Jan. 2, 2008

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PITT-LAFAYETTE POST-GAME NOTES

*The game marked Pitt's final non-conference game. Pitt opens its 18-game Big East regular season on Sunday, Jan. 6 at Villanova. Tipoff is at noon on ESPN-Regional/FSN-Pittsburgh. Pitt follows that game with a Wednesday, Jan. 9 game at South Florida (7:30 p.m.).

*Tonight marked Ronald Ramon's first career double-double with 11 points and 10 assists. His 10 assists were a career-high and moved him past Julius Page for 19^th place on the Panthers' career assist all-time list. His previous high for assists was eight, which came against Auburn on 12/4/05.

*Lafayette's 17 three-point field goals set Pitt's opponent school record for most 3-pointers made against Pitt. The previous record was 14, which was accomplished twice, the last time being against Notre Dame (1/4/06).

*Lafayette's 19 assists tonight tied them for the third highest total against the Panthers during the Jamie Dixon era.

*The Panthers converted on 67.3% of their field goal attempts tonight. That marked the second highest field goal percentage during the Jamie Dixon era. Pitt hit 67.4 percent of its shots (31-46) vs. Kent State on March 17, 2006.

*Pitt shot 62.5% from behind the three-point line tonight, tying the second highest percentage under coach's Dixon's regime. The other game the Panthers shot 62.5% from behind the arc was against South Florida when they went 10-16 (1/7/07).

*Pitt's 24 total rebounds were the second lowest total for a Pitt team under Head Coach Jamie Dixon.

*Keith Benjamin posted career-highs for points (20), field goals made (seven), free throws made (four), free throws attempted (four), assists (five) and minutes played (28). Benjamin made his first start since the Big East Championship Game vs. Syracuse on March 11, 2006. It is his first start in 52 consecutive games.

*Tyrell Biggs recorded career-highs in points (19), field goals made (nine) and field goals attempted (11). He also tied career best for blocks (two) and minutes played (26). Biggs had two blocks on three other occasions during his career (Boston U., 11/27/07; Duquesne, 12/6/06; Wisconsin, 12/31/05). He also logged 26 minutes of playing time against Buffalo (11/23/07).

*DeJuan Blair registered a career-high three assists. His previous best of two happened twice (Toledo, 12/1/07; Houston Baptist, 11/9/07). Blair also tied a career best for steals with four (Houston Baptist, 11/9/07).

*Brad Wanamaker played a career-high 23 minutes this evening.

*With his19 points tonight, Sam Young reached double figure scoring for the 13^th time this season and 41^st time in his career. He has now notched double figure scoring games in 21 of his last 24 games played.

*Gilbert Brown made his second consecutive start.

*With the win, Pitt has won at least 10 non-conference game in each of the last seven seasons. Pitt also improved to 81-6 vs. non-conference competition in the last seven years (11-1 in 2001-02, 10-1 in 2002-03, 14-0 in 2003-04, 10-1 in 2004-05, 11-0 in 2005-06, 13-2 in 2006-07 and 12-1 in 2007-08). Additionally, Jamie Dixon has guided Pitt to five consecutive 10-win non-conference years in each of his five years as head coach.

*With the win and 28^th consecutive home win over a non-conference opponent Pitt tied its school record for most consecutive home non-conference wins. Pitt also won 28 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents from Nov, 23, 2002-Jan. 2, 2005 to open the Petersen Events Center.

*Pitt won its 11^th consecutive home game dating back to Feb. 17, 2007. The 11-game home win streak ranks tied for eighth among Pitt's all-time top streaks.

*Pitt improves to 56-1 vs. non-conference opponents at the Petersen Events Center. Additionally, Pitt has won 77 of its last 78 home games against regular season non-conference opponents.

*Pitt improves to 89-8 all-time in the Petersen Events Center. Head Coach Jamie Dixon now owns a 73-8 home record in his fifth season at the helm.

*The win gave Jamie Dixon owns a 60-4 record vs. non-conference competition. Additionally, Dixon improved to 117-31 all-time as Pitt's head coach.

*Pitt also won the 36^th of its last 39 games against non-conference opponents.

*With its win over Lafayette, Pitt improved to 16-6 all-time vs. the Leopards and 72-55 all-time vs. Patriot League opponents.

*Back-to-back losses are a rarity for Pitt and Jamie Dixon as the Panthers have dropped back-to-back losses only five times in Jamie Dixon's tenure. Dixon's teams have only lost three in a row on one occasion: Feb. 20-Feb. 26, 2005 (at Villanova, West Virginia and Connecticut).