The Pitt basketball team finally arrived at a No. 1 Associated Press ranking Monday for the first time in program history. Pitt’s had great teams over the years, but for every step forward the program has made, there often have been at least two steps back. 6 in the Morning reminds you of how quickly things can change for the Panthers with a look at some head-shaking moments in Pitt basketball history:
1. Barry Goheen hits two 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds, including one at the buzzer to force overtime, and Vanderbilt goes on to defeat Midwest No. 2 seed Pitt 80-74 in the second round of the 1987-88 NCAA Tournament. To this day fans wonder why coach Paul Evans didn’t have his players simply foul Goheen. With a win Pitt would have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen to play Danny Manning-led Kansas, which didn’t match up well with the Panthers. Kansas, of course, went on to win the national title. It was the final game for Panther greats Charles Smith and Demetrius Gore.
2. Pacific upends the Panthers 79-71 in the NCAA first round. Pacific was the No. 8 seed and Pitt the No. 9 seed in the West, but c’mon; Pacific?
3. No. 9 Midwest seed Ball State, with Rick Majerus on the bench and Paris McCurdy on the floor, beats the No. 8-seeded Panthers 68-64 in the first round of the 1988-89 NCAA Tournament. It was the last win among 16 straight for the Cardinals, who lost to Final Four participant Illinois in the second round.
4. Pitt misses out on a NCAA Tournament bid in 1985-86, Smith’s freshman year, but gets into the NIT -- where it is dismantled by Missouri State 78-54.
5. Duquense beats Pitt 80-76 in a non-conference regular-season game, the Panthers’ first loss to the crosstown program since 1982.
6. Miami (Fla.), a conference newcomer that twice lost to Pitt in the regular season, upsets the Panthers 83-17 in the first round of the 1991-92 Big East Tournament.