Ashton Gibbs' first tournament win could be the first of five this week

Given Pittsburgh's recent success, you'd be shocked to know that the Panthers haven't won a Big East Tournament game in three years. Ashton Gibbs, the face of the Pittsburgh program, never won a Big East tournament game. The Panthers were 84-17 coming into this season, yet won zero Big East Tournament games in that stretch.

But the Panthers have lost more conference games this season than in the three previous seasons combined.

Kinda weird right?

Then it probably makes sense that their first Big East Tournament win in Ashton Gibbs' career would come after finishing their worst regular season in recent memory.

(Photo Credit: AP)

"The past three years we had a lot more success during the regular season," said head coach Jamie Dixon. "But it was a good win for us today". Senior leader Ashton Gibbs shared similar sentiments, "Yeah, it's definitely a little weird, especially the past three years we had a lot more success during the regular season. But it was a good win for us today."

The Panthers entered the 2012 Big East Tournament as the No.13-seed. Since 2006, the two times they've entered the tournament ranked outside one of the top three seeds, they've advanced to the Championship game, and won it all in 2008 as the No.7-seed.

Wouldn't that be a fitting way for Gibbs to end his Big East career?

After all, if there was one place in the world that embraced something like that, it would be Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse had no business winning the 2006 Big East Tournament, yet there they were, resting squarely on the shoulders of senior Gerry McNamara, cutting down the nets. If you need further evidence, look no further than Kemba Walker's tour of destruction last season.

This Pittsburgh team more than fits the role of the tournament darling. Like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers were ranked in the preseason Top-25. Like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers entered the tournament without a winning record in conference play, and failed to meet the lofty expectations set for the team. And like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers have a savvy, no-nonsense guard who is more than capable of putting the entire team on his back.

The point is, if there's going to be a team to make a run this year, it's going to be Pittsburgh. If there's a player that's going to lead a memorable run, it's going to be Ashton Gibbs. "Yeah, I think it's definitely possible. We're just going to take one game at a time and worry about our next game and keep going."

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Pics/Vids: Game 6: Marquette vs. Pittsburgh

Saturday, January 14th
Bradley Center, Marquette University
Marquette 62, Pittsburgh 57


Game 5 - Butler vs. Cleveland State
Game 4 - Indiana vs. Minnesota
Game 3 - Xavier vs. Duquesne
Game 2 - Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Game 1 - Belmont vs. Lipscomb

(The court-side entrance to the Bradley Center.)

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The addition of Pitt to the ACC could help spark old rivalry

Conference realignment kills rivalries.

Syracuse and Georgetown? Goodbye. Texas and Texas A&M? Thank you for your time. Pitt and West Virginia? You cannot use our backyard anymore. Sure, the prevailing though is that "fans will get over it" and that "new rivalries will be born". But do you think Jim Boeheim will want to waste one of his valuble non-conference games by traveling to Georgetown every other year?

Now, it is likely that "The Backyard Brawl" does continue in some fashion. Even if West Virginia stays put, this rivalry is too passionate to dissolve. The profiles of the two schools are too similar to just discontinue competition between each other.

But the addition of the Panthers to the ACC could help spark another non-conference rivalry that has been dormant for some time.

The last time Pittsburgh and Penn State played on the hardwood was 2005. From 2000 to 2005 they played five times, with the Panthers winning four of five. Despite this, The Nittany Lions still hold the edge 78-68 in a series that dates back to 1905. In fact, the two schools played each other every year from 1935 to 1982. But since '82, in which Penn State won in double-overtime 52-46, the schools have faced just seven times, including the 1992 N.I.T game .

Pittsburgh and Penn State are the two largest universities in the state of Pennsylvania, separated by just 140 miles. While Pitt's success comes on the court and Penn State the gridiron, a rebirth of this rivalry in both sports would be a good thing for the state, the universities and the conferences.

Why?

What better way to welcome Pittsburgh to the ACC/Big-10 Challenge than with a tilt against their in-state rivals. Of all the cross-conference challenges that exists, the ACC/Big-Ten Challenge is the only one that is held in high regards by the basketball community. Yes, it's true, the Big East/SEC Invitational is trying to get revitalized, but while Pitt/Tennessee might be a great game, it's nothing more than that. Pitt/Penn State would be a story, an atmosphere, a rivalry.

A meeting between the two schools in the Panther's first ACC/Big-Ten Challenge could revitalize a rivalry that existed for nearly half a century but hasn't been relevant for quite a while.
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Reactions to the end to Pitt/Butler

The ending to the Pittsburgh/Butler game may have been the most chaotic finish in March Madness history. The two fouls that were called in the last seven seconds will be the topic of debate until the Sweet Sixteen starts.

If you were on twitter when the series of unfortunate events took place, you may have noticed the near-flooding of the Twitter servers with reactions from around the world.

Instead of breaking down the end-of-game-situation, which you can find here, we have decided to provide the reactions and responses from the twitter universe from the last five second of the game.


First Foul - Butler leads 69-68. 1.6 seconds left.

@BubbaProg - HOW CAN YOU CALL THAT A FOUL

@BubbaProg - okay, fine, it's a foul.

@DanWolken - That's criminal.

@TomPenders - Really, they called a foul, really? Show me the replay.

@TSNMike - In what league is that not a foul?

@RealFreemanCBS - That was not a foul.

@RealFreemanCBS - Refs stole the game from Butler. Stole it. Lucky ass Pitt.

@theBigLead - Foul! Thank you!!

@BillyEdelin - hey, people that don't think that is a foul on shelvin mack: that is a foul on shelvin mack.

@RaphielleJ - That was a foul. Why the hell would you do that?

@SethDavisHoops - No question about the call, too. Refs having a great tournament so far.


Second Foul - 70-70 tie game. 0.8 seconds left.

@DGOneil1 - Wait, did Antonio Petty just call ANOTHER FOUL?

@DanWolken - That was a foul

@JayBilas - I'll see your stupid foul, and I'll raise you.

@Aglock - That also was a foul.

@PeteThamelNYT - Officials are melting down here in DC

@SethDavisHoops - I am as stunned as you are, but that is a foul. Don't know what Nasir Robinson could have been thinking.

@TomPenders - Wow, excellent officiating down the stretch. Gotta say the refs have the Wilsons in this one. Didn't quit on this game. No whistle swallowed.


Aftermath 71-70 Butler. Game over

@BillyEdelin - not over yet! matt howard still have .8 seconds to foul someone.

@Ballinisahabit - The craziest part is that both of those fouls were actually fouls. Wow, what a finish

@NBADraftBlog - Give the Refs credit - they made the right call - twice!

@TheUConnBlog - Both foul calls were real calls. Gary McGhee is the exact opposite of clutch.

@ESPN4d - That truly defies belief. And yeah, both calls were correct.

@MattJonesCBS - A ridiculous ending but ironically the two terrible calls cancelled each other out and Butler was the right team to win

@MattJonesCBS - I know that both of those calls can be defended, but I don't like the calls. Either way the right team won

@RaphielleJ - Those were both fouls. And if you're trying to correlate this to conferences you prove that you know nothing. Seriously.

@SethDavisHoop - Craziest thing about the ending is that they were both good calls. Haven't seen anyone write otherwise on Twitter.

@WhitlockJason - I agree with both calls. Glad refs didn't swallow whistles. #butler-pitt

@BrendanPrunty - Amazing thing is, both fouls were true. Swallowing whistle would've been crime. And really dumb of Pitt to have rebounders at end there.

@RealFreemanCBS - You don't make those calls. You don't. Now I'm off to Pitt locker room.

@JayBilas - Officials HAD TO CALL THOSE FOULS. Neither player should have been close, and both clearly fouled. Right team won. Drive and Smith's bucket!

@Art_Stapleton - I don't think you can make that second foul call. Yes, it was a foul, but in spirit of the game, you can't make that call.

@Art_Stapleton - Again, how many times have you heard coaches say "let them play" and hacking goes on all the time? That certainly could have been case there.

@WesRucker247 - I'm not a big referee guy, but you can't blame the refs for Pitt-Butler. Dumb plays gave the refs no choice.

@JPPalm - Both fouls had to be called. Both were unbelievably stupid, but they had to be called

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