Not long ago, the Pitt basketball team was happy just to get to the NIT. Not anymore. The Panthers are used to winning, even in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Jamie Dixon ranks in a tie for eighth all-time among NCAA Division I coaches in victories during his first three seasons. Dixon’s three-year total of 71 is tied with that of Jerry Tarkanian, who won 71 in his first three seasons at Long Beach State (1968-71), and Dick Hunsacker, the current Utah Valley State coach who won 71 in his first three seasons at Ball State (1989-92). No. 9 Pitt (20-4, 9-4 Big East) is working on its fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament and third under Dixon. A victory tonight against Providence (12-12, 5-8) at Petersen Events Center would give the Panthers one more victory than last year’s total of 20. It also would assure them of remaining tied with West Virginia for third place in the Big East standings heading into Monday’s showdown against the 14th-ranked Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va. And, of course, it also would help to ease the pain of a tough 84-82 loss at Marquette in the Panthers’ most recent game Feb. 18. Pitt, prior to taking the past week off, lost three of its past six after a 17-1 start, yet Dixon hasn’t lost confidence in the team. “We’ve gotten better all year long. We’re playing well,” he said, though quick to acknowledge a lapse in team defense and an increase in turnovers by the Panthers. “Our four losses have all been by a couple of baskets.” The team’s average margin of defeat is a mere 3.5 points per game. “We’ve been there every game,” Dixon said. “We haven’t had a game where we just came out and didn’t play or played that poorly. We’ve been consistent in what we’re doing.” That includes getting to the NCAA Tournament. Pitt has flourished since it moved into the Petersen Events Center at the start of the 2002-03 season after years of playing home games at antiquated Fitzgerald Field House. “Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon are two of the finest coaches in America,” Providence coach Tim Welsh said of Dixon and his predecessor at Pitt. “But I also think Ralph Willard (Howland’s predecessor) was a heckuva good basketball coach, too. But he didn’t have the Petersen Events Center.” Welsh, who is in his eighth year at Providence, is hopeful that planned renovations at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., where Pitt defeated the Friars, 85-77, last week, two days before the Panthers’ loss at Marquette, will come to pass in the next year or so. He said it could cause a similar basketball revival for his program, which missed the postseason last year and is attempting to keep its slim hopes alive this year. “You need all the components to run a program,” Welsh said. “These days at this level — at the highest level — you need great coaching, great recruiting, great scheduling and great facilities. We need to get to that point, and we’re short on the one part right now. Hopefully, we can get over the hump to make us a more consistent winner.” Providence, which has an enrollment of 3,770, is the smallest NCAA Division I school competing in one of the six major conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, Big 10 and Southeastern). Among the members of the six conferences, only Seton Hall (9,600), Northwestern (7,700), Georgetown (6,537), Vanderbilt (6,319), Villanova (6,295), Wake Forest (3,857) and Providence have enrollments of less than 10,000. Welsh echoed the ongoing sentiments of many other coaches regarding the need for top-notch facilities by saying, “Certainly that helps recruiting. You’ve seen it with the different programs and what they’ve done with facilities. It’s coincided with the rise of their programs, and Pittsburgh is a great example.” Additional Information:

Fast Starts

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon is among the all-time leaders for victories during the first three seasons of a coaching career. Entering tonight’s game against Providence, Dixon has compiled 71. A look at the all-time list of coaches with at least 70 victories in their first three seasons, listed by coach, team, years and record: Mark Few, Gonzaga, 1999-02, 81-20 Everett Case, North Carolina, 1946-49,80-16 Bill Guthridge,North Carolina,1997-00, 80-28 Thad Matt, Butler/Xavier, 2000-03, 76-20 Roy Williams, Kansas, 1988-91, 76-25 Jim Boeheim, Syracuse, 1976-79,74-14 Bill Carmody, Princeton, 1996-99, 73-14 Jamie Dixon, Pitt, 2003-06, 71-18 Jerry Tarkanian, Long Beach State, 1968-71, 71-13 Dick Hunsaker, Ball State, 1989-92, 71-26 Denny Crum, Louisville, 1971-74, 70-19 Don Donoher, Dayton, 1964-67, 70-19 Pat Foster, Lamar, 1980-83, 70-20 Pete Gillen, Xavier, 1985-88, 70-22 Tim Welsh, Iona, 1995-98, 70-22 Randy Ayers, Ohio State, 1998-92, 70-23 Steve Lavin, UCLA, 1996-99, 70-26 Speedy Morris, La Salle, 1986-89, 70-29

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