In this decade, it's almost like death and taxes.  The Pitt Panthers have made the Final in the Big East Tournament every year except 2000 and '05.  The only problem has been getting the win, as they had only one,  in 2003.  Well, now they can say they have two. 

The Panthers overcame Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette, and finally No. 1 seed Georgetown to win the Big East Tournament.  Pitt joined Syracuse in 2006 as the only teams to win the tournament after playing on the first day.

Ironically enough, the last improbable win over Georgetown was the only one against a team that hadn't beat them in the regular season.  Pitt was able to avenge losses over Cinnci, Marquette, and Louisville.

Georgetown almost look unstoppable in their first two games.  What Pitt did that West Virginia and Villanova didn't was answer Georgetown when they went on their runs.  Georgetown jumped out to a 6-0, and held a 22-15 lead midway through the first half.  The Hoyas were used to punching and knocking out.  Pitt took the blows and kept counter punching. 

Georgetown did seem a bit surprised that Pitt didn't go away early.  After all these two teams met in the final last year, and Georgetown absolutley steamrolled Pitt.  What made a differance is that they didn't have a big man that was afraid of Hibbert this time around.  DeJuan Blair is undersized center at 6'7, but he has a passion and tenancity to his game that most don't have.  Blair and Tyrelle Biggs battled Hibbert all night, and never allowed him to get into a rhythm.  The Pitt guards locked down their counterparts, and Pitt was able to build a big lead in second half.

In all of their games, Pitt overcame some dreadful foul shooting.  It was e####ally bad last night, as Georgetown began fouling Pitt at the 4 minute mark.  But Pitt has shown a kind of weird ability to hit them when it counts.  DeJuan Blair missed two foul shots at the end of regulation that could have sealed the Louisville game, but Pitt made all 9 fouls shots in OT.  Lavaunce Fields was a terrible 1-8, but at the end of the game hit 3 of 4.

This is the second Big East Title for Pitt.  This was most of the surprising of the two.  Pitt played some pretty inconsistant ball down the stretch, getting blown out at West Virginia in their second to last game.  Some thought the Panthers needed a win in the finally against DePaul just to secure a spot in the tournament. 

But Pitt showed the type of toughness and grit that has become asscioated with the program this decade.  I myself thought Pitt was pretty much one and done.  Credit Sam Young for taking the Panthers on his back and taking them to the final game.  There was also big contributions from Ronald Ramon, Gilbert Brown, Blair, Fields, and role players Keith Benjamin and Biggs. 

I am still not sure of the Panthers Big Dance chances, you would figure all the poor foul shooting performances would have to catch up with them sometime.  But, if the Panthers play like they did these last four days, a deep run isn't out of the question. 

Also, you think Pitt wants to play all their games at MSG?  They went undeafeated there this year, including their dramatic win over Duke in December.