2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers Pitt Panthers wordmark.svg 150 Big East Conference Big East 6 4 31–5 15–3 Jamie Dixon 6th Tom Herrion 2nd Pat Sandle 8th Brandin Knight 1st Petersen Events Center(Capacity: 12,508) Legends Classic Champions NCAA tournament Elite Eight The 2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Jamie Dixon, who was serving for his 6th year as head coach at Pittsburgh and 10th overall at the university. The team played its home games in the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Outlook The Pittsburgh Panthers, defending Big East Conference tournament champions, came off 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, and a seventh straight NCAA tournament appearance. Pitt advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Michigan State. That season also marked the seventh time in the last eight seasons that Pitt advanced to the Big East tournament Championship title game, which tied for the most appearances in league history. Pitt began 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, joined Pitt for the 2008–09 season.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0809-mediaguide-section3.pdf PDF Greg Hotchkiss 2008-09 Pitt Men's Basketball Media Guide University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations Office 60 12 December 2008 23 May 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110523133252/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0809-mediaguide-section3.pdf dead Coaching staff NameHotchkiss, pg 66–74 Position Year at Pittsburgh Alma Mater (Year) Jamie Dixon Head coach 10th (6th as head coach) TCU (1987) Tom Herrion Associate head coach 2nd Merrimack (1989) Pat Sandle Assistant coach 8th San Francisco State (1987) Brandin Knight Assistant coach 3rd University of Pittsburgh (2005) Brian Regan Director of operations 2nd Saint Vincent (1988) Roster +Hotchkiss, pg 64 Name # Position Height Weight (lb.) Year Hometown Previous school Tyrell Biggs Tyrell Biggs (basketball) 1 5 Forward 6 8 250 4Senior Nanuet, NY Don Bosco Prep HS DeJuan Blair 45 Forward 6 7 265 2Sophomore Pittsburgh, PA Schenley HS Gilbert Brown Gilbert Brown (basketball) 11 Guard/Forward 6 6 200 2Sophomore (RS) Harrisburg, PA South Kent School Sean Brown Sean Brown (basketball) 1 14 Forward 6 4 215 4Senior Pittsburgh, PA Canon McMillan HS Jermaine Dixon 1 3 Guard 6 3 195 3Junior, Transfer Baltimore, MD Tallahassee CC Levance Fields 2 Guard 5 10 190 4Senior Brooklyn, NY Xaverian HS Tim Frye 1 24 Guard 6 4 200 2Sophomore Mars, PA Mars Area HS Ashton Gibbs 12 Guard 6 2 190 1Freshman Scotch Plains, NJ Seton Hall Prep Gary McGhee 52 Center 6 10 250 2Sophomore Anderson, IN Highland H.S. Dwight Miller 1 25 Forward 6 8 230 1Freshman Nassau, Bahamas St. Pius X HS Nasir Robinson 1 35 Forward 6 5 220 1Freshman Chester, PA Chester HS Ryan Tiesi 1 21 Guard 6 2 185 2Sophomore Pittsburgh, PA North Allegheny HS Brad Wanamaker 22 Guard 6 4 205 2Sophomore Philadelphia, PA Roman Catholic HS Travon Woodall 1 1 Guard 5 11 190 1Freshman Brooklyn, NY St. Anthony HS Sam Young Sam Young (basketball) 23 Forward 6 6 220 4Senior Clinton, MD Hargrave Military Academy Schedule Pitt's 2008–09 schedule included, in addition to their Big East slate, nine non-conference opponents that were ranked the previous season in the nation's top-100 Ratings Percentage Index, nine opponents that advanced to post-season play, and five that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. yes |- !colspan=9 style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499;" | Scrimmage Sun. Oct. 26 2:30 pm yes Blue/Gold (Scrimmage) Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA N/A Gold63–54 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499;" | Exhibition Sun. Nov. 2 4:00 pm w 102–51 yes 2008–09 Seton Hill Seton Hill Griffins Seton Hill Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA 6,020 Sun. Nov. 9 1:00 pm w 82–30 yes 2008–09 La Roche College La Roche Red Hawks La Roche Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA 6,008 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499;" | Regular season Fri. Nov. 14 7:00 pm w 86–63 yes 5 2008–09 Fairleigh Dickinson University Fairleigh Dickinson Knights Fairleigh Dickinson Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA 10,043 1–0 Mon. Nov. 17 7:00 pm w 82–53 yes 6 2008–09 Miami University Miami RedHawks Miami (OH) Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 10,072 2–0 Fri. Nov. 21 7:00 pm w 86–67 yes 6 Akron Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA Legends Classic Regional ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 10,133 3–0 Sat. Nov. 22 4:00 pm w 86–60 yes 6 2008–09 Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana Crimson Hawks Indiana (PA) Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA Legends Classic Regional 9,003 4–0 Tue. Nov. 25 7:00 pm w 74–60 yes 4 2008–09 Belmont University Belmont Bruins Belmont Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA PantherVision 9,595 5–0 Fri. Nov. 28 7:30 pm w 80–67 yes 4 Texas Tech yes Prudential Center Newark, NJ Legends Classic Championship Round HDNet 3,510 6–0 Sat. Nov. 29 7:30 pm w 57–43 yes 4 Washington State yes Prudential Center Newark, NJ Legends Classic Championship Game HDNet 2,991 7–0 Wed. Dec. 3 7:00 pm w 78–51 yes 3 2008–09 Duquesne University Duquesne Dukes Duquesne Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA The City Game PantherVision 10,387 8–0 Sat. Dec. 6 7:00 pm w 80–51 yes 3 2008–09 University of Vermont Vermont Catamounts Vermont Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA PantherVision 10,122 9–0 Sat. Dec. 13 7:00 pm w 91–56 yes 3 2008–09 University of Maryland, Baltimore County UMBC Retrievers UMBC Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 10,188 10–0 Wed. Dec. 17 9:30 pm w yes 3 Siena Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN2 79–66 10,045 11–0 Sun. Dec. 21 5:30 pm w yes yes 3 Florida State Donald L. Tucker Center Tallahassee, FL FSN National 56–48 6,522 12–0 Wed. Dec. 31 2:00 pm w yes 3 Rutgers Louis Brown Athletic Center Piscataway, NJ ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 78–72 6,308 13–0 1–0 Sat. Jan. 3 12:00 pm w yes 3 Georgetown 11 Verizon Center Washington, D.C. ESPN 70–54 19,397 14–0 2–0 Sun. Jan. 11 12:00 pm w 1 St. John's Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN Regional/WTAE-TV 90–67 12,508 15–0 3–0 Wed. Jan. 14 7:00 pm w 1 South Florida Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN-U 75–62 12,508 16–0 4–0 Sat. Jan. 17 6:00 pm l yes 1 Louisville 20 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN 63–69 20,082 16–1 4–1 Mon. Jan. 19 7:00 pm 4 Syracuse 8 Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN Big Monday 78–60 12,508 17–1 5–1 Sun. Jan. 25 4:00 pm w yes 4 West Virginia WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV Backyard Brawl ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 79–67 14,329 18–1 6–1 Wed. Jan. 28 7:00 pm l yes 3 Villanova 21 Wachovia Spectrum Philadelphia, PA ESPN-U 57–67 17,491 18–2 6–2 Sat. Jan. 31 12:00 pm w 3 Notre Dame Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN 93–80 12,508 19–2 7–2 Mon. Feb. 2 7:00 pm w yes 6 Robert Morris Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA PantherVision 92–72 10,122 20–2 Sat. Feb. 7 2:00 pm w yes 6 2008–09 DePaul University DePaul Blue Demons DePaul Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 92–69 9,814 21–2 8–2 Mon. Feb. 9 7:00 pm w 4 West Virginia Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA Backyard Brawl ESPN Big Monday 70–59 12,508 22–2 9–2 Sat. Feb. 14 4:00 pm w 4 Cincinnati Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN 85–69 12,508 23–2 10–2 Mon. Feb. 16 7:00 pm w yes 4 Connecticut 1 XL Center Hartford, CT ESPN Big Monday 76–68 16,294 24–2 11–2 Sat. Feb. 21 7:00 pm w 4 DePaul Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 80–61 12,508 25–2 12–2 Tue. Feb. 24 7:00 pm l yes 1 Providence Dunkin Donuts Center Providence, RI ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 73–81 11,887 25–3 12–3 Sat. Feb. 28 8:30 pm w yes 1 2008–09 Seton Hall University Seton Hall Pirates Seton Hall Prudential Center Newark, NJ ESPN Regional/FSN Pittsburgh 89–78 9,800 26–3 13–3 Wed. Mar. 4 7:30 pm w 3 Marquette 13 Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA ESPN2 90–75 12,508 27–3 14–3 Sat. Mar. 7 12:00 pm w 3 Connecticut 1 Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA CBS 70–60 12,908 28–3 15–3 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499;" | Postseason†Big East Men's Basketball Championship Thu. Mar. 12 7:00 pm l 60–74 2 (2) West Virginia (7) yes Madison Square Garden New York City, New York Big East Championship Quarterfinals, Backyard Brawl ESPN 19,375 28–4 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499;" | NCAA tournament Fri. Mar. 20 2:55 pm w 72–62 4 (1) East Tennessee State (16) yes University of Dayton Arena Dayton, Ohio First Round CBS 12,499 29–4 |- Sun. Mar. 22 2:50 pm w 84–76 4 (1) Oklahoma State (8) yes University of Dayton Arena Dayton, Ohio Second Round CBS 12,596 30–4 |- Thu. Mar. 26 7:27 pm w 60–55 4 (1) Xavier 20 (4) yes TD Banknorth Garden Boston, Massachusetts Sweet Sixteen CBS N/A 31–4 |- Sat. Mar. 28 7:05 pm l 76–78 4 (1) Villanova 11 (3) yes TD Banknorth Garden Boston, Massachusetts Elite Eight CBS 18,871 31–5 Eastern Standard Time AP Poll.   †Postseason ranks represent seeds in the applicable tournament Rankings 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings + Ranking movementLegend: ██ 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 thumb|300px|right|The early minutes of a game against number-one-ranked UConn on March 7, 2009, at the Petersen Events Center. A portion of the Oakland Zoo can be seen at the bottom. Pitt won the nationally televised game 70–60. During the 8th week of the season, the Panthers were ranked No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches poll. This was the first time in program history that the basketball team held the top ranking in either poll. The Panthers were named the champion of the 2nd Annual Legends Classic Tournament. Sam Young was named the tournament MVP. Pitt won their first and second game in their history over a team ranked No. 1 in the AP or Coaches poll when they defeated number one ranked Connecticut 76–68 in Hartford on February 16, 2009, and again defeated the top-ranked Huskies 70–60 at home on March 7, 2009. Pitt won the most regular-season conference games in school history (15) and achieved their best-ever regular-season record in Big East Conference play (15–3, 0.833). Panther center DeJuan Blair was named Big East Player of the Year, an award he shared with UConn center Hasheem Thabeet. Pitt received its record eighth straight bid to the NCAA tournament and its record ninth straight post-season national tournament bid. Pitt received its first-ever number-one seed in the NCAA tournament. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, with his 162nd win coming in the NCAA Tournament over Oklahoma State, broke the NCAA Division I record for most victories in the first six seasons as a head coach formerly held by North Carolina State coach Everett Case. Pitt reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the second time in three years and the fifth time in the last eight seasons. Pitt tied a school record set in 2003–04 for the most wins in a season, with 31 victories, and won 30 games for only the second time in school history. Pitt's senior class of Sam Young, Levance Fields, and Tyrell Biggs won 112 games during their four-year Pitt careers, giving them the most wins of any senior class in school history. Pitt reached the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 1974. In doing so, it defeated the highest-seeded NCAA Tournament in school history (seeding began in 1979) and won three NCAA Tournament games for the first time. Jamie Dixon won the Naismith Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year as well as the Jim Phelan Mid-season Coach of the Year award. References 30em Pittsburgh Category:Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball seasons Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pan Pittsburgh Pan Category:2008 in Pittsburgh Category:2009 in Pittsburgh