2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team

The 2008-09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...

team represents the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Head Coach is Jamie Dixon

Jamie Dixon

Jamie Dixon is an American basketball head coach. He has served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team since 2003. In 2009 he was the head coach for the FIBA Under-19 2009 gold-medal winning United States national basketball team for which he was named the 2009 USA...

, who is serving for his 6th year as head coach at Pittsburgh and 10th overall at the University. The team plays its home games in the Petersen Events Center

Petersen Events Center

Not to be confused with Petersen Sports Complex.The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's Pitt Panthers basketball teams...

in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

Outlook

The Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball

Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...

, defending Big East Conference Tournament Champions

2008 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament

The 2008 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament, a part of the 2007-08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, took place from March 12–March 15, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Its winner received the Big East Conference's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament...

, are coming off of a 27-10 (10-8) record in the 2007-08 season which included their seventh straight 20 win season, seventh straight season with 10 league wins in the Big East Conference

Big East Conference

The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

, and a seventh straight NCAA Tournament

2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...

appearance. Pitt advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament where they lost to Michigan State

Michigan State Spartans men's basketball

The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...

. Last season also marked the seventh time in the last eight season that Pitt advanced to the Big East Tournament Championship title game which ties for the most appearance in league history. Pitt begins the season returning three starters, each of its top three scorers, and seven of its top 10 players from the previous year. Pitt found itself ranked among the top 10 teams nationally in most preseason polls and publications. Five newcomers, including one junior college transfer and four freshman, join Pitt for the 2008-09 season.

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Year at Pittsburgh	Alma Mater Alma mater Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:... (Year)
Jamie Dixon Jamie Dixon Jamie Dixon is an American basketball head coach. He has served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team since 2003. In 2009 he was the head coach for the FIBA Under-19 2009 gold-medal winning United States national basketball team for which he was named the 2009 USA...	Head coach	10th (6th as Head Coach)	TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... (1987)
Tom Herrion Tom Herrion Tom Herrion is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team...	Associate head coach	2nd	Merrimack Merrimack College Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts... (1989)
Pat Sandle	Assistant coach	6th	San Francisco State San Francisco State University San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges... (1987)
Brandin Knight Brandin Knight Brandin Adar Knight is a former American professional basketball player. He is the brother of Brevin Knight....	Assistant coach	3rd	University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... (2005)
Brian Regan	Director of Operations	2nd	Saint Vincent Saint Vincent College Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the... (1988)

Roster


#	Position	Weight (lb. Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement... )	Year	Hometown	Previous School
5	Forward	250	4Senior	Nanuet Nanuet, New York Nanuet is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Pearl River; south of New City; east of Spring Valley and west of West Nyack. It is 19 miles north of Manhattan, and 2 miles north of the New Jersey border... , NY New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	Don Bosco Prep HS Don Bosco Preparatory High School Don Bosco Preparatory High School is a private, Roman Catholic secondary school for young men, grades 9 through 12. Founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order of priests and brothers, the school is situated on a campus in Ramsey, New Jersey, United States...
45	Forward	265	2Sophomore	Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...	Schenley HS Schenley High School Schenley High School is both a public school building and a school program that closed with the graduating class of 2011. Schenley High School is located in the North Oakland neighborhood at the edge of the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2008 the school's staff and...
11	Guard/Forward	200	2Sophomore (RS Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... )	Harrisburg Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania... , PA	South Kent School South Kent School South Kent School is a private boarding school for boys in South Kent, Connecticut, United States. The school is located on a campus in the hills of Litchfield County. It was founded in 1923 as a joint venture between Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, headmaster of Kent School, and two of his...
14	Forward	215	4Senior	Pittsburgh, PA	Canon McMillan HS Canon-McMillan School District The Canon-McMillan School District is a public school district covering the Borough of Canonsburg and Cecil Township and North Strabane Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania...
3	Guard	195	3Junior, Transfer	Baltimore Baltimore Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore... , MD Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...	Tallahassee CC Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee Community College is a community college, located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature. The college is a member of the Florida College System....
2	Guard	190	4Senior	Brooklyn Brooklyn Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated... , NY	Xaverian HS Xaverian High School Xaverian High School is a private, college-preparatory school located in Brooklyn, New York The school was founded in 1957 by the Xaverian Brothers. The school is a member of the Catholic High School Athletic Association . Xaverian is governed by a president and board of trustees...
24	Guard	200	2Sophomore	Mars Mars, Pennsylvania Mars is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 1,746 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mars is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land.... , PA	Mars Area HS Mars Area High School Mars Area High School is a high school located in Mars, Pennsylvania.Mars High offers a full program of courses that includes more than 120 selections plus a wide variety of extracurricular activities and interscholastic sports...
12	Guard	190	1Freshman	Scotch Plains Scotch Plains, New Jersey Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:... , NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...	Seton Hall Prep Seton Hall Preparatory School Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, is a Roman Catholic boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark...
52	Center	250	2Sophomore	Anderson Anderson, Indiana Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is... , IN Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...	Highland H.S. Highland High School (Anderson, Indiana) Highland High school will become Highland Junior High school after the year of 09-10. Grades 7-9 will attend. Registration starts August 16, and classes start August 23....
25	Forward	230	1Freshman	Nassau Nassau, Bahamas Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas... , Bahamas	St. Pius X HS St. Pius X High School (Houston, Texas) St. Pius X High School is a Dominican Catholic coeducational secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. St. Pius X, which serves grades 9 through 12, is administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston....
35	Forward	220	1Freshman	Chester Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :... , PA	Chester HS
21	Guard	185	2Sophomore	Pittsburgh, PA	North Allegheny HS
22	Guard	205	2Sophomore	Philadelphia, PA	Roman Catholic HS Roman Catholic High School for Boys The Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia opened in 1890 as an all-male high school located at the intersection of Broad and Vine Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:...
1	Guard	190	1Freshman	Brooklyn, NY	St. Anthony HS St. Anthony High School (New Jersey) St. Anthony High School is a four-year co-educational Roman Catholic high school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, operating under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark...
23	Forward	220	4Senior	Clinton Clinton, Maryland Clinton is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Clinton was formerly known as Surrattsville until after the time of the American Civil War. The population of Clinton was 26,064 at the 2000 census. However, as of 2007, there is an... , MD	Hargrave Military Academy Hargrave Military Academy Hargrave Military Academy is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia.Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program...

Schedule

Pitt's 2008-09 schedule includes, in addition to their Big East slate, nine non-conference opponents that were ranked last season in the nation's top-100 Ratings Percentage Index

Ratings Percentage Index

The Rating Percentage Index, commonly known as the RPI, is a quantity used to rank sports teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule. It is one of the systems by which NCAA basketball and baseball teams are ranked...

2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament

- Championship Game :- Syracuse vs. Connecticut :The quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12 between Syracuse and Connecticut lasted for six overtime periods, the second-longest game in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history...

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!colspan=9| NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship

2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....

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Rankings

Ranking Movement
**Legend:** ██ Improvement in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
Poll	Pre	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6	Wk 7	Wk 8	Wk 9	Wk 10	Wk 11	Wk 12	Wk 13	Wk 14	Wk 15	Wk 16	WK 17	Wk 18	Final
AP	5	6	4	3	3	3	3	3	1	1	4	3	6	4	4	1	3	2	4	n/a
Coaches	6	6	4	3	3	3	3	3	1	1	4	3	5	4	4	1	4	2	4	6

Accomplishments