Off Script: The Backyard Brawl

The University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University share a storied history, as the Backyard Brawl extends from the gridiron to the gymnastics mats, from the hardcourt to the baseball fields. Below is a compilation of some of the best moments in Pitt's rivalry with the Mountaineers.

BASEBALL
The Panthers swept then Big East rival West Virginia in a three-game series in April of 2010, outscoring the Mountaineers 43-21 on the weekend. With the victories, Pitt improved to 30-10 on the season and 12-3 in Big East play, ranked 24th in the nation. The sweep sealed Pitt's ninth 30-win season in program history. The weekend was capped by a 24-9 blowout win in Morgantown as Zach Duggan went 6-of-7 from the plate with four RBI and four runs scored. The 24 runs were the most-ever scored by the Panthers over the Mountaineers and the third highest total scored in program history at the time. Pitt would follow up the 2010 sweep with another in 2011 in Pittsburgh.

Head coach Joe Jordano on the WVU rivalry: "The rivalry for me goes way back to our Big East days. There were some very tough games between our programs, but I believe there is definitely a healthy respect for each other. We look forward to those games every year!"

MEN'S BASKETBALL
Ronald Ramon hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired to give No. 21 Pitt a 55-54 win over West Virginia at the Petersen Events Center on Feb. 7, 2008. The game represented the first buzzer-beater in the history of the Pete. Keith Benjamin drove the lane, drew a defender and round Ramon open in the corner for the game-winner. Sam Young and Benjamin paced the Panther scoring attack with 10 points apiece, while DeJuan Blair added seven points, 12 rebounds and three steals. Pitt limited the Mountaineers to 35.8 percent shooting and overcame a three-point deficit in the final 1:22 of action.

Pitt erased a seven-point deficit with 1:13 left in regulation to force overtime, taking advantage of three missed West Virginia free throws in the final minute of regulation, en route to a 98-95 triple-overtime win on Feb. 12, 2010. With the win over No. 5 West Virginia, the Panthers improved to 6-0 all-time at Petersen Events Center against top five opponents. Brad Wannamaker led the way for the Panthers with 24 points, five rebounds and 10 assists in 47 minutes of action, while Ashton Gibbs knocked down six three-point field goals en route to a 24-point night. Gilbert Brown (16) and Travon Woodall (12) came off the bench to score in double figures for the Panthers.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Led by eventual All-American Shavonte Zellous, the then-15th ranked Panthers swept their regular season series with Big East rival West Virginia in 2008-09. Zellous had 34 points in the 72-63 win at Petersen Events Center on Jan. 4, 2009, and followed that with a 25-point performance in the 72-60 road victory in Morgantown on Jan. 24, 2009. The second win secured at least a No. 3 seed for the Panthers in the 2009 Big East Tournament, and brought Pitt's win streak against the Mountaineers to three games, with the team claiming four out of the prior six meetings dating back to 2006.

Head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio on the WVU rivalry: "We're playing West Virginia this Thursday for the first time in five years, since the Big East days. There are so many great battles in this series history. We're excited to add another chapter to this rivalry and give it everything we've got against the No. 10 team in the country."

FOOTBALL
Pitt pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history, defeating No. 2 West Virginia, 13-9, on Dec. 1, 2007 and keeping the Mountaineers out of the BCS National Championship Game. In front of an expectant crowd at Mountaineer Field, Pitt running back LeSean McCoy rushed 38 times for 148 yards and quarterback Pat Bostick scored the game-winning touchdown for the 28-point underdog Panthers. Pitt's defense produced an incredible effort to force five WVU fumbles, recovering three, while limiting the Mountaineers' previously explosive attack to just 183 yards of total offense. In what was also the 100th football game played in the history of the Backyard Brawl, Pitt improved to 60-37-3 in the series in memorable fashion.

GYMNASTICS
On Jan. 13, 2017, the University of Pittsburgh gymnastics team snapped a 51-meet losing streak against rival West Virginia, dating back to 1992 season. The Panthers defeated the nationally ranked Mountaineers 194.025-193.875. Four Pitt gymnasts collected individual event titles on the meet, as Rachel Dugan won the uneven bars, Brittany West and Kelly Burak tied on beam and Tracey Pearson earned a win on floor and took the all-around title.

MEN'S SOCCER
The Panthers and Mountaineers clashed on the pitch for the 48^th edition of the Backyard Brawl Sept. 26, 2017 in Pittsburgh, for the first time since 2011. Pitt dominated the long-time foe, 7-0, netting four goals in the first half. Six different Pitt players contributed goals in the win including Alex Peperak (33'), Pol Planellas (36'), Joshua Gaspari (39'), Alexander Dexter (42') and Tim Ekpone (66'), while Edward Kizza (46', 54') sent in two of his own. The win marked the Panthers' first victory over the Mountaineers since the 2000 season and was the largest win-margin over WVU in program history. Pitt's seven-goal shutout was the largest win-margin since its 9-0 win over Howard in 2013, was the 28^th time in program history scoring or or more goals in a goal and was the first time netting seven goals in a game since 1998.

SWIMMING & DIVING
Pitt and West Virginia have maintained an annual meet in the pool over the years, with the Panthers and Mountaineers competing against each other in a poolside Backyard Brawl each of the past 23 seasons—usually on the first Saturday after the New Year. On Jan. 7, 2017, Pitt head coach John Hargis earned his first career wins against WVU in his first attempt, leading the Panthers' men's team to a dominant 214-86 triumph, while the women also won easily, 205.5-94.5. Pitt diver Dominic Giordano headlined the meet by setting a Pitt and Trees Pool record on the 1M board, winning the event that day with six-dive score of 434.63. In total, Pitt won 27 of 32 events against rival West Virginia in last year's meet.

Head coach John Hargis on the West Virginia rivalry: "We really look forward to competing against West Virginia each year. The tradition of the Pitt vs. West Virginia rivalry across all sports is something that is very important to the region and both programs. Last year, we had a great meet against WVU and it was a nice moment for our program with both our men and women winning."

TENNIS
The Pitt tennis team dominated the Mountaineers in a Jan. 21, 2017 dual in Pittsburgh, meeting for the 36^th time in program history. The Panthers defeated WVU 6-1 for the second consecutive year as they clinched the doubles point and went on to win five singles matches.

VOLLEYBALL
From 2007-2009, the University of Pittsburgh volleyball team defeated West Virginia in every contest played. The Panthers swept the Mountaineers in Morgantown, W.Va., in 2007 and at home in the Fitzgerald Field House in 2009, while earning a four-set victory against WVU at home in 2008.

WRESTLING
The Panthers routed West Virginia 31-9 in a Feb. 2, 2013 dual meet in Pittsburgh, as seven wrestlers recorded wins, including two pins from No. 2 Matt Wilps at 197 pounds and No. 7 Zac Thomusseit at heavyweight. Fast forward to 2017, the Panthers now lead the all-time series 36-24-2 and will clash for the 63^rd time in program history Saturday, Dec. 9 in Morgantown, W.Va.

#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

University of Pittsburgh Athletics

Related Videos