University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
at West Virginia
No. 16 Mountaineers Top No. 8 Panthers, 67-62
2/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Kevin Pittsnogle, held scoreless by Pittsburgh two weeks ago, had 26 points in his final home game to lead No. 16 West Virginia to a 67-62 victory over the eighth-ranked Panthers on Monday night.
The Mountaineers (20-8, 11-4), who clinched a first-round bye in the Big East tournament, never trailed in earning a second straight 20-win season for the first time since 1997-98.
West Virginia has its first bye in the 12-team tournament, joining No. 2 Connecticut and No. 4 Villanova. The Mountaineers overtook Pittsburgh for sole possession of third place and can finish no worse than fourth.
Pittsburgh (21-5, 10-5) needs a win at home Friday night against Seton Hall and losses by Marquette and No. 20 Georgetown to earn the final bye.
The Mountaineers lost 57-53 loss at Pittsburgh on Feb. 9, a game in which Pittsnogle went 0-for-12 from the field and fouled out with 6:42 remaining.
He was a catalyst throughout Monday's night, scoring in double figures in each half and making five of West Virginia's 12 3-pointers.
Ronald Ramon and Sam Young each has 12 points for Pittsburgh, which went scoreless for 7 minutes spanning both halves.
Carl Krauser, Pittsburgh's leading scorer, had four of his 10 points in the final 22 seconds, but he finished 3-for-16 from the field.
The Mountaineers made seven straight baskets on 3-pointers to build a 41-30 lead with 17:49 left.
Pittsburgh then went on an 8-0 run. The Panthers cut the deficit to two points three times after that but never tied the game.
Pittsburgh guard Antonio Graves left with his fourth foul with 9 minutes left, and West Virginia starting to pull away.
Pittsnogle scored three of West Virginia's next four baskets, and J.D. Collins' 3-pointer put the Mountaineers ahead 59-53 with 5:18 left.
Ramon's 3-pointer ended a 3-minute scoring drought for the Panthers and brought Pittsburgh within 61-58 with 1:40 left.
West Virginia's Johannes Herber then broke through a screen, took an inbounds pass from Patrick Beilein and made an uncontested layup with 25 seconds left.
Pittsnogle and Mike Gansey each hit two free throws after that to clinch the win.
West Virginia has three consecutive wins after losing a season-high three straight.
The loss matched Pittsburgh's worst of the season. The Panthers' five losses have been by a total of 19 points.
