March 1, 2008

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PITT-SYRACUSE POST-GAME NOTES

*Pitt improved to 21-8 overall and 9-7 in the Big East. Pitt moves into a tie for sixth place in the conference with West Virginia (9-7), which dropped a 79-71 decision at Connecticut today. Pitt has two more regular season contests remaining: at West Virginia (March 3) and vs. DePaul at home (March 9).

*With its ninth Big East win, Pitt needs one more regular season Big East win to reach 10 league wins for the seventh consecutive season. Pitt is the only team in the Big East to win 20-overall and 10 regular season games in each of the last seven seasons.

*Pitt's 21 wins ranks tied for 10^th among Pitt's all-time winningest seasons. The school record is 31 wins set in 2003-04.

*Pitt defeated Syracuse at the Carrier Dome for the fourth consecutive time. The two schools met for the 96^th time in series history with Syracuse now holding a 61-35 advantage. Pitt improved to 13-33 in games played at Syracuse. Pitt has also won five of the last six meetings and eight of the last 11 meetings with Syracuse.

*Pitt improved to 3-5 this season in Big East road games. It also improved to 13-9 over the last two seasons in Big East road games. Under Jamie Dixon, Pitt is 23-17 in Big East regular season road games.

*With his 19 points, Sam Young reached double figure scoring for the 28^th time in 29 games this year. He has scored in double figures in 36 of his last 40 games. His streak of three 20-point games was snapped.

*Gilbert Brown came off the bench to score 12 points. It was his eighth double figure scoring game of the year.

*Keith Benjamin finished with 17 points, his 14^th double figure scoring game of the season. Benjamin also grabbed a career-high seven rebounds and a career-high four offensive rebounds in a career-high tying 37 minutes.

*Levance Fields hit 8-8 free throws. His eight free throws made tied a career-high. He finished with 13 points, the most points since he returned to action.

*With 12 points, Ronald Ramon reached double figure scoring for the 11^th time this year and 47^th time in his career.

*In registering the win, Pitt outscored Syracuse 18-2 over the game's last 3:49. Pitt also scored the last nine points of the game from the 1:38 mark.

*Jamie Dixon is 126-38 overall in his fifth season as Pitt's head basketball coach. The 126 victories rank tied for the fourth most victories for an NCAA Division I coach after five seasons as a head coach. Here is where Dixon ranks on the all-time wins list after five seasons:

*Jamie Dixon improved to 6-2 all-time in games vs. Syracuse. He has now won more games vs. Syracuse, Providence, West Virginia and Duquesne (6) than any other school.

*Syracuse hit 58.8 percent (30-51) of its field goals. The 58.8 percent shooting marked the second highest total by an opponent in the Jamie Dixon Era.