The Backyard Brawl moniker is also used for the basketball rivalry between the two schools , which dates to February 17 , 1905 . The teams began competing annually since 1918 , and have played each other at least once every season since then . Pitt began playing basketball in the Big East Conference in 1982 – 83 , with the Mountaineers joining in 1995 – 96 . The basketball rivalry has heated up over the last several years as each team has been among the best in the country and the games have taken on added significance . On February 9 , 2006 , for the first time in the history of the series , in the 169th edition , Pitt and WVU were both nationally ranked as they squared off in Pitt 's Petersen Events Center . Pitt won , but a few weeks later , the two ranked teams played at WVU Coliseum with the Mountaineers winning . In the 2008 – 09 season , the Panthers swept both games during the regular season and came into the tournament ranked No. 2 , but were upset by the Mountaineers in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament
Big East Tournament
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
Backyard Brawl