Pitt-Kent State Post-Game Notes

March 17, 2006

*Pitt won its fourth NCAA Tournament First Round game in the last five seasons.

*Pitt shot a school record 67.4 percent (31-46) from the floor. The mark surpassed the previous mark of 66.1 percent (37-56) set vs. Providence on Feb. 10, 1990. The shooting percentage also set an NCAA Tournament record and was a season-best for Pitt.

*Pitt shot 68 percent (17-25) in the first half and 66.7 percent (14-21) in the second half of the contest.

*Pitt also shot the ball only 46 times which marked the second lowest field goal output of the season. Pitt attempted only 41 field goals vs. West Virginia  on Feb. 9, 2006.

*Aaron Gray registered his 18^th double-double on the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The 18 double-doubles now rank tied for fourth among school records at Pitt. It was his fifth double-double over the last six games. He also 26^th double figure scoring game on the year and 20^th double figure rebounding contest.

*Aaron Gray tied a career-high with five blocks. He also notched five blocked shots vs. DePaul on Jan. 12, 2006.

*Six players reached double figure scoring for Pitt. That mark represented a season-high.

*Ronald Ramon tied a season-high with 16 points. He also scored 16 points vs. West Virginia on Feb. 9, 2006.

*Pitt made its 18^th NCAA Tournament appearance. It improved to 15-18 all-time in 33 total NCAA Tournament games.

*Pitt improved to 8-8 all-time vs. Kent State in a series which began in 1950-51. The last time the two teams met was in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2002 when Kent State defeated the Panthers 78-73 in overtime at Lexington, Ky.'s Rupp Arena. It evened its NCAA Tournament record vs. Kent State to 1-1.

*Pitt improves to 7-6 vs. NCAA Tournament teams this year.

*Pitt played in its fifth straight NCAA Tournament. It is one of only 15 schools nationwide to advance to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five seasons.

*Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon became just the second coach in school history to guide Pitt to three straight NCAA Tournaments. Paul Evans, who guided Pitt to berths in 1987, 1988 and 1989, is the other coach.

*Carl Krauser became just the third player in school history to play in four straight NCAA Tournaments. Chevon Troutman and Mark McCarroll were the first two players to achieve that distinction in 2005.

*Charles Small, a Detroit native, played in the final minute of the contest.

University of Pittsburgh Athletics

Players Mentioned

Aaron Gray

Carl Krauser

Ronald Ramon

Charles Small

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