MILWAUKEE -- Pitt will not have to look hard for game tapes or scouting reports on its next opponent in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers will be quite familiar Sunday with their second-round foe .

For the second consecutive season, Pitt will play Xavier in the NCAA tournament. No. 6 seed Xavier defeated No. 11 seed Minnesota, 65-54, Friday before the Panthers defeated Oakland, 89-66.

Pitt defeated Xavier, 60-55, in a third-round game a year ago to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in 35 years. That game was not easy. The Panthers needed some late heroics from point guard Levance Fields, who made a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left to give his team a 55-54 lead.

"We're familiar with them, so I guess that's better for us," senior guard Jermaine Dixon said. "Coach already has film from last year and this year, so we'll be well-prepared."

Xavier was the top-scoring team in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season, averaging 80 points per game. The Musketeers gave up 69.1 points per game.

Against Minnesota, the Musketeers grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and had 20 second-chance points. They were able to pull away late despite only shooting 34.3 percent from the field.

"They're a good team," junior center Gary McGhee said. "They grind it out, play tough, physical basketball like us. It's kind of like playing yourself a little bit, like practice. It's going to be a physical game, so we're looking forward to it."

A near-capacity crowd filled the Bradley Center for the Xavier-Minnesota game, but Pitt and Oakland played before mostly empty seats.

Two things caused the strange NCAA atmosphere. Minnesota brought a large contingent of fans, but the group left after the Gophers lost to Xavier. Then, a lot of local fans exited the building to go to bars and restaurants to watch Wisconsin's game against Wofford, which was being played at the same as the Pitt game.

"We looked around, but it's going to happen in the NCAA tournament," junior guard Brad Wanamaker said. "It's going to be an empty arena. Not too many people are going to come out. We had a good crowd from Pittsburgh to support us."

Oakland center Keith Benson came into the game touted as a potential NBA prospect, and he did not disappoint. Benson, a 6-foot-11 junior, scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

He was 9 for 19 from the field, 10 for 16 from the free-throw line. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon went deep into his bench to defend Benson because McGhee and Dante Taylor got into foul trouble. Little-used freshman J.J. Richardson played two minutes and picked up three personal fouls trying to guard Benson. Richardson also had three rebounds.

"He has very good hands," Dixon said. "The length and size is obvious. But he has good hands and he's well-coached. He keeps the ball up. And he plays with a very good point guard, too, so he's getting the ball in the right place, the right time. They did a good job of getting him the ball."

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