Arguably one of the region's best college basketball rivalries will be sticking around for at least two more years.
Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke announced on Thursday that the men's basketball rivalry series with West Virginia would be extended for two additional seasons (2021-2022, 2022-2023). The current agreement was set to expire following the upcoming season.
The newest chapter of the series, which began during the 2017-2018 season, has seen West Virginia win the first three meetings of the original four-year agreement. The Mountaineers have also won the last four contests in the all-time series.
In 2017-2018, #18 West Virginia defeated Pitt at the Petersen Events Center by a 69-60 score. West Virginia (26-11, 11-7 Big 12) would go on to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where they were defeated by Villanova, the eventual national champion. Pitt (8-24, 0-18 ACC) fired head coach Kevin Stallings after two seasons and a 4-32 record in conference play.
In 2018-2019, Pitt traveled to the WVU Coliseum, where the host Mountaineers bested the Panthers by a 69-59 mark. West Virginia (15-21, 4-14 Big 12) would play into the College Basketball Invitational quarterfinals, where they were defeated by Coastal Carolina. Pitt (14-19, 3-15 ACC) showed significant growth under first-year head coach Jeff Capel.
In 2019-2020, back in Pittsburgh, a close first half saw West Virginia break away in the second half en route to a 68-53 victory over Pitt. West Virginia (21-10, 9-9 Big 12) was set to play Oklahoma in the conference tournament quarterfinals and were a lock to make the NCAA Tournament prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pitt (16-17, 6-14) was defeated by NC State in the ACC Tournament and would have missed the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
The two schools first met in 1905 at the Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburgh. Pitt (then known as Western University of Pennsylvania) defeated West Virginia, 30-25. The schools have met a total of 187 times, with West Virginia having a 99-88 edge in victories.
Although the rivalry was always prominent, it became even bigger when both schools joined the Big East Conference, where both competed with each other from 1995 to 2012. West Virginia joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012-2013, while Pitt joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013-2014. In their final Big East meeting in February of 2012, the Mountaineers defeated the Panthers by a 66-48 score.
The new agreement will see the Panthers travel to Morgantown during the 2021-2022 season, while the Mountaineers will come back to Pittsburgh for the 2022-2023 season.
Due to the new contract extension, Pitt will play at the WVU Coliseum for two consecutive seasons. The Panthers are set to travel to Morgantown for a date with the Mountaineers on Friday, November 13.
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