Pitt To Celebrate 2002-03 Big East Championship Team Jan. 28

PITTSBURGH – The 2002-03 season proved memorable for many reasons beginning with the opening of the Petersen Events Center and culminating with the Panthers' first Big East Championship following a 74-56 win over Connecticut at Madison Square Garden on March 15. Pitt will welcome back members of the championship team and celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the historic season Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers host nationally ranked Miami in a Gold Rush Game, presented by GBU Life, with a 4 p.m. tipoff on ESPNU. Fans are encouraged to wear their Pitt gold with the first 1,500 students in the Oakland Zoo receiving a special edition Gold Rush flag.

The 2003 Big East Championship team will be recognized in-game with several key figures from the team expected to be in attendance. Among the individuals scheduled to return to the Petersen Events Center Saturday are head coach Ben Howland, assistant coach Barry Rohrssen, Julius Page, Chevon Troutman, Carl Krauser, Ontario Lett, Mark McCarroll, Levon Kendall, Donatas Zavackas, Yuri Demetris, Carlo Dorazio, and Gino Federico.

Highlights, video messages, and more from the 2003 Big East Championship team will be embedded in the gameday experience throughout the afternoon.

Tickets for the Jan. 28 Gold Rush game and celebration of the 2003 Big East Championship team are available through the Panthers Ticket Office at 800-643-7488 or online HERE.

2002-03 Pitt Basketball Snapshot
Overall Record: 28-5
Home Record: 16-0
Big East Record: 13-3

Won school's first Big East Tournament championship, captured its second consecutive Big East-West title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen for the second straight season
Finished a perfect 16-0 at home in the inaugural season at the sold out 12,508-seat Petersen Events Center
Continued a 22-game home win streak
Set school record for fewest points allowed per game (59.2)
Ranked among the nation's top-10 in seven statistical categories: scoring margin (second), field goal percentage (second), assists per game (fourth), win-loss percentage (fifth), scoring defense (fifth), field goal percentage defense (sixth) and rebound margin (10^th)
Ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in eight polls on the year and was one of five schools nationally (Arizona, Pitt, Duke, Oklahoma, Texas) to rank among the nation's top-10 throughout the season
Advanced to the Big East Championship final for the third straight year
Seniors Brandin Knight, Donatas Zavackas and Ontario Lett finished with the best four-year record in school history: 89-40
Julius Page was named the Big East Tournament Most Valuable Player

RECAP
After a highly successful 2001-02 campaign, the national spotlight was focused on the Panthers to continue that success and the veteran 2002-03 Pitt team didn't disappoint. Scoring balance and team defense were the strengths as six Panthers concluded the year scoring at least 9.0 points per game, while Pitt held its opponents to a school-record 59.2 average. The 2002-03 Panthers did what no Pittsburgh team had ever accomplished in the school's 21-year Big East history, win the Big East Tournament title. Using suffocating, physical defense and balanced scoring, Pitt won three straight games and defeated Connecticut, 74-56, for the title.

ROSTER
Marcus Bowman, Jaron Brown, Yuri Demetris, Carlo Dorazio, Gino Federico, Levon Kendall, Brandin Knight, Carl Krauser, Ontario Lett, Mark McCarroll, Toree Morris, Julius Page, Charles Small, Chevon Troutman, Ed Turner, Donatas Zavackas. Coaching Staff: Ben Howland (HC), Jamie Dixon, Barry Rohrssen, Ernie Zeigler, Chris Carlson

Pitt To Celebrate 2002-03 Big East Championship Team Jan. 28

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