Home >  Sports >  U. of Pittsburgh

Sunday, January 20, 2002

By Phil Axelrod, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

WASHINGTON -- Don't waste your time trying to make sense of Pitt's 68-67 victory against Georgetown yesterday. It defies logic.

	More on Pitt: Womens' Basketball WVU wallops Pitt, 80-63

In a game with as many twists, turns and subplots as an Agatha Christie mystery, Jaron Brown's rebound follow with eight seconds left off Brandin Knight's missed shot from the wing provided the winning points for the Panthers (16-3, 4-2 Big East Conference).

But Pitt couldn't celebrate until Drew Hall's wide-open 3-pointer attempt ricocheted high off the rim with three seconds left. Georgetown's rally from a 17-point deficit in the final 8:31 took the breath from most of the 8,589 at MCI Center. The comeback also gave Pitt's players a sinking feeling because the Panthers had blown leads in the final minutes of losses in their past two games.

Pitt Coach Ben Howland dusted off his playbook to come up with a new-fangled zone, and he dug deep into his bench to shake the cobwebs off seldom-used Chevon Troutman. Julius Page rediscovered his shooting touch from beyond the arc to score a season-high 18 points that included four 3-pointers.

The catalyst for the victory was Troutman, a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman who hadn't gotten off the bench in the previous four games and had made only one field goal since Dec. 8, nine games ago.

Troutman, who started the second half and played a season-high 19 minutes, had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. He also anchored the middle of Pitt's zone that befuddled the Hoyas and helped the Panthers take their biggest lead, 62-45.

"Nobody we play expects him to do anything, but we know what he can do," Page said of Troutman. "I'll bet their scouting report doesn't mention him because he doesn't play much. They're probably thinking, 'Who's this guy?'"

Troutman sat out last season because he was a partial academic qualifier under NCAA rules after a superb career at Williamsport High School.

"I'm glad I could show people I could play," said Troutman, who played with his back to the basket like he did in high school and made 4 of 5 shots from the field. "I've always had confidence, but I wasn't sure what they wanted me to do. I'm just ready to be on the court. I feel comfortable wherever I'm playing."

Troutman had been playing on the perimeter.

Howland inserted Troutman in the final three minutes of the first half with Pitt trailing, 32-21, and both its big men, Toree Morris and Ontario Lett, in foul difficulty. The Panthers went to a zone for one of the rare times this season and scored the final eight points to trail at halftime, 32-29.

"They had trouble with it. It made them more preoccupied with their offense than harassing us with their defense," Howland said of the Hoyas (11-6, 2-3), who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

"Coach just stuck it in yesterday and we walked through it in our hotel room," Troutman said, smiling.

The zone's focus was to surround Georgetown's Mike Sweetney with as many bodies as possible. It left the Hoyas with good looks from the perimeter, but they kept misfiring. When Troutman went out for his first breather of the second half, the Panthers held a 62-51 lead after Georgetown's Gerald Riley and Tony Bethel hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions.

Howland put the Panthers back into a man-to-man defense, but they couldn't handle Sweetney, a bullish 6-8, 260-pounder whose 24 points included 16 of 18 from the free-throw line.

However, Sweetney made only one of two attempts with 42.5 second left to push Georgetown in front, 67-66.

Pitt, which had become unraveled in the final minutes with turnovers and Brown's two missed free throws, didn't get the play or the shot it wanted at the end. It was designed for Page or Knight to come off a double-screen for a baseline jumper.

"Brandin pulled it out and got a good look," Howland said. "Brandin had an unbelievable game."

Knight, who didn't practice Thursday or Friday because of tendinitis in his right calf, played 38 minutes with a noticeable limp. He had 11 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and only 2 turnovers.

"We were lucky to pull this victory out," Howland said. "We got a little bit tired at the end."

The first half was streaky and foul-filled, with Georgetown outscoring Pitt, 15-0 and 22-2, to take its biggest lead at 32-21 on Bethel's two free throws with 2:30 left before intermission.

That's when Troutman made his appearance and Pitt's fortunes were reversed.

"It's all about creating opportunities," Howland said. "I'm really proud of Chevon. He's the first guy on the bench getting up to support his teammates."

Troutman might be spending less time on the bench.

"He's earned more minutes," Howland said. "We have to get him in the game."

NOTES -- Brown's seven rebounds helped Pitt outrebound Georgetown, 35-28. ... Pitt's biggest lead in the first half was 19-10. ... Pitt had 13 assists and 13 turnovers; Georgetown had 13 and 11. ... Sweetney had three of Georgetown's seven blocks. ... Pitt made 14 of 25 shots in the second half and Georgetown 9 of 24. ... Pitt's next game is Tuesday against Syracuse at Fitzgerald Field House. Syracuse is No. 7 in USA Today/ESPN and No. 8 in The Associated Press.