This Week In Panthers Athletics
The Pitt Panthers men's basketball team will be in action on Wednesday at the Petersen Events Center before taking a couple days off for the Christmas holiday.
Following the holiday break Jamie Dixon and his team will return to host a key Big East match-up against the UConn Huskies.
Read the full press release from the Pittsburgh Panthers below:
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The No. 6 Pitt men's basketball team plays its final non-conference basketball game when it hosts American on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET for a contest that will be aired on the internet at www.espn3.com. A win will give Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon his 200th career victory. Dixon would become only the third coach in NCAA Division I history to reach the 200-wins plateau after only eight seasons as a head coach. Gonzaga's Mark Few and Kansas' Roy Williams are the other two coaches to achieve that honor. Dixon will also rank among the top-15 fastest coaches to reach the 200-win plateau in NCAA Division I basketball history, a list which includes names such as Clair Bee, Jerry Tarkanian, Everett Case, Adolph Rupp, Roy Williams, Denny Crum and Henry Iba. He will also become only the second coach in school history to reach the 200-win plateau.
Following a four-day break in the schedule, Pitt opens Big East Conference play when it hosts No. 4 Connecticut on Monday, Dec. 27. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. for an ESPN2 Big Monday nationally televised contest. Pitt (11-1 overall) is 7-0 vs. top-5 ranked opponents in the Petersen Events Center. Senior Gilbert Brown was named the Big East Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 28 points against UMBC on Saturday.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Pitt women's basketball team continues action in the Las Vegas Hoops Classic with a 3 p.m. contest against UT-Arlington today, Dec. 20. The Panthers will then return to the Petersen Events Center after a brief holiday break for a 7 p.m. contest against Austin Peay on Tuesday, Dec. 28. Pitt then travels to Central Michigan on Friday, Dec. 31, at 1 p.m. Sunday night senior Jania Sims recorded a game-high 26 points against Texas Tech.
WRESTLING
The Pitt wrestling team returns to action at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill, Dec. 29-30. The two-day tournament is one of the largest tournaments in collegiate wrestling, featuring over 50 schools. Last year, the Panthers finished 12th overall after three wrestlers placed in the top eight. Pitt returns to Fitzgerald Field House on Sunday, Jan. 9, when it hosts Davidson, Drexel, Millersville and Northwestern at 9 a.m.
PANTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY
The Panthers have two community service projects during the semester break. First, the men's basketball team will travel to University Prep (High School) for the Jamie Dixon Timeout program on Monday, Dec. 20. In addition, the women's basketball team will visit Children's Hospital on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011.
For more information on all Panthers athletics visit their official site at http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/
