March 15, 2008
New York, N.Y. - Pittsburgh's Ronald Ramon scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as the Panthers broke open a close game with an 8-0 run midway through the second half en route to a 74-65 win over Georgetown in the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas, who were seeking to win the BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament titles for the second-straight year, fall to 27-5 overall and await NCAA Tournament selections on Sunday. Pittsburgh improves to 26-9 overall. The Panthers led by three points at the half, 31-28, and a basket from senior center Roy Hibbert (Adelphi, Md./Georgetown Prep) and a three-pointer from junior guard Jessie Sapp (New York, N.Y./National Christian Academy [Md.]) pulled the Hoyas to within two points, 35-33, early in the half. Pittsburgh would push its lead back to six points on one of two free throws from Levance Fields and the Hoyas narrowed the gap to five points, 47-42, on a layup from senior forward Patrick Ewing, Jr. (Marietta, Ga./National Christian Academy [Md.]) with 8:40 to play, but the Panthers scored eight straight points and took their biggest lead, 55-42, on a jumper from Keith Benjamin. The Hoyas did not relent and used a 9-2 run to pull within four points, 55-51, on a Hibbert shot, but the Panthers hit 11-of-16 free throws in the final 2:36 to hang on for the win. A pair of conventional three-point plays from Ewing in the final 2:20 got Georgetown within six and five points on two occasions, but it was not enough. Pittsburgh finished the game shooting 45.1 percent from the floor (23-of-51) and hit 22-of-44 free throws while holding a 41-29 advantage in rebounding. Georgetown had jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game after a free throw from sophomore forward DaJuan Summers (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh), a Hibbert hook shot and a three from Sapp. The Panthers caught fire and took a 13-11 after eight-straight points from Gilbert Brown. The lead changed hands two times in the next minute and the Hoyas trailed 15-14 after a Ramon put-back basket, but the Hoyas used an 8-1 run to take a 22-16 lead on a three from Sapp with 8:25 to play in the half. Pittsburgh, however, used an 8-0 run and took a 24-22 lead after a jumper from Tyrell Biggs and a free throw from Levance Fields. A pair of baskets from Hibbert tied the game at 26-all, but the Panthers outscored Georgetown 5-2 in the final four minutes of the half to take a 31-28 lead at the break. Georgetown shot 46.3 percent from the floor (25-of-54), hit 33.3 percent of its three-pointers (8-of-24) and was 77.8 percent from the free throw line (7-of-9). Hibbert, who was named to the All-Tournament team with Sapp, scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, while senior guard Jonathan Wallace (Harvest, Ala./Sparkman) added 12 points and five assists.
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