Pitt avoids Big East’s upset epidemic

Associated PRess

MILWAUKEE

Even on an off day for leading scorer Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh wasn’t about to become the latest Big East powerhouse to bow out in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown had 17 points each, leading a total of six Panthers players who scored in double figures as third-seeded Pittsburgh shook off a slow start to rout No. 14 seed Oakland 89-66 in the West Regional on Friday.

Dixon said the Panthers were well aware of what happened Thursday, when Big East teams Georgetown, Notre Dame and Marquette all lost to lower seeds.

“We watched the games,” Dixon said. “We’re student-athletes, we like watching basketball. The Big East took some hits but that’s not our main concern. We worry about what we have to do. We worried about Oakland.”

Brown’s strong performance off the bench was a boost for the Panthers (25-8), who are making their ninth straight NCAA appearance and have advanced to the round of 16 in five of the previous eight. They’ll try to continue that streak Sunday against No. 6 seed Xavier, which defeated 11th seed Minnesota 65-54 earlier Friday.

Keith Benson scored 28 points for the Golden Grizzlies (26-9), who played much of the first half without Derick Nelson after an elbow from Panthers center Gary McGhee opened a cut over his left eye.

“We didn’t make shots,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe said. “Are they bigger than the teams we normally play against? Yes. But you look around this thing and the teams that get the upsets are the teams that make shots.”