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Tickets now on sale for WVU basketball game at Pitt

By Matthew Peaslee

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 18: The bench of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 18, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 18: The bench of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 18, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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The WVU basketball team is now quite comfortable playing in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers have shown they are one of the most consistent teams in the league.

However, it’s easy to look fondly back on the old days in the Big East Conference. That truly was a basketball haven with legendary programs like Villanova, Syracuse, Georgetown and Connecticut. The WVU basketball team and Pitt were also in the upper echelon of that conference, which is now a shell of its former self.

West Virginia and Pitt’s rivalry on the hardwood, like the rivalry on the football field, collapsed when the two programs went their separate ways. The Panthers are now in the ACC and the WVU basketball team plays in the Big 12.

But come December, it will start to feel more like the golden days. The Mountaineers and Pitt will soon meet up again on the hardwood. On Dec. 9 at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, the Panthers will host the WVU basketball team for the first time since 2012.

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Tickets for that game went on sale today, Oct. 11, according to Pitt’s official athletic website. Face value for tickets looks to be $75 for upper level seats. It’s no question that this game will be the hottest-selling ticket for the Panthers all season. The Pitt basketball program has taken a step back since head coach Kevin Stallings took over last season after Jamie Dixon went to TCU.

The last time the Mountaineers and Panthers faced each other was at the Petersen Events Center. On Feb. 16 2012, the Mountaineers pulled off a 66-48 victory in what could have been the last Backyard Brawl. Instead, it was just a five-year hiatus as the match up returns to Petersen Events Center first, before going to Morgantown next season.

It really is a beautiful facility in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. Its modern design and superb lighting make it one of the most desirable locations to watch a college basketball game.

Come Dec. 9, though, it will be more enjoyable for WVU basketball fans than Pitt fans. Pitt is still slated to be a bottom feeder in the always-talented and competitive ACC lineup. The Mountaineers, on the other hand, will be picked to compete for the Big 12 title.

This year’s Mountaineers are a veteran team led by Jevon Carter. For the Panthers, there are 11 new players trying to find an identity, according to the Post-Gazette.

Next: All-time WVU basketball team

We are still in the middle of what could be an exciting football season, but it’s fun and easy to look ahead to basketball, especially when a classic rivalry is renewed.

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