Fields Points Pitt to Elite 8

This is a little bit of history, with even more possibly on the way.

For the first time since the NCAA tournament expanded to allow multiple bids from one conference in 1975, Pitt has a chance to play itself into the Final Four. And for the first time ever, the Panthers have won more than two games in the NCAA tournament. But Pitt, which last appeared in the Elite Eight with two wins in 1974, didn't make it easy.

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The game was a mix of offensive ugliness and some great defense. Shots by both teams that had no excuse not to fall, were missed or rushed with defenses on both sides contesting everything. In the end it came down to Pitt having a point guard that, pardon the cliche, defines clutch.

Levance Fields, had a horrible game for 39 minutes. He missed free throws. He made disturbingly errant passes. He couldn't hit a three. An absolute nightmare of a performance for the senior. Then, with Xavier having retaken the lead with under a minute left, Fields turned it all around.

He drilled a 25-footer with 47.1 seconds to go -- it was his first three of the night after missing four previous attempts and it gave Pitt a one-point advantage. After a Xavier timeout, Fields came up with a steal as the Musketeers were setting up the play. Despite his less than svelte physique, Fields raced down the court for an uncontested lay-up to put Pitt up by three with 27 seconds on the clock; in mere seconds, he completely changed the game and more than made up for his play up to that point.

Xavier appeared broken after that. Even when Terrell Holloway was fouled, he missed his second free throw and Pitt had little resistance at corralling the rebound. Even the Musketeers attempts to foul Sam Young at that point seemed half-hearted.

As for the Panthers, they continue to simply survive and advance through the NCAA Tournament. It hasn't been pretty, and they definitely have not been dominant. Still, they're now in the Elite Eight.

Also on FanHouse: Dan Graziano's Postgame Thoughts