Pitt's Berenato thrilled with fan turnout
Traffic was knotted in Oakland for the Pitt-Tennessee second-round NCAA Tournament game Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center, leaving a stream of fans outside well after the opening tip. Inside, before a large crowd, eighth-seeded Pitt was fighting for its life against top-seeded Tennessee. In the end, the Volunteers (30-3) were too much, finishing with a 68-54 victory that ended Pitt's first NCAA Tournament season at 24-9.
"The crowd was awesome," Pitt coach Agnus Berenato said. "When we made those (two) runs, it was electric. To me, that's what I dream about. When I talk to people, they have to think I'm whacked. I wish I would have stopped and turned around and looked at it, because that's a memory that will last forever."
• Tennessee star Candace Parker finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds for her 29th career double-double and 19th this season. But the 6-foot-4 sophomore fell short of career highs in both categories (34 points, 17 rebounds).
"Candace Parker is special," Berenato said. "She's the best guard in the country, she's the best forward in the country, and she's the best center in the country." Berenato likened Parker's play to former college greats Cheryl Miller, Nancy Lieberman and Ann Meyers.
• Tennessee's victory advances the Volunteers to their 26th consecutive Sweet 16 under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, but the woman who notched her 943rd career victory had nothing but praise for Pitt.
"Tonight's probably going to be a wake-up call for a lot of people seeing this Pitt team against our team and the way it performed," Summitt said. "People in the profession know and respect what Agnus has done."
- Dave Mackall
