Game 12: Oklahoma State (Dec. 21)

Dec. 19, 2006

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.--Consensus No. 7 Pitt plays its 12th contest of the 2006-07 season Thursday when it travels to Oklahoma City to face No. 15 Oklahoma State (11-1) at the Ford Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

The game will be televised on ESPN2. Ron Franklin (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (color commentary) will call the game. Mike Molinari will produce.

After its first 11 games, Pitt is off to its sixth consecutive start to a season of 10-1 or better. Pitt began its season with a 15-0 record in 2005-06, 10-1 in 2004-05, 18-0 in 2003-04, 10-1 in 2002-03 and 10-1 in 2001-02.

Pitt is in the midst of a difficult three-game stretch against No. 7 Wisconsin (11-1), No. 15 Oklahoma State (11-1) and Dayton (8-1). The combined record of those three Panthers opponents is 30-3.

Pitt is playing its second consecutive game against a nationally ranked non-conference opponent. The last time Pitt played two consecutive nationally ranked non-conference opponents was in 1998 when it played No. 23 Xavier (Nov. 26), No. 4 Kentucky (Nov. 27) and No. 5 Maryland (Nov. 28) in the Puerto Rico Shootout at Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Pitt ended up winning the first two contests of that trip.

Pitt is also playing its second of two scheduled non-conference neutral site games (the other was Western Michigan at West Point, N.Y.). Oklahoma State is located in Stillwater, just an hour drive from Oklahoma City.

According to www.collegerpi.com, Pitt entered its week ranked No. 6 in the weekly RPI rankings. The Panthers also rank 33rd in strength of schedule.

Pitt's 10 wins start to its 2006-07 season ranks sixth among all-time best starts in school history. The 10-game win streak ranks ninth among all-time longest win streaks in school history.

The win at Buffalo gave Pitt its 10th non-conference win of the year. Pitt has now won 10-plus non-conference games in each of the last six seasons (10-1in 2006-07, 11-0 in 2005-06, 10-1 in 2004-05, 14-0 in 2003-04, 10-1 in 2002-03 and 11-1 in 2001-02).

Pitt rekindles its rivalry with Oklahoma State on Thursday. The Panthers are 3-3 all-time against Oklahoma State. Pitt last played the Cowboys in the 2004 NCAA Tournament, a 63-51 loss at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford. OSU has claimed of each the last two series games.

TODAY'S TOP STORYLINES

•As two of the nation's most successful programs over the last six seasons, Pitt and Oklahoma State renew their 2004 NCAA Regional matchup.

•Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon earned the Henry Iba Award as the All-College Tournament Most Valuable Player in December, 1986.

•Pitt is playing its second straight nationally ranked non-conference opponent for the first time since the 1998-99 season when it faced No. 23 Xavier, No. 4 Kentucky and No. 5 Maryland in consecutive Puerto Rico Shootout games.

•With its 10-1 record after 11 games, Pitt is off to its sixth straight start to a season of 10-1 or better.

•Pitt has won 21 of its last 22 consecutive non-conference games dating back to 2005.

•Head Coach Jamie Dixon owns a 26-1 four-year record in December games. Dixon also owns a 45-2 record vs. non-conference competition in his four years as head coach at Pitt.

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