Ben Howland was hired as head coach of the Panthers in 1999 – 00 and led them to sustained success for 4 seasons . In Howland 's second season ( 2000 – 01 ) , the Pitt team , led by senior standout Ricardo Greer and All-American guard Brandin Knight , advanced to the Big East Tournament championship game and NIT . In Howland 's third ( 2001 – 02 ) and fourth ( 2002 – 03 ) seasons , Pitt won back-to-back Big East regular season championships , appeared in back-to-back Big East tournament championship games and won the Big East tournament in 2003 . Pitt advanced to consecutive NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteens ( 2002 , 2003 ) . For his success in the 2001 – 02 season , Howland was named the Big East Coach of the Year , Naismith College Coach of the Year , and won the Henry Iba Award as best college basketball coach as named by the United States Basketball Writers Association . Following the 2003 season , Howland left Pitt for the only job he said he would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for : the head coach position at UCLA
Big East tournament in 2003
2003 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball