Sept. 4, 2008

2008-09 Men's Basketball Schedule PDF (as of Sept. 4, 2008)

PITTSBURGH--The University of Pittsburgh released its entire 31-game 2008-09 men's basketball schedule on Thursday. Pitt will play 20 games against teams advancing to postseason play in 2007-08, 14 contests against 2007-08 NCAA Tournament participants and host 19 games at the Petersen Events Center. As of Thursday, Pitt will appear on national television 11 times. ESPN has yet to release its additional national TV games, while ESPN Regional and FSN Pittsburgh will announce broadcast schedules at a later date.

"Overall we will face one of the nation's most challenging schedules," Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon said. "Obviously the league schedule is always a tremendous challenge, but our non-conference schedule features nine schools that reached postseason play and nine schools ranked among the nation's top-100 in RPI last year. Once again, we have positioned ourselves to have one of the highest rated strength of schedules and RPI ratings in the nation."

According to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, Pitt ranks tied for third nationally with North Carolina in average ratings percentage index over the last seven seasons (2002-08). Both Pitt and North Carolina average a 14.2 ranking in RPI, while Duke ranks first with a 7.0 rating and Kansas is second at 10.8. The ratings percentage index or RPI takes into account several factors including winning percentage, strength of schedule, opponents' average winning percentage along with opponents' opponent's average winning percentage. It is the NCAA's No. 1 factor in determining seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

Pitt will play its annual 18-game Big East Conference schedule and will face each of the 15 league opponents at least once. Pitt's three repeat opponents are Connecticut, DePaul and West Virginia. Pitt will play nine home games and nine away contests. Home opponents at the Petersen Events Center will include Cincinnati (Feb. 14), Connecticut (March 7), DePaul (Feb. 21), Marquette (March 4), Notre Dame (Jan. 31), St. John's (Jan. 11), South Florida (Jan. 14), Syracuse (Jan. 19) and West Virginia (Feb. 9). The Panthers' 2008-09 road opponents include Connecticut (Feb. 16), DePaul (Feb. 7), Georgetown (Jan. 3), Louisville (Jan. 17), Providence (Feb. 24), Rutgers (Dec. 31), Seton Hall (Feb. 28), Villanova (Jan. 28) and West Virginia (Jan. 25).

Highlighting Pitt's 13-game non-conference schedule are contests against nine schools that advanced to postseason play in 2007-08, five programs that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2007-08 and nine opponents which ranked among the nation's top-100 in RPI last year.

In November, Pitt will compete in the second annual Legends Classic. As part of the 12-team event, Pitt will host two contests at the Petersen Events Center (Akron on Nov. 21 and Indiana, Pa. on Nov. 22), then travel to Newark, N.J. and the Prudential Center for two championship round games (Nov. 28 and Nov. 29). In Newark, Pitt will face two of three opponents: Texas Tech, Washington State or Mississippi State. Game times will be released at a later date.

Pitt will also travel to Florida State (Dec. 21) and face 2008 NCAA Tournament participants Siena, Belmont and UM-Baltimore County. Siena advanced to the NCAA Second Round last year after knocking off Vanderbilt, while Belmont nearly completed a first round upset of Duke.

Overall, Pitt will play 10 non-conference home games and open its regular season at the Petersen Events Center against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 14. In addition, the Panthers will host Miami, Ohio (Nov. 17), Akron (Nov. 21), Indiana, Pa. (Nov. 22), Belmont (Nov. 25), Duquesne (Dec. 3), Vermont (Dec. 6), UM-Baltimore County (Dec. 13), Siena (Dec. 17) and Robert Morris (Feb .2).

Additionally, the Panthers will play two exhibition contests against Seton Hill (Nov. 4) and La Roche College (Nov. 9).

The Big East Championship is scheduled for March 10-14 at Madison Square Garden. In its new format, all 16 league teams will earn a berth to New York City. To accommodate the additional squads, the tournament will begin with four games on Tuesday, March 10 featuring seeds 9 through 16.

Pitt returns three of its five starters, each of its top three scorers and seven of its top 10 lettermen from a team that captured the 2008 Big East Tournament championship, finished 27-10 overall and made its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

For ticket information, please contact the Pittsburgh Ticket Office at (800) 643-PITT or (412) 648-PITT.

2008-09 PITT MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

(as of September 4, 2008; schedule subject to change)

                                  Legends Classic (Newark, N.J.)

All Times Eastern.  All home games in CAPS and BOLD.  Television games in parentheses. All game times are subject to change.

*indicates Big East Conference games.

All home games played in the Petersen Events Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus.  For ticket information, please call (800) 643-PITT or (412) 648-PITT.

2008-09 PITT NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENT PROFILES

*Legends Classic participant