cardinals have to thank the Panthers for their good fortune. Louisville (15-2) has only to wrap up against West Virginia at 9:00 pm ET tonight, though the outcome of that game has limited meaning, since the Cardinals beat Pitt in their only meeting of the season, 69-63, January 17 at Lousiville.

If the Cardinals win, there's no argument, as the Huskies and Panthers each have 3 conference losses.

Pitt built up a big lead early thanks to hot shooting and solid defense, keeping the Huskies in catch-up mode throughout the game.

The Huskies led only twice, at 2-0 and 12-11. Brad Wannameker's 3-pointer made it 23-13 with just under 12:00 left in the first half. Wannamaker, a sophomore guard, has been a valuable addition off the bench all season in Pitt's stacked back court, which includes Levance Fields (leads the NCAA in turnover ratio) and Jermaine Dixon, younger brother of Maryland's Juan Dixon, who lead the Terrapins to a national championship in 2002.

UConn's Hasheem Thabeet kept the Huskies in the game with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the first half, but Pitt's senior forward Sam Young was more than equal to the task with 16 first half points and five boards. Pittsburgh led by 10 at the break, 38-28, holding UConn to just 34% shooting (11-32).

Pitt led by as many as 14 points twice in the second half, but UConn battled back and when Stanley Robinson elevated for a dunk at 8:26, the Huskies were down by just 2 points, 52-50. Pitt responded with a 9-3 run, punctuated by Sam Young's jam and three-point play at 4:41, to make the score 61-53. After Levance Fields made it 63-53 with under 4 minutes to play, it was all but over.

Playing in his final home game, Sam Young was sensational, leading the Panthers with a season-high 31 points and 10 rebounds. Wannamaker pitched in with 13 from the bench and Fields scored 10 while dishing 12 assists.

Pitt's two wins over Connecticut both occurred when the Huskies were ranked #1 in the national polls. It should now be clear to both voters and fans which team is superior. The Panthers will be in search of a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney as they make their way through this week's Big East tournament. Right now, they clearly look like the best team in the country, finishing undefeated at home, handing UConn their only road loss of the season in the process.

Pitt Grounds Golden Eagles

#3 Pitt 90, #13 Marquette 75

Pitt needed a win to keep open hopes for the Big East title in their home spot against Marquette, which was trying to avoid three straight losses.

Pitt established an early lead and upped to to as many as 9 in the first half, but Marquette responded out of the break and lead by 5 early in the second half.

The Panthers responded with a 23-5 run that put them ahead 80-65 with under 5 minutes left to play. There was no answer for Pitt's DeJuan Blair in the low post. Blair overpowered inside for a game-high 26 points. Sam Young had 18, Levance Fields pitched in 17.

Pitt next hosts UConn at high noon on Saturday in a game that will determine the Big East regular season champion.


Northwestern 65 Purdue 61

With nothing to gain after Michigan State wrapped up the Big Ten title over the weekend, one might excuse the effort by the Boilermakers. This only serves to render Sunday's game at Michigan St. nearly meaningless for both teams. It will probably more resemble a shoot-around prep for the conference tournament.

#2 North Carolina 86, Virginia Tech 78 - Tar Heels host Duke Sunday for ACC title.

PAC-10: UCLA Only Team Capable of Tying Washington

After #22 UCLA beat Cal, 72-68, and #14 Arizona St. eliminated themselves from contention for the regular season PAC-10 title by losing at Washington State in overtime, 51-49, Saturday night, the Washington Huskies have already earned at least a share of the crown.

Only 11-5 UCLA can catch the 13-4 Huskies, and that's only if the Bruins win both of their remaining games - Oregon and Oregon St. - and the Huskies lose to Washington St. on Saturday, March 7. Might as well start etching the base and looking for a #2 or 3 seed in the upcoming NCAA tourney for the Huskies.

Elsewhere Saturday evening, #1 Pitt cruised past Seton Hall, 89-78, improving to 26-3 and 13-3 in the Big East, setting up the showdown for the conference title in a March 7 contest with the UConn Huskies at Pitt. The Panthers have a little work before then, however, hosting #8 Marquette on March 4.

#25 Texas will no doubt be removed from the rankings after losing at Oklahoma St., 68-59. The Longhorns dropped to 8-6 in the conference, tied with Kansas St. and Oklahoma St. Those three teams each have 9 losses, so their performance in the Big 12 tournament will likely determine which one (or maybe two) get NCAA invitations.

One team certain to make the field of 65 is #17 Gonzaga. The Bulldogs completed an undefeated conference schedule with a 58-46 win over San Diego Saturday night. With a 14-0 record in the West Caost Conference, the Zags are sure to recived a low number in the NCAA seeding process, probably a #3 or 4 position.

Providence Problematic for #1 Pitt

Sure enough, just a day after being named the #1 team in the nation by the AP Poll, the Pitt Panthers stumbled against a Providence team fighting for an NCAA bid, losing for the first time in 8 games, 81-73.

Providence came out flying, getting 12 first-half points from Jonathan Kale as they shot 53% in the period. Pitt shot a sub-par 37% on 10-27 shooting. At the break, the Friars held a healthy 44-26 edge.

Nearing the midpoint of the second half, Pitt had cut the Friars' lead to 10 points, but consecutive fouls by DeJuan Blair over a 14-second span sent the Pitt star to the bench with four personals.

Providence quickly built its lead back to 17 points, as Sam Young valiantly fired away, but the usually-reliable swimgman could not carry the load alone. Young finished with 16 points on 7 for 18 shooting (1-for-4 from 3-point range).

The Panthers weren't helping themselves much, putting Providence in the double bonus with 5:21 to play. That's when Blair returned, but by then the Friars were still up by 14.

The Panthers could cut the gap to no closer than 5 points down the stretch as Providence snapped their own 2-game losing streak.

Five Providence players hit double figures, led by Weyinmi Efejuku's 16 points.

The Friars are now 9-7 in the conference and 17-11 overall, and suddenly have a much better shot at getting that NCAA invitation.

Eslewhere in the Big East, Syracuse got a much-needed win at St. John's, mauling the Red Storm, 87-58. Jonny Flynn led the Orangemen with 21 points to go with 8 assists.

Pittsburgh Regains #1 Status in Latest AP Poll

On the strength of their road win over the UConn Huskies last week, the Pitt Panthers (25-2, 12-2) received 69 first place votes and reclaimed the #1 ranking in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

The Panthers look like good to maintain that position into the next poll, as they play Big East underlings, Providence and Seton Hall on the 24th and 28th, though both games are on the road.

After that, the Panthers will really be put to the test as they close out the Big East regular season with home games against #8 Marquette and #2 Connecticut. If Pitt can manage four wins, they are a near-lock to be a #1 seed and possibly the #1 overall seed for the NCAA tournament, despite having to navigate through the rugged Big East tourney first.

As they say, there's still a lot of ball to be played. Pitt benefited from other top 5 teams losses. Besides UConn, Oklahoma and North Carolina also lost during the week. The Sooners checked in at #3, and the Tar Heels, #4. Memphis filled out the top 5, followed by #6 Louisville, #7 Duke, #8 Marquette, #9 Michigan State and #10 Villanova, placing four Big East teams in the top 10 for the first time since November 24.

Pittsburgh has been ranked in the top 5 all season, and held the #1 position in the January 5 and January 12 polls. Since then, Wake Forest, then Duke, held the top spot, until Connecticut took it over on February 2.

North Carolina and Oklahoma have also been highly-regarded all season, though the Sooners have not been ranked #1 yet. North Carolina was top-ranked through the first 8 weeks of the season, through December 29.

NCAA Hoops Saturday Wrap: Sooners, Bruins Fall

In the afternoon in which we saw #3 North Carolina blow a 16-point lead and lose to Maryland, a couple of other ranked teams - notably Oklahoma and UCLA - were also going down in flames while Pitt, LSU, Memphis, Washington and Kansas continued to march toward Madness.

The #2 Sooners could be forgiven for their 73-68 loss at Texas, since their All-American, Blake Griffin, left the game just 11 minutes in with a concussion. But, even without Griffin, shouldn't the Sooners have been able to handle the Longhorns, a team which had lost four of their last six games?

Oklahoma allowed A.J. Abrams to get off for 23 points - 16 in the final 8 minutes - to pull off the upset, rivaling Maryland's win over the Tar Heels. The Longhorns (7-5, 18-8) look more like the 4th Big 12 team that will receive an invite to the Big Dance, despite beating a handicapped Sooners squad.

#20 UCLA gets no such free pass in the 82-81 home loss to gritty Washington State. The Cougars (14-13, 6-9) are not, in all likelihood, going to the NCAA tournament, and the Bruins' loss demonstrates how weak the PAC-10 is this season, where arguably the best team cannot knock down a double-digit underdog on their home court.

There's some possibility that the Bruins won't be ranked after Monday. Washington and Arizona St. already have better records than they do, and unranked Cal may move into UCLA's slot. More clarity will come after the result of Sunday night's Arizona-Arizona State tilt.

There were more than a fair share of winners on Saturday's smorgasbord. #4 Pitt (which may end up as #1 on Monday night) made quick work of DePaul, winning by a 80-61 margin.

The Panthers got 20 points and 18 boards from sophomore star DeJuan Blair, who should be getting more mention in the player of the year circles. He's averaging a double double (15.8 points and 13 boards), and his Panthers have lost just twice, both on the road, at Louisville and Villanova.

Pitt should get the #1 ranking this week and very possibly will be a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Getting back to the Big 12, #11 Missouri and #15 Kansas were both victors Saturday. Missouri got 16 points and 13 rebounds from Leo Lyons in a 66-53 romp at Colorado. The Tigers may be the most dangerous team in the Midwest, having won six straight while compiling a 10-2 conference record and a 23-4 mark overall.

The Tigers play at Kansas on March 1 and host Oklahoma March 4. Those games are enormous in significance.

Kansas improved to 11-1 in the conference and tied the Sooners in the standings, knocking off Nebraska, 70-53. As usual, the Jayhawks rode their two big horses for the win. Sherron Collins led the way with 22 points; Cole Aldrich tossed in 18 with 12 boards.

#5 Memphis topped UTEP, 70-63, for their 53rd straight Conference-USA win and 18th straight win, the longest win streak in the nation. Tyreke Evans scored 25 points to lead the Tigers. Memphis can clinch the C-USA title outright with a win at UAB Thursday night.

Bringing up the rear of the standings, #22 Washington bumped off USC, 60-51; #17 Gonzaga romped, 92-58, past Pepperdine; #25 Dayton dropped a road game at St. Louis, 57-49; and #23 LSU continued to impress in the SEC, winning their 8th straight, 79-72, over Auburn.

LSU (11-1, 23-4) clinched the SEC South division with the win, and are clearly heading to the NCAA tourney. The Tigers will likely be the only SEC South division representative. Kentucky, South Carolina and Florida - all in the North - look like the other probable bid recipients.

Pitt Tops Huskies, 76-68, for 6th Straight

#4 Pittsburgh ventured into Connecticut for a tango with the #1 Huskies and emerged with an upset 76-68 win on the strength of DeJuan Blair's work in the paint and Levance Fields' long range accuracy late in the contest.

The game was close throughout, with the teams changing leads a number of times, but Blair was impressive under the iron throughout, finising with 22 points and 23 rebounds. Sam Young kept Pitt in the game throughout, registering a game high 25 points on 8-14 shooting from the field, including 4-7 on threes and 5-6 from the line.

Down the stretch, Pittsburgh's Jermaine Dixon made a 23-foot three-pointer at 4:31 in the second half, giving the Panther's a 59-58 lead. But the huskies came right back, as Jeff Adrien hit a layup at 4:09.

After a pair of Sam Young free throws the Panthers led again, 61-60.

Hasheem Thabeet hit a free throw for UConn, but Levance Fields responded a pair of three-pointers at 3:10 and 2:22, upping Pittsburgh's lead to 67-61 with 2:20 left.

Fields then hit a couple of freebies with 0:52 left and the Huskies were left with only the opportunity of desperate throws from beyond the arc.

Fields totaled 10. Jermaine Dixon scored 11 points.

The win may vault Pitt back to the top of the heap next week, though the AP Poll was released only today, so there's six more days of games prior to the next voters' decision and they'd have to leapfrog both North Carolina and Oklahoma to get to #1.

Connecticut will likely fall to no further than 6th.

The Huskies still lead the dead tight Big East standings by a half game at 12-2. Pitt improved to 11-2 and 24-2 overall. Louisville and Marquette are another half game back at 10-2.

Pittsburgh won its 6th straight and hosts Marquette on March 4 and Connecticut on March 7 to close out the regular season.

Pitt Rips It Up; Shoots 67% in Win over Bearcats

The Pitt Panthers set the bar high Saturday in an 85-69 home court win over Big East opponent Seton Hall.

Led by 7-for-9 shooting by both Sam Young (18 points) and DeJuan Blair (17), the Panthers shot a blistering 67% from the field, hitting 31 of 46 shots. Excluding 3-pointers (5-12), the Panthers were an astounding 26 of 34, for a 76.5% mark inside the arc.

Pitt actually had a better shooting eye from the field than the foul line (67%-61%).

The win was the 5th straight for #4 Pitt (23-2. 10-2). Despite their gaudy record, they continue to trail #1 Connecticut by a 1 1/2 games. The Huskies are 12-1 in the Big East and 24-1 overall. UConn whipped Seton Hall, 62-54 in New Jersey in preparation for hosting Pitt Monday night in a Big East showdown.

Beast of the East: Georgetown or Pittsburgh?

A new AP poll out Monday put the Big East in focus, placing Pittsburgh at #7, Marquette #12, Georgetown #14 and West Virginia climbing up to #23 on the heels of their upset over UCLA on Saturday.

Well, as soon as the poll (see sidebar below) was released, the Big East showed once again that no poll can contain the diversity of talent and overall competition in what's shaping up to be the best top to bottom conference in the nation. Results and recaps follow.

Georgetown 71 West Virginia 53 - Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green continue to demolish the competition in the Big East. Last night, Hibbert scored 20 points and Green had 15 as the Hoyas shut down the visiting Mountaineers, holding them to 38% shooting for the game. The superiority on the interior was evident from the rebounding stats: Georgetown 35, West Va. 19

The #14 Hoyas are on a significant roll. With their smashing win over #23 West Virginia, they've grabbed 8 straight wins and have surged to within a half game of conference leader, Pitt. With just five games remaining, Georgetown will try to avenge a 74-69 defeat at Pitt from Jan. 13 when the Panthers come calling Feb. 24. That game could determine who wins the Big East and gets the automatic tournament bid.

The same day the Mountaineers reach the Top 25, they suffer their worst loss of the season, equaling the 18-point defeat at Marquette, 63-81, on Jan 13. Ironic, isn't it?

Louisville 66 Pittsburgh 53 - David Padgett was the only Cardinal in double figures (16), but it was enough to upset the Big East-leading Pitt Panthers on their home floor. Louisville's scrappy defense forced 19 turnovers and limited Aaron Gray to just 12 points. While Gray earned his 12th double-double with 10 rebounds, he was the only Panther to shoot better than 50% from the field (5-8).

It was likely the biggest win of the season for Rick Pitino's kids, and it couldn't have come at a better time. With the focus on quality wins down the stretch, the Cardinals road win over #7 Pitt surely will make the right impression on the NCAA Tournament committee. Louisville improves to 4th place in the rugged Big East at 8-4, (18-8 overall), but there's still work to be done, as they travel to Marquette on Saturday. A win there would virtually assure the Cardinals of a turn at the Big Dance.

Texas 83 Oklahoma St. 54 - Mario Boggan and JamesOn Curry have tried to carry the Cowboys this season, but the team's dependence on the two stars has begun to show some strain. Boggan and Curry scored 28 points combined, but shot just 38% from the field. Meanwhile, the Longhorns were throwing it down at a 56% clip, including 8-15 from behind the arc.

Freshman sensation Kevin Durant had 21 points and 12 rebounds for his 15th double-double (he's averaging 25 and 11.6) of the season. He's scored in double figures in all 25 games, but the quirky Longhorns still trail Texas A&M by 2 games in the Big 12 standings at 8-3. Kansas is second at 8-2 and the Aggies are 9-1.

#17 Oklahoma St. dropped to 5-5 and 19-6 overall.

Duke, which has dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time in 11 years, has lost 4 in a row, but one wonders how much resentment is directed at coach K by the voters, who continued to keep Alabama and Arizona in the Top 25 despite similar slipups in the past.

I can't believe I'm actually defending coach K (no, I can't spell his name) and the Duke program, but while the Devils may not be a dominant squad this season, I'd still take them against half of the teams ranked 15-25 and especially against the likes of Alabama and Arizona. [rant] The AP poll may be a lot of things, but one thing it certainly is not is unbiased. [/rant]

Border War: Kansas Holds at Home

Kansas 80 Missouri 77 - Despite hitting only 5 of 14 from the floor, Brandon Rush did just enough to keep the Jayhawks' record in the Big 12 perfect. The 6'6" sophomore scored 16 to complement Sherron Collins' 23, and send the Missouri Tigers home with their 4th straight conference loss. The Jayhawks moved up to #5 in the latest AP poll and are tied with Texas A& M and Texas atop the Big 12 at 3-0.

The Longhorns can improve to 4-0 tonight if they can win on the road against #11 Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are still smarting from their 87-57 loss at Kansas on January 10. Their Saturday game at Nebraska was postponed due to the ice storm that ravaged much of the Midwest. Texas has won five straight (13-3 overall) on the strength of play from freshman Kevin Durant, who is averaging 23.7 points and 11 rebounds per game - both team highs. Point guard D.J. Augustin is averaging 6.7 assists per contest, and has a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio. This game should be a true indicator of the real power in the Big 12.

In the Big East, the Pitt Panthers should handle the UConn Huskies and improve to 4-0 in conference play. Coach Calhoun's kids are all underclassmen and will get a baptism of fire this season in one of the toughest conferences in the nation.

The Panthers are on cruise control, especially after the much-anticipated matchup of power centers Aaron Gray and Georgetown's Roy Hibbert failed to materialize. Both centers had 11 points, Hibbert grabbed 2 boards and Gray hauled down only 4. Pitt forward Mike Cook - who finished with 18 points - helped the Panthers build a big, early lead and coast to a 74-69 win. Pitt has won 6 straight after a pair of road losses to Wisconsin and Oklahoma State in which the Panthers allowed 89 and 95 points respectively. Other than those games, the most points scored against Pitt this season is 69, by Georgetown in their most recent win. Pitt is 16-2 and ranked #6 in this week's AP Poll.

In other Top 25 action tonight, #13 Air Force is at Utah, #17 Memphis hosts UAB and #25 Kentucky is at South Carolina.

College Hoops Previews for Saturday

Last Saturday, while awaiting the NFL playoffs, I thought I might catch some college hoops as a warm-up. CBS, in their infinite wisdom, trotted out a triple header of women's college basketball, so they lost my vote and I skipped over to ESPN channels.

Today, CBS figured out that nobody likes women's hoops, and is airing a regional men's game at 1:00. I'll get Villanova at Syracuse, so that's where I'll start.

The winner of this game should crack Monday's Top 25, and I'd expect that team to be Syracuse. The Orange have won 2 of 3 Big East games. Their only conference loss was to Pitt, and one of the wins was on the road at Marquette. The Wildcats are a shadow of the team they were last season and may not even make the NCAA tournament.

Currently, there are only 4 Big East teams in the Top 25 and UConn doesn't deserve to be there. The 'Cuse and Providence should be ranked, and eventually Georgetown, along with Pitt, W. Virginia and Notre Dame. Should there be 6 Big East teams in the Top 25? I think so. If the ACC, SEC, Pac-10 and Big 12 each get 4 in - and that may be a stretch - those five conferences would total 22 of the Top 25 at most. There are only 2 Top 25 teams in the Big 10 - Wisconsin and Ohio State, and there are a couple of deserving small conference schools which deserve notice.

Getting back to previews, #5 Ohio State hosts #16 Tennessee in a big game fro both schools. The Buckeyes are coming off a loss at Wisconsin; Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt on Wednesday, 82-81, and they need this game. The Vols are smaller and quicker and guard Chris Lofton should provide plenty of offense from the 2-spot. Greg Odom ought to have a big day inside for Ohio St., but he's fast becoming a head case, getting into early foul trouble and disappearing from the offense too often. Ohio State is favored by 10, but the Vols have a great shot at winning this one.

In the Big 12, #6 Kansas is at Iowa State, and the Jayhawks look like the class of the Big 12, and the Cyclones probably aren't close to being able to hand with them. After all, Iowa State lost to to Northern Iowa, Drake, Bradley, Iowa and Ohio State already, so they would really have to shoot lights out to beat Kansas. Ain't gonna happen.

#1 North Carolina better be careful against Virginia Tech today. The Hokies already have a win over Duke and their 4 losses have been by a total of 10 points. The Tar Heels didn't shoot well against Virginia Thursday night, and if they aren't sharp, they'll have their hands full in this big road test. Undefeated and #17-ranked Clemson travels to Maryland and that' a very tough place to play. Oddly, the Terps are favored by 4, despite losses to Boston College, Notre Dame and Miami (FL). They are at home and, as stated, it's a tough venue for ACC opponents. The key for the Tigers is forward James Mays. Clemson is 28-0 with him in the starting lineup and he's starting today. Good luck to Clemson as they seek to set a school record for consecutive wins (18) today. Even if they lose, shouldn't they be ranked higher? They look pretty darn good.

Later tonight (9:00 Eastern), two of the best big men in the nation go head-to-head when Georgetown visits #7 Pitt. The Panthers' Aaron Gray will get to know Roy Hibbert, the Georgetown center. Gray leads Pitt in points (14.9) and rebounds (10.2), while Hibbert has yet to demonstrate dominance, averaging only 11.7 points and 6.1 boards).

Tomorrow: recaps and player profiles.