page_title: Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
section_title: Jamie Dixon era (2003–2016)
hierarchical_section_title: Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball / History / Atlantic Coast Conference (2013–present) / Jamie Dixon era (2003–2016)
caption_attribution_description: English: The University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team, then ranked #3, in a game against the #1 ranked UConn Huskies at the Petersen Event's Center on March 7th, 2009. Pitt won the game, nationally broadcast on CBS, 70-60.
context_page_description: The Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and plays their home games in the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers were retroactively recognized as the pre-NCAA Tournament national champion twice by the Helms Athletic Foundation and once by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. Pitt has reached one Final Four, received 15 First Team All-American selections, appeared in 26 NCAA and nine National Invitation Tournaments and through the 2019–20 season, and has recorded 1,631 victories against 1,189 losses since their inaugural season of 1905–06.
context_section_description: Jamie Dixon, Howland's assistant at Northern Arizona and Pitt, was named head coach of the team in 2003. Under Dixon, the Panthers continued the progress begun under Howland, registering a third straight Big East regular season championship (2004), a fourth straight appearance in the Big East Tournament championship game (Pitt 58, UConn 61) and a third straight appearance in the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen. With Dixon at the helm, Pitt's success continued with frequent national rankings, four Big East tournament championship game appearances in five seasons (2004, 2006, 2007 2008), a Big East Tournament Championship in 2008, and NCAA tournament appearances in nine of ten years under Dixon's leadership (2004–11, 2013), including trips to the Sweet Sixteen (2004, 2007, 2009) and Elite Eight (2009).
  The 2008–09 season was notable for several historic accomplishments. The Panthers were ranked #1 in the Associated Press poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll for the first time in school history, claiming the #1 spot for a total of three weeks. On February 16, 2009, the #4 ranked Panthers defeated the #1 ranked UConn Huskies, 76–68, for Pitt's first-ever win versus a #1 ranked team. The Panthers repeated the feat on March 7, 2009, when the #3 ranked Panthers again defeated #1 ranked UConn again, 70–60, for Pitt's second-ever win versus a #1 ranked team. In doing so, Pitt became only the seventh school in NCAA Division I history to defeat two #1 ranked teams in the same season. On Selection Sunday, March 15, 2009, the Panthers received their first ever No.1 seed (East Region) in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. They reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1974. Pitt's 76–78 last second loss to fellow Big East Conference foe Villanova in the East Regional final for a trip to the Final Four became an instant classic. In 2009, Dixon broke the record for the most victories in the first six seasons as a Division I head coach and won the Naismith Coach of the Year award.
  The success of the 2008–09 season continued over to the 2009–10 season, somewhat unexpectedly. Having lost the talents of Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields, the Panthers were picked in a pre-season Big East poll to finish ninth in the conference. Instead, Pitt earned a 13–5 Big East record, good enough for a second seed in the Big East tournament, received a third seed in the NCAA Tournament, and finished 25–9 overall record. In 2010–11, Pitt won the regular season Big East title and, for a second time in the program's history, earned a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
  The program achieved a school record 10-straight seasons with at least 20 overall wins, 10 conference wins, and an NCAA Tournament appearance from 2002 through 2011. Dixon, who has been named as a national coach of the year in three separate seasons, guided Pitt to NCAA Tournament appearances in his first eight seasons as head coach, and is the only head coach in school history to guide Pitt to eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2004–2011).
  The Atlantic Coast Conference announced in September 2011 that Pitt and Syracuse would be leaving the Big East and had been accepted as members of the ACC, which would grow from 12 to 14 teams. Pitt officially joined the ACC on July 1, 2013.
  In 2011–12, Pitt failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but managed to again surpass 20 wins for the 11th consecutive season and qualify for the College Basketball Invitational for a 12th consecutive post-season appearance. Pitt defeated Washington State in the Finals in a best 2 out of 3 format to win the post-season tournament.
  Dixon's record at Pitt stood at 262 wins and 86 losses (.753 win percentage) in ten seasons (2003–04 through 2012–13), second in school history behind only Carlson. His league record of 127–66 in ten seasons made him the winningest coach in Big East history with a .658 winning percentage in league games and tournaments. .
  On March 31, 2010, Pitt extended Dixon's contract by two years, making him Pitt's head coach through 2017–18 season. Dixon signed another contract extension on March 23,
caption: The early minutes of a game against number one ranked UConn in 2009 at the Petersen Events Center. A portion of the Oakland Zoo can be seen at the bottom. Pitt won the nationally televised game 70–60.
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