Ten Memorable WVU-Pitt Games
February 08, 2006 05:12 PM | General
February 8, 2006
1. Jan. 14, 1970: West Virginia 67, Pitt 66 (OT)
The two teams got the new decade off to a good start with an overtime game that was interrupted while West Virginia All-American guard Wil Robinson was attempting a free throw when a Pitt student lobbed a dead fish onto the floor. Panther coach Buzz Ridle was asked to get on the PA system to address the fishy situation. Tossing dead fish and eel had become a customary way for Pitt students to show their displeasure for poor play and bad officiating, which both they believed were in abundance in the late 1960s.
2. Feb. 2, 1963: West Virginia 68, Pitt 67
Dave Roman’s last-second winning basket was waved off when a Pitt teammate signaled for a time out ahead of his shot. Bobby Lewis, Pitt’s baseball coach, was the clock operator and he instinctively stopped the clock before it ran out. Had he not, the game would have probably ended with a 69-68 Pitt victory. Instead of a mid-court celebration, dejected Panther fans left Fitzgerald Field House scratching their heads after witnessing West Virginia’s 13th straight victory in the series. Pitt supporters were either amazed at Roman’s terrific shot or Lewis’ superior reaction time.
3. March 6, 1982: Pitt 79, West Virginia 72
Pitt left the Eastern 8 Conference in grand style by upsetting No. 9-rated West Virginia 79-72 in the league championship game at Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. The Panthers lost two heated regular-season games to the Mountaineers by a combined eight points. West Virginia had the Eastern 8 player of the year in guard Greg Jones, while Pitt had no all-conference honorees. Pitt players and coaches were motivated by a statement Mountaineer coach Gale Catlett had made after a West Virginia victory in Morgantown, calling Pitt’s program “mediocre.” The Catlett quote was posted in Pitt’s locker room and remained there several years afterward.
4. Jan. 29, 1982: West Virginia 48, Pitt 45
Anyone remotely familiar with West Virginia-Pitt basketball games knows the name Jack Prettyman. He was the official that called a lane violation on Pitt’s Clyde Vaughan during Steve Beatty’s free throw with 14 seconds left that would have tied the game. Pitt coach Roy Chipman drew a technical foul after arguing the call helping the Mountaineers to put the game away. Chipman chased Prettyman all the way into the locker room and called the violation a “Mickey Mouse” call. “You’ve got to be looking for something like that to make that call,” Chipman said, probably then realizing that Prettyman resided in Moundsville, W.Va. “My kids got cheated.”
5. Feb. 11, 1941: Pitt 56, West Virginia 45
Feb. 11, 1941: a date that will live in infamy to Western Pennsylvania basketball fans. Well, not really. But it was a tough day for Pitt’s Eddie Straloski who was knocked senseless on a drive to the basket in the first half. He had to be administered smelling salts by Pitt coach “Doc” Carlson. Later after fighting for a loose ball with West Virginia All-American guard Scotty Hamilton, Straloski was served a right cross by Hamilton after nonchalantly flipping the basketball to the official and inadvertently hitting Hamilton in the head. Fans and players stormed the court and a near brawl ensued. It took 20 minutes to restore order.
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| Center Kevin Pittsnogle celebrates West Virginia's win over Pitt last year at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.
AP photo |
6. Feb. 23, 2005: West Virginia 70, Pitt 66
Anyone who thought West Virginia’s first win over Pitt was a fluke at the WVU Coliseum 18 days earlier were in for a big surprise when the Mountaineers turned the trick a second time in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers overcame a 14-point deficit with 9:29 to go to hand Pitt just its fourth loss ever at the Petersen Events Center. Center Kevin Pittsnogle led the way for West Virginia with 22 points.
7. March 5, 1949: Pitt 34, West Virginia 32
Pitt snapped West Virginia’s school-record 58-game home winning streak by overcoming a 32-30 deficit with six seconds left. With the ball under the West Virginia basket, a Mountaineer player was called for putting his foot on the baseline while inbounding the basketball and the ball was awarded to the Panthers. Do Do Cantera made a shot at the buzzer to put the game into overtime and Sammy David made the only basket during the overtime period to give Pitt the victory.
8. Feb. 26, 1951: Pitt 74, West Virginia 72
Pitt closed the Pitt Pavilion in style, beating rival West Virginia 74-72 in the final game at the obsolete facility. The Panthers won the game on a Scott Phillips bank shot in the closing seconds.
9. Jan. 15, 1983: Pitt 81, West Virginia 67
This was Pitt’s first game against West Virginia as a member of the Big East Conference and a controversy erupted before the game over whether or not the teams were going to use a shot clock. West Virginia coach Gale Catlett refused to allow his team to take the floor for the opening tip until a contract was produced stipulating that a 45-second shot clock was agreed to by both parties. Six players eventually fouled out of the contest.
10. March 3, 1970: Pitt 92, West Virginia 87
West Virginia had a big celebration planned for the final game at the old Field House down on Beechurst Ave. Following a West Virginia victory the school was to have everyone walk out onto the court and sing Auld Lang Syne. Pitt’s Kent Scott had other ideas, scoring 32 including 23 in the second half, to help Pitt to a stunning 92-87 victory. Instead of a raucous celebration, the West Virginia faithful just got up and quietly exited the building.
WVU associate sports information director Bryan Messerly and Pitt associate sports information director Greg Hotchkiss contributed to this list.
