Men’s Basketball: Panthers release 2009-2010 schedule

The Pitt men’s basketball team announced its finalized schedule yesterday, and fans waiting to… The Pitt men’s basketball team announced its finalized schedule yesterday, and fans waiting to get their first look at the Panthers will be able to do so on Oct. 27 at the Blue-Gold scrimmage.

After exhibitions against Slippery Rock (Nov. 1) and Coker College (Nov. 8), Pitt plays its first regular season game against Wofford at home Nov. 13. Pitt then hosts Binghamton (Nov. 17) and Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 19).

Pitt’s first games away from the Pete are in Kansas City for neutral-site games as part of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic against Witchita State (Nov. 23) and play either Iowa or Texas the next night.

After returning home to play Youngstown State on Nov. 28, the Panthers have their first away game, but only in name. Pitt is the away team when it takes on Duquesne in the City Game at Mellon Arena on Dec. 2. Pitt then plays New Hampshire at home (Dec. 4).

Pitt heads out once again for a neutral-site game, this time against Indiana on Dec. 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It finishes its out-of-conference schedule at home against Kent State (Dec. 12), Mount Saint Mary (Dec. 19) and Ohio (Dec. 22).

Big East play starts on Dec. 28 for the Panthers as they host DePaul. The Panthers then kick off the new year with road games at Syracuse (Jan. 2), Cincinnati (Jan. 4) and Connecticut (Jan. 13).

The Panthers come back home to face two of the league’s top teams in Louisville (Jan. 16) and Georgetown (Jan. 20). Then Pitt plays three of its next four on the road. It travels to New Jersey to face Seton Hall on Jan. 24, hosts St. John’s on Jan. 28, heads to South Florida on Jan. 31 and plays at West Virginia on Feb. 3.

For the second time Pitt plays Seton Hall, but now in Pittsburgh on Feb. 6. The Panthers take a short break from conference play and welcome Robert Morris to the Pete on Feb. 8, and then return to Big East action Feb. 12 to take on West Virginia at home.

Pitt finishes out its conference schedule at Marquette (Feb. 18), home against Villanova (Feb. 21), at Notre Dame (Feb. 24), at St. John’s (Feb. 27), home against Providence (March 4) and home against Rutgers (March 6).

The Big East tournament will be played March 9-13 at Madison Square Garden.