FACTS & STATS: Site: Pepsi Center (19,309) -- Denver, Colorado. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Oral Roberts 2-4, Pittsburgh 17-20. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Making an unexpected splash in the Big East Conference Tournament, the Pittsburgh Panthers now begin their journey in the first round of the 70th annual NCAA Tournament this afternoon as they challenge the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Slotted as the fourth seed in the South Region, Pittsburgh avenged a loss to Georgetown in the Big East title game a season ago by claiming a 74-65 victory last weekend. For a team that has appeared in the championship round of the tourney in seven of the last eight years, it was just the second trophy for the Panthers during that run. As for the Golden Eagles, who are in this event for the third straight year and the fifth time overall, they ran the table at the Summit League Tournament for the third year in a row, this time, defeating IUPUI in the final game by a score of 71-64. Oral Roberts, which has a record of 2-4 in the NCAA Tournament over the years, took care of both Centenary and IPFW in the earlier rounds of the event, pushing the team to 24-8 on the season. Now competing in their 20th NCAA Tournament and a school-record seventh straight, the Panthers have a record of 17-20 overall in the event. The winner of this first-ever meeting will take on the winner of the Temple/Michigan State outing in the second round on Saturday.

What is most remarkable about the Golden Eagles this season is that they managed to post the most wins in conference history (16) despite losing a pair of 2,000-point scorers from last year's squad. Filling the gap for Scott Sutton, who was named the 2008 Summit League Coach of the Year, was Robert Jarvis who was not only a member of the All-Summit First Team, but he was also the Sixth Man of the Year and a part of the All-Newcomer Team in the Summit after leading the squad with 16.1 ppg on 40.9 percent shooting from three- point range. Moses Ehambe, another sharpshooter beyond the arc at 40.2 percent, was responsible for 11.7 ppg, while Adam Liberty (9.7 ppg) accounted for a team-best 106 assists as he tried to atone for 38.6 percent shooting from the floor. Maintaining a presence in the paint was Shawn King (9.7 ppg) with his team-high 6.6 rpg and a total of 65 blocked shots. From a defensive standpoint, Oral Roberts limited opponents to just 61.4 ppg this season on 39.7 percent shooting from the floor.

Pittsburgh had just one player named to the All-Big East First or Second Team this season, that being Sam Young who made the cut on the former. Young is the seventh player in school history to make it onto the All-Big East First Team as he led the program in scoring with 18.0 ppg and was second on the glass with close to six and a half rebounds per game as well. In addition to being a force on the inside for the Panthers, Young also brought defenders out to the perimeter with his 39.3 percent accuracy beyond the arc. DeJuan Blair was an easy choice for the All-Rookie Team in the Big East as he placed second on the team with his 11.7 ppg and was the most dominant rebounder for the group with a shade over nine rebounds per game. Although he was lost for a number of games with an injury, there's no denying that Levance Fields (11.1 ppg) brings the leadership that Pitt needs, responsible for 124 assists which was second on the unit. Because of his energy and enthusiasm, it makes it a bit easier to overlook his mere 36.4 percent shooting from the field and 25.8 percent behind the three-point line.

Buoyed by finally getting over the hump in the Big East Tournament, the Panthers should have plenty of momentum to carry them through the first round of this tourney.

Predicted Outcome

Pittsburgh 68, Oral Roberts 60