Nov. 7, 2007

Game Notes: Houston Baptist (Nov. 9)

     PITTSBURGH--No. 22 ranked Pitt (29-8, 12-4 Big East in 2006-07) opens its 2007-08 season this weekend when it hosts the Hispanic College Fund Challenge presented by Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Nov. 9-11, at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt hosts Houston Baptist Friday at 7 p.m., North Carolina A&T on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Saint Louis on Sunday at 6 p.m. The Saint Louis contest will be televised regionally on ESPN Regional and broadcast locally on FSN-Pittsburgh.

    A win over Houston Baptist on Friday will give Pitt its 11th consecutive home opening victory since the 1997 season and its 20th consecutive home win over a non-conference opponent. Pitt owns a 47-1 record in games against non-conference opponents at the Petersen Events Center.

     Pitt begins its 2007-08 season after completing a 29-8 campaign and 12-4 Big East slate  in 2006-07. Pitt earned a school record sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and advanced to Sweet Sixteen play for the fourth time in the last six years. Pitt is one of only five schools nationally to appear in at least four Sweet Sixteens since 2002. Duke (5), Pitt (4), Kansas (4), Texas (4) and Connecticut (4) are the schools who have achieved that honor. Pitt is one of only 12 schools nationally to advance to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last six seasons. The other schools include Arizona, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pitt, Southern Illinois, Texas and Wisconsin. Pitt is the only Big East Conference team to advance to the NCAA Tournament in six consecutive seasons. Villanova currently has a streak of three straight seasons in the NCAA Tournament.

     Over the last six years, Pitt has proven to be the winningest Big East Conference basketball program. From 2001-07, Pitt owns the league's top records for league play (71-25) and overall games (162-41). It has averaged 11.8 league wins and 27 overall wins per year during that period, the best totals in the Big East. Pitt is the only Big East Conference school to win 20 or more overall games and 10 or more league contests in each of the last six seasons. Last year, Pitt also set a school record with its sixth consecutive 20-overall win and 10-league win season. Prior to the 2001-02 season, Pitt won 20 or more games in only two consecutive seasons.

    Pitt's Jamie Dixon (105-30) became the first head coach in school history to guide Pitt to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Additionally, Dixon has guided Pitt to Sweet Sixteen appearances in two of his first four seasons at Pitt (`04 and `07).

    Additionally, Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon (105 career wins) is the first coach in school history to win 20 or more games in four consecutive seasons. Dixon is one of only nine coaches in NCAA Division I history to win 100 or more games in the first four years of a coaching career. His 105 victories ranks as the second most victories for a head coach after four seasons in NCAA history. North Carolina's Everett Case totaled 107 wins from 1947-50. With his 100th career against Seton Hall on Feb. 19, 2007, Dixon became the fastest coach in school history to reach 100 victories (see chart page 5). His accomplishment also ranks among NCAA Division I's all-time top-15 fastest coaches to reach 100 wins (see page 4).

    Dixon enters the Houston Baptist contest with an undefeated 18-0 record in November games. In addition, he is 29-2 in contests played in December. Combining his November and December pre-conference games, Dixon owns a 47-2 record. Previously, Dixon won 45 consecutive games in Nov. and Dec. before dropping a contest at No. 7 Wisconsin on Dec. 16, 2006.

THE GAME'S TOP STORYLINES

•Pitt opens its 2007-08 men's basketball season Friday with the Hispanic College Fund Challenge (Nov. 9-15, 2007).

•No. 22/20 Pitt returns two starters and six of its top nine players from a team that finished 29-8 overall, advanced to its fourth NCAA Sweet Sixteen in the last six seasons and appeared in its sixth Big East Championship Final in the last seven years.

•Pitt begins its sixth season in the Petersen Events Center and carries an 80-8 all-time record (.909 winning percentage) in the arena. It has won 19 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents and is 47-1 vs. non-conference opponents at the Petersen Events Center. Additionally, Pitt has won 68 of its last 69 home games against regular season non-conference opponents.

•Pitt has won each of its last 10 consecutive opening day contests dating back to Nov. 17, 1997.

2007 HISPANIC COLLEGE FUND CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT

Games played at the Petersen Events Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus

Friday, November 9

Saint Louis vs. North Carolina A&T, 4:30 p.m.

Pitt vs. Houston Baptist, 7 p.m.

Saturday, November 10

North Carolina A&T vs. Pitt, 4 p.m.

Saint Louis vs. Houston Baptist, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 11

North Carolina A&T vs. Houston Baptist, 3:30 p.m.

Pitt vs. Saint Louis, 6 p.m. (ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh)

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