Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Pitt's Mike Cook celebrates at the buzzer after the Panthers struggled to contain a Virginia Commonwealth comeback, finally edging them to an 84-79 overtime win in the second round of NCAA tournament play at Buffalo's HSBC Arena.

By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Whew!

That wind blowing from the north last night was not a wintry gust from the shores of Lake Erie. It was the gigantic sigh of relief coming from Pitt coach Jamie Dixon after the Panthers' 84-79 overtime victory against Virginia Commonwealth last night in an NCAA second-round game at HSBC Arena.

Pitt was on the brink of making NCAA history with a second-half collapse of epic proportions. The Panthers blew a 19-point lead with 12 minutes remaining and had to tie the score in the final minute to force overtime.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Keith Benjamin dives for a loose ball against Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor in the first half yesterday in Buffalo, N.Y. Click photo for larger image. Scouting Report Game: Pitt (29-7) vs. UCLA (28-5) in the West Region semifinals. When: TBA, Thursday. Where: HP Pavilion, San Jose, Calif. TV: KDKA. Radio: WWSW-FM (94.5). Related articles Pitt Notebook: Gray, Cook make most of limited opportunities Collier: Fields the remedy for Pitt's choking Cook: It's still possible to get Pittsnogled Women's hoops a novelty no more Pitt women must combat Dukes' experience Women's Regional NCAA Notebook: Coach proves she still has 'it'

But by the end of a furious 45 minutes of unforgettable basketball, including a nail-biting overtime period, Pitt did just enough to avert disaster and moved on to the third round.

"I'm relieved," Pitt senior Levon Kendall said. "That's the biggest thing. I haven't hit the happy stage yet."

With the victory, Pitt (29-7) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past six seasons. The Panthers will play UCLA (28-5) Thursday at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. It will be Dixon's second Sweet 16. His first came in his rookie season in 2004 when the Panthers lost to Oklahoma State, 63-51, in a regional semifinal in East Rutherford, N.J.

Pitt was having its way with VCU and appeared headed toward a cakewalk into the Sweet 16. But the Rams, who overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to beat Duke Thursday night, clawed their way back into the game by forcing turnovers with their full-court press.

Pitt committed 11 of its 16 turnovers in the second half, and VCU capitalized by outscoring the Panthers, 37-18, in the final 12 minutes.

"It never felt like the game was going to be over," Pitt senior center Aaron Gray said. "They had so much fight."

The final 12 minutes were played at a frantic pace that suited VCU. Pitt still led, 63-52, with five minutes remaining, but that lead was quickly shaved to six after a 3-pointer from Jesse Pellot-Rosa, a five-second violation for failing to inbound the ball by Pitt and another 3-pointer by B.A. Walker.

Eric Maynor cut the lead to three with 2:07 remaining. Levance Fields turned the ball over trying to break the press and Walker came back at the other end and converted a 3-pointer to tie the score, 67-67, with 1:42 remaining.

Pellot-Rosa gave the Rams their first lead of the game after putting home an offensive rebound with 52 seconds left, but Sam Young scored on a layup five seconds later to tie it again.

VCU missed on its next possession, and Pitt rebounded with 18 seconds to go. Fields drove to the basket and was fouled by Pellot-Rosa with two seconds left. A 79-percent free-throw shooter, Fields proceeded to miss both, and the game went to overtime.

"After missing the two free throws, my teammates and coaches came up to me and told me to put it behind me," Fields said. "We had five more minutes to get the job done."

Fields would play a key role in the overtime period. Pitt took the early lead in overtime by going to Gray for a basket down low and then a free throw after he was fouled. But VCU cut the lead to one after Michael Anderson made two free throws with 3:42 remaining.

On Pitt's next possession, the Panthers were having trouble getting a shot. With the shot clock winding down, Fields made a 3-pointer to make it 75-71.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Sam Young dunks for two of his 15 points off the bench yesterday against Virginia Commonwealth in the Panthers' 84-79 win. Click photo for larger image. Listen In: Postgame commentary by Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon and players on the overtime second-round victory with observations about Virginia Commonwealth's comeback: Coach Jamie Dixon: Proud of how the team handled the VCU comeback and overtime pressure Guard Levance Fields: Missing two key free throws; making a key 3-pointer in OT Forward Levon Kendall: The VCU comeback drive. Forward Levon Kendall: The missed free throws, coming back in OT. Center Aaron Gray: Handling the game's setbacks and the pressure in overtime. Guard Ronald Ramon: How Pitt lost the lead, and found the way back to win.

"That's the type of player he is," Gray said. "He was so mad going into overtime. He did a great job of regaining his composure. There was no way he was going to let us lose that game. That's the type of leadership he has for this team. He kind of exemplifies what this team is all about. We're not going to roll over and die. It would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselves after blowing a 19-point lead, but we didn't do that."

After a VCU missed shot, Ronald Ramon made a 3-pointer to make it 78-71 with 2:14 left. Once again, it seemed like the game was over. It was not.

With 1:19 remaining and Pitt ahead by seven, VCU scored six consecutive points. Maynor brought the Rams to within one, 80-79, with 22 seconds to go. The Rams fouled instead of going for a steal. Mike Cook, who had played only seven minutes in the second half because of a bruised knee he sustained at the end of the first half, stepped to the free-throw line with 19 seconds left. Cook coolly sank both to make it 82-79.

"I knew they were going in," Cook said. "I usually make them in clutch situations. I shot it the way I know how to shoot it."

VCU had one last chance, but Walker missed a 3-point attempt with 11 seconds remaining. Sam Young, who had missed several free throws in the waning moments of regulation, was fouled and made two from the line to salt the game away.

"I don't think there were any doubts in their minds that we would win this game," Dixon said. "That was the feeling in the huddle and what we talked about."

"That's what this tournament is about," senior guard Antonio Graves said. "They weren't going to give up. We never let our guard down. And that showed in overtime. We showed the true character of our team."