Feb. 27, 2007

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POST-GAME NOTES

*With this evening's win and 12-3 league record, Pitt is back into a first-place tie atop the Big East standings with Georgetown (12-3). A win at Marquette on Saturday will give Pitt a share of the Big East regular season title. Pitt can win the title outright with a win at Marquette and a Georgetown loss to Connecticut at home. Pitt can finish no lower than the No. 3 seed for the Big East Tournament.

*Pitt has one more regular season game remaining: at Marquette on Saturday, March 3 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT ESPN's College GameDay is scheduled to be broadcast live from the Bradley Center.

*With his 12 points and 13 rebounds, Aaron Gray registered his 31^st career double-double and 13^th double-double on the year. He also tied for seventh place all-time at Pitt for career double-doubles. Brian Shorter also registered 31 from 1988-91.

*Levon Kendall reached double figure scoring for the 14^th time in his career and sixth time this year. Kendall finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, just one rebound shy of the

*With the win, Pitt improved to 25-5 overall on the season. The 25 wins rank tied for fourth among all-time season records at Pitt. The school record is 31 wins set from 2003-04. Pitt also won 29 games in 2001-02 and 28 games in 2002-03.

*Pitt concludes its season at 16-2 in home games. Pitt improves to 80-8 all-time in the Petersen Events Center. Pitt has also now won 38 of its last 44 Big East home games and is 33-7 vs. Big East opponents in the Petersen Events Center. Head Coach Jamie Dixon now owns a 64-8 home record in his first four seasons.

*This evening's game marked the final home game for Pitt's four seniors--Aaron Gray, Levon Kendall, Antonio Graves and Doyle Hudson. The four players were honored in a pre-game ceremony and presented framed jerseys. Also recognized in the ceremony were team managers Jared Friedman and Menachem Brodie. Some four-year accomplishments of Pitt's 2006-07 senior class upon entering today's contest:

• Soon-to-be four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
• 100-27 overall record and .787 winning percentage.
• 44-18 Big East regular season record and .710 winning percentage.
• One Big East regular season title (2003-04).
• Two Big East Championship Finals appearances (2004 and 2006).
• Four consecutive 20-win seasons.
• Four consecutive 10-plus win Big East regular seasons.
• The only current senior class in the Big East to win over 20 overall games and 10-plus Big East regular season games in four consecutive seasons.
• One of only four classes in school history to win over 100 career games.
• Gray, Kendall and Graves will become of three of only six student-athletes in school history to play in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments during their basketball career at Pitt.
• 63-8 four-year record and .887 winning percentage in games played at the Petersen Events Center.
• Pitt was ranked among the nation's top-25 in 66 of the 73 national polls conducted during the last four seasons.
• All four student-athletes are on pace to graduate with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Aaron Gray--Communication & Rhetoric

Levon Kendall--already has graduated with an Anthropology degree

Antonio Graves--Communication & Rhetoric

Doyle Hudson--Economics

*With its 12,508 attendance on the evening, Pitt registered its ninth capacity crowd of the year.

*Pitt set season records for home total attendance (208,997) and attendance average (11,611). Previously, the record for single season attendance was 202,117 in 2003-04 and the average attendance record was 10,932 in 2002-03. It had 18 home games.

*Pitt has limited 14 of 15 Big East opponents, 17 of its last 19 opponents and 27 of its 30 total opponents under 70 points. Under Jamie Dixon, Pitt has held opponents to 70 points or less in 108 of his 128 games.

*Pitt shot over 60.0 percent for the third game this year. Pitt also shot over 60 percent vs. Florida State on Nov. 24, 2006 (62.5) and Cincinnati on Jan. 24, 2007 (60.5).

*In the second half, Pitt shot 69.6 percent (16-23) from the floor, 71.4 percent from 3-point range (5-7) and 70.0 percent from the free throw line (14-20).

*In first half, West Virginia scored 14 points off turnovers. In the second half, WVU registered no points off turnovers.

*Pitt concluded its one-game losing streak. Since Dixon became head coach in 2003-04, Pitt has lost back-to-back games only five times in his 128 contests.

*Pitt improved to 81-92 in its 173-game series against West Virginia. Pitt is also 3-1 vs. the Mountaineers in the Petersen Events Center and 58-35 overall vs. WVU in games played in Pittsburgh.