Pittsburgh, Young -- My 2009 NCAA Champions

Today I was completely impressed by the Pittsburgh Panthers and their superstar Sam Young.

Young had 31 points and 11 boards as the Pittsburgh Panthers became just the seventh team since 1966 to beat two No. 1 ranked teams in the same season, the last North Carolina over Duke in 1998. -- both PITT wins were over UCONN.

In both wins over UCONN, Young scored a combined 56 points, getting 25 in the 76-68 victory on February 16th.

Pitt (28-3, 15-3 Big East) had never beaten a No. 1-ranked team in school history until this year. They've got one hell of a case for a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

Pittsburgh won this game for multiple reasons, one being because of the court vision of Levance Fields, who had seven assists. Fields was able to lead the fast break, getting ahead of UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet and not allowing him to set-up his defense. Fields was able to find Young, a senior playing his final home game, for a driving layup through traffic to make it a 54-50 game. Just a little before that Fields set Young for an above the rim put-down off a high alley-oop pass.

Pittsburgh could be cutting down the nets at Ford Field. They have only lost three games this season, all to solid Big East foes -- Villanova, Louisville and Providence. This team has what it takes to win a championship with a solid big man in DeJuan Blair, a field general point guard in Levance Fields and a slashing, shooting, dunking, intimidating flyer in Sam Young.

One reason I really like this team is because Fields reminds me of once NCAA champion Khalid Al-Amin, who was born in Minnesota and played for UCONN. Al-Amin was part of the 1999 All Tournament team. Khalid (5'10", 200) was built just like Fields (5'10", 190) is: low, strong, stocky and quick. Fields doesn't score as much as Al-Amin did because he doesn't have to, but he averages more assists than Al-Amin did.

Pittsburgh is starting to become a NCAA Men's Basketball powerhouse. They have made it to the big dance each of the last seven seasons, yet PITT has never reached an Elite 8. Last year the Panthers were ousted by the Spartans of Michigan State in the second round, in 2007 they lost to UCLA.

I have a feeling that this year Pittsburgh will make it out of the third round.