Pittsburgh’s desire trumps Georgetown

NEW YORK — In the last two Big East Tournament finals, Pittsburgh’s saw its dreams of hoisting a Big East championship trophy dashed first by Syracuse and then by Georgetown. It seemed academic that the Panthers, playing four games in four days with just a seven-man rotation, were destined to end a third straight Big East season in the same disappointing fashion.

But in a business where lazy journalists use words like “heart,” “desire” and “passion” as throwaway lines, the 2008 Big East Tournament final went to the team who displayed those intangibles, the one who wanted it more. While Georgetown seemed intent on winning in a clinical fashion, the Hoyas quickly learned that a championship in this 16-team behemoth is won only by those who show the willingness to bleed for it.

Pittsburgh defeated Georgetown, 74-65, to win the Big East Tournament title on Saturday night, led by tournament Most Outstanding Player Sam Young’s 16 points and senior Ronald Ramon’s 17. Teammate Levance Fields added 10 points and six assists and earned All-Tournament honors as the catalyst for an offense that Georgetown, the nation’s leader in field-goal defense, couldn’t contain all evening.

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