Tipoff is at 7 p.m. for an ESPN nationally televised contest; Pitt has won 16 of the series' last 23 matchups; Jamie Dixon has won more games at WVU Coliseum than any other Pitt coach.
Dante Taylor returns for his junior season after two years that saw him contribute primarily off the bench at center. Described as a highly skilled, athletic post player who can shoot, Taylor has shown flashes of excellence. His strengths are his physical rebounding presence, offensive rebounding prowess, quickness and athleticism around the basket. A raw talent, Taylor is fast up and down the court, exhibits expanded range with his jumper and is a big-time post-player. A sturdy power forward who knows how to score and has the ability to play with both skill and athleticism, Taylor is a physically gifted player who runs, and rebounds. He has an impressive mid-range game and exceptional ball-handling skills for a big man. Following two years of development, look for Taylor to have a promising year in 2011-12.
2010-11
Played in 33 of 34 games off the bench at center...Averaged 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds (2.1 offensive rebounds per game) in 33 contests and 497 minutes on year (15.0 mpg.)...Reached double figure scoring three times and double figure rebounding two times on year...Earned the Jaron Brown Pursuit of Academic Excellence Award at team banquet...Led Pitt with seven rebounds (four offensive) in Big East Tournament game vs. Connecticut, 3/10...Registered first career double-double with a career-high 14 points (6-7 FG) and 10 rebounds vs. Delaware State, 12/8...Recorded a season-high 12 points (5-7 FG) with five rebounds vs. Rider, 12/4...Finished with 11 points (4-5 FG) and four rebounds in 15 minutes vs. Penn, 11/27...Grabbed 11 rebounds including a career-high tying seven offensive and scored seven points vs. North Florida, 11/13.
2009-10
Played in all 34 games and averaged 13.9 minutes per game off the bench at center...Ranked second on team in blocked shots (20) and finished year with a 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game averages...Reached double figure scoring in four games and double figure rebounding in three games on year...Big East Academic All-Star...Earned Academic Excellence Award at team banquet...Set career-highs for field goals (5-8), offensive rebounds (six) and assists (three) and scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 16 minutes vs. Rutgers, 3/6...Scored 10 points (3-4 FG) and grabbed eight rebounds in a career-high 23 minutes at Syracuse, 1/2...Grabbed 10 rebounds including a career-high six offensive vs. Ohio, 12/22...Scored 12 points (4-4 FG) with five rebounds in a career-high 21 minutes vs. Indiana, 12/8...Grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, blocked four shots in 20 minutes vs. Eastern Kentucky, 11/19...Saw action in his first collegiate game, played 19 minutes off the bench, scored 13 points (5-7 FG) and grabbed five rebounds vs. Wofford, 11/13.
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2009 graduate of National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Md. where he played four seasons of basketball for head coach Trevor Brown...Named a McDonald's All-American and participated in the McDonald's All-America Game (April 1 in Miami, Fla.)...Became the fifth Pitt signee in school history to earn McDonald's All-America team honors joining Charles Smith (1984), Jerome Lane (1985), Bobby Martin (1987) and Brian Shorter (1987)...Scored 15 points (6-11 FG) and grabbed six rebounds for the East All-Stars in the 2009 McDonald's All-America Game...Won the McDonald's All-American Skills Competition, in which he completed a full-court dribbling and shooting course in 37 seconds...Named to the Parade All-America Second Team...Washington Post All-MET Player of the Year...Averaged 23.8 points (665 total points), 13 rebounds and three blocked shots per game and hit 65 percent (161-247) of his free throws as a senior...Guided NCA to a 26-6 overall record...Named First Team All-MET by the Washington Post and earned Independent private school all-league honors...Scored over 30 points eight times and finished with 20 or more 19 times...Registered 23 double-doubles in 28 contests on the year...Scored 30 points and converted 18-24 free throws in NCA's season finale vs. Mount Zion (N.C.)...Scored season-high 34 points two times against both Mount Zion (N.C.) and Jericho Christian...Scored 31 points with a career-high 21 rebounds vs. Theodore Roosevelt...Finished with 33 points and 15 rebounds vs. Friendship Collegiate...Named Most Valuable Player after scoring 33 points and totaling 11 rebounds vs. Oak Hill Academy...Hit four 3-pointers, scored 31 points and pulled down 11 rebounds vs. Living Faith...Named the game MVP after scoring 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the Reebok All-American All-Star Game...Averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior...Named Second Team All-MET by the Washington Post and earned Independent private school all-league honors...Guided National Christian Academy to a 22-7 record and No. 11 ranking in the Washington D.C. metro area as a junior...Averaged 8.6 points per game as a sophomore...Transferred to National Christian Academy following his freshman season...Ranked the nation's No. 14 recruit nationally by Bob Gibbons...Rated the No. 16 recruit nationally by ESPN-U...Ranked the No. 17 recruit nationally by Scout.com's Dave Telep...Rated the nation's No. 16 player by Scout.com...Ranked the nation's No. 24 player by Rivals.com...Ranked the No. 24 player nationally by USA Today...Rated the nation's No. 28 player by PrepStars Magazine...Ranked the nation's No. 36 recruit by Rise Magazine...Named to The Sporting News Washington D.C. All-Metro team...Named one of the top performers at the LeBron James United States Skills Academy...Voted Best Post Player at the NBA Top-100 Camp.
PERSONAL
Born Dante Taylor on March 18, 1990...Son of Lisa Sharpe of White Plains, N.Y., located 20 miles north of New York City...Has a sister Michelle and brother Michael...Committed to Pitt at the 2008 summer Triple S. Harley Davidson Shootout in Morgantown, W.Va...Honored by his hometown of Greenburgh, N.Y. as being a "native son" during halftime of the Frankie Williams All-Star game in June, 2009...Named MVP of the game after scoring 32 points...2008 NBA draft picks Patrick Ewing, Jr., Kevin Durant and Deron Washington all played basketball recently at National Christian Academy...Pitt recruited him since his sophomore season...Developed and improved over his four years at NCA...Earned honor roll academic status two times as a high school student...Chose Pitt because of its continued loyalty, style of play, coaching staff, academic support, family atmosphere, Big East Conference and proximity to his home of New York...Enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences and plans to major in social work.
