Pitt Muscles Its Way Past Oral Roberts

Panthers continue late-season roll with sixth straight win
By Mitch Pritchard,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 20, 2008 7:05 PM CDT
Pitt Muscles Its Way Past Oral Roberts
Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair, left, and Levance Fields celebrate in the final minutes against Oral Roberts during the first round of the NCAAs today. Pittsburgh beat Oral Roberts 82-63.    (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Fourth-seeded Pittsburgh is playing its best basketball in March instead of January or February this season, and it paid off again today with an 82-63 win over Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, reports the Associated Press. Levance Fields led the Panthers with 23 points as they won their sixth straight game.

The Panthers (27-9) shocked the Big East last week by winning the conference tournament. Sam Young also had 14 points for the Panthers, but DeJuan Blair might have been the most important Pitt player with eight points and 10 rebounds. His 265-pound frame in the middle forced Oral Roberts (24-9) to stay out of paint and shoot jumpers most the game. (More March Madness stories.)

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