ESPN Armed Forces Classic Program

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November 14, 2015 Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler Okinawa, Japan

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Welcome Distinguished Guests, Service Members, Friends and Neighbors,

LTGEN LARRY D. NICHOLSON

III MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE COMMANDING GENERAL

It is our absolute honor to welcome you all to Camp Foster for the 4th ESPN Armed Forces Classic. We are pleased to host Gonzaga University and the University of Pittsburgh basketball teams this year. Each year, ESPN has honored and celebrated the service, sacrifice and heritage of a branch of the Armed Forces. This year, ESPN rightly honors and spotlights the United States Marine Corps. The United States Marine Corps’ history and heritage here in the Indo-Asia-Pacific is profound and renowned. The Marine Corps forward-deployed expeditionary forces arrayed across the region reflect America’s great courage and commitment to our allies, partners and friends.

The spirit of a great contest and tough competition will be alive and electrifying here at Camp Foster. ESPN has provided a unique opportunity to call attention to our Armed Forces serving overseas, as we share this spirit of competition with our families and neighbors back home, in America.

We are excited to welcome the Gonzaga University Bulldogs from Washington and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers from Pennsylvania, to our current “home” here on Okinawa. We look forward to witnessing their athletic courage and commitment to achieving victory. We are overjoyed to introduce and share our nation’s best and brightest student-athletes with our Japanese friends. We also know that our student-athletes will enjoy the warmth, kindness, and generosity of the people here on the beautiful island of Okinawa.

BGEN JOAQUIN F. MALAVeT

MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS PACIFIC COMMANDING GENERAL

The men and women who serve in the Armed Forces today exemplify the very best qualities and characteristics of America. Our culture of honor, courage, and commitment is a clear reflection of our love for family and country, and serves as an inspiration to the young men and women here and at home. We thank our host-nation Japan, and the Okinawa Prefecture, for their friendship and support. Our relationship is meaningful and symbolic. We have a shared vision for enduring peace, stability and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and our commitment to that end is unwavering. We therefore thank ESPN for showcasing much more than a college basketball game.

Semper Fidelis and let the game begin!

LTGEN LARRY D. NICHOLSON III MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE COMMANDING GENERAL BGEN JOAQUIN F. MALAVET MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS PACIFIC COMMANDING GENERAL

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Marine corps History Founded at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pa., on Nov. 10, 1775, the Marine Corps remains

as relevant today as 200 years ago—the tip of the spear of U.S. military forces. From 1775-1900 Marines were employed mainly at ship detachments, naval yard barracks, and used as provisional forces for expeditionary services ashore. From 1900-1940, the Marines fought in small wars, including irregular warfare and counter-insurgency. From 1916-1991, Marines were part of conventional wars, including WWI, WWII, Korea and Desert Storm. In 1965, 2001, 2003 and presently, the Marine Corps conducted operations in hybrid wars, including Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and now against ISIS. Throughout our history, and especially today, the Marines are America’s 911 force—amphibious and expeditionary—an air-ground-logistics task force that specializes in quick crisis response.

Fast Facts about

the Marines

With the use of only 7% of the Department of Defense’s budget the Marine Corps provides:

Key LEaders Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. John M. Paxton, Jr.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green

21% 15%

of active infantry battalions

of fighter/ attack squadrons

19%

of artillery battalions

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Marine Expeditionary Units capable of being anywhere in the world and executing a full-scale amphibious raid in six hours.

Today, there are more than 180,000 activeduty and reserve Marines with about 30,000 deployed in more than 40 countries worldwide. The sun never sets on the Marine Corps because we are continually ready to respond across the globe to our Nation’s needs.

The Marine Corps is a benevolent warrior culture,

built with a strong emphasis on our core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment . Unlike other services all Marines regardless of rank or duty status (active or reserve) are required to receive basic infantry training as platoon commanders (for officers) or participate in Marine Corps Combat Skills training (for enlisted). The Marine philosophy is based around “centralized planning, decentralized execution” which means delegating the responsibility to the lowest level allowing for flexibility of execution of the commander’s intent (centralized plan).

Marine Corps Principles Every Marine is a rifleman first, trained in basic infantry skills.

Marines are always ready, relevant and forward-deployed.

Marines are innovative, adaptable and versatile– Marines win.

Marines do what is right for the Nation.

Marines keep their honor clean and take care of their own.

The Corps is a naval expeditionary force.

The Corps is an integrated combined arms organization of air, ground and logistics components.

The Corps is a good steward of our nation’s resources.

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Follow the Marine Corps at www.marines.com

https://www.facebook.com/marinecorps

http://www.youtube.com/marinecorps

http://www.twitter.com/usmarinecorps

https://instagram.com/USMarineCorps/

Marine Corps

Overseas Security

Cooperation

Our overseas security cooperation

includes training with allied and partner nations, mentoring and advising foreign security forces, fostering multinational interoperability, and using the expertise of our Foreign Area Officers.

Our amphibious forces are not only fighters, but also serve as trainers, mentors and advisors.

$22.8 BILLION

Marine Corps

Budget Fy15

Marine Corps Equipment Aircraft: F-35B Lightning II vertical takeoff and landing

strike fighter, AV-8B Harrier II vertical takeoff and landing fighter, F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor, UH-1Y Venom helicopter, AH-1Z Viper helicopter, CH-35E Super Stallion helicopter, KC-130J Super Hercules refueler/transport aircraft, and several Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Ground Vehicles: High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles

(HMMWV) Humvees, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) trucks, Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV) Growler fast-attack vehicles, Logistics Vehicle System (LVS) cargo carriers, Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) reconnaissance vehicles, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle (MATV), High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks, Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) armored personnel carriers, and many support/engineer vehicles to include firetrucks, bulldozers, cranes and more.

Weapons: M9 Beretta service pistol, M16 service rifle, M4 carbine,

OKC-3S bayonet, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), M240B medium machine gun, M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) rifle, .50 Cal heavy machine gun, hand grenades, M203 40 mm grenade launcher, M32 multi-shot grenade launcher, Mark 19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, 60 mm mortar, 81 mm mortar, FGM-148 Javelin antitank missile system, and M777 105 mm Howitzers.

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Marine Corps Roles and Missions

The Marine Corps is the Nation’s 911 expeditionary force in readiness. On a day-to-day basis,

we are forward-deployed, forward-engaged, and prepared for many types of crisis response within hours, from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief such as in Nepal this year, to rescuing downed pilots behind enemy lines such as in Libya in 2011, to anti-piracy missions such as the rescue of Capt. Phillips off the coast of Somalia in 2010. We are also ready to respond in the event of a major wartime contingency, such as the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade. The American people have come to expect us to do what must be done “in any clime and place” and under any conditions. They expect us to respond quickly and to win, despite the odds. That is what we do.

The expeditionary nature of the Marine Corps provides our nation’s leaders a tailored range of crisis-response options that are increasingly in demand in today’s world of varied security threats. Marines are capable of operating from the sea, and our expeditionary nature allows us to also operate effectively in hostile and austere conditions when we come ashore.

Marines will always “… be the most ready when the nation is least ready, to provide a ground and air striking force ready to suppress and contain international disturbances...”

– 82nd Congress 1952

Marines are at the front door of crisis and conflict—and we possess the finesse, the training and the tools to knock at the door diplomatically, pick the lock skillfully, or kick it in violently.

Partnership

with Japan

After the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami,

and our assistance to Japan in Operation Tomodachi in 2011, the U.S. Marine Corps recognizes it could be called to assist again. We work closely with the Government of Japan, the SelfDefense Forces, prefectures, local authorities and a variety of civilian organizations to promote preparedness and readiness through enhanced training, sharing lessons learned, reciprocal visits and exchanges, and furthering the face-to-face cooperation and interoperability that is critical when responding to natural disasters in order to save lives.

This includes preparatory work with Miyagi, Shizuoka, Wakayama, Kochi and Okinawa prefectures. On Okinawa, individual camps conduct disaster preparedness training with their city counterparts, resulting in a strong partnership which will reduce suffering in the event of a disaster. Recent exercises with our Okinawan friends and neighbors include Constant Vigilance 2014 and 2015, annual Okinawa Prefectural Disaster Exercises and the recent Churashima Rescue Exercise, which showcased Marine Corps, Japan Ground Self Defense Forces, Okinawan government and civilian agencies cooperating together all for the single goal of saving lives.

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Marine Corps Recent Operations World-wide 2001–2014—Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan 2002–2009—Horn of Africa counter-terrorism security efforts 2003–2010—Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003—Operation Shining Express - Liberia 2003–2004—Nation Assistance - Republic of Georgia 2004—Operation Secure Tomorrow - Haiti 2006—American citizen evacuation - Lebanon 2009—Combined Task Force 151 Counter-piracy - Somalia 2010—Operation Unified Response earthquake disaster relief - Haiti 2010—Flood Relief - Pakistan 2011—Operation Odyssey Dawn - Libya 2012—Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief - New York 2014–present—Operation Inherent Resolve - Syria and Iraq

III Marine Expeditionary Force Operations in the past 10 years in the Indo/Asia/Pacific Region Dec 2004–Mar 2005—Indonesia Tsunami Response Oct 2005–Mar 2006—Pakistan Earthquake Response Mar–Apr 2006—Philippine Mudslide Response May–Jun 2006—Indonesia Earthquake Response Mar 2007—Legazpi Typhoon Recovery Apr 2007—Solomon Islands Tsunami Response Nov–Dec 2007—Operation Sea Angel II Bangladesh May–June 2008—Operation Caring Response in Burma Aug 2009—Taiwan Typhoon Relief Oct 2009—Philippine Typhoon & Indonesian Earthquake Relief Oct 2010—Philippine Typhoon Megi Relief Mar–May 2011—Operation Tomodachi – Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster Relief Oct–Nov 2011—Thailand Flood Relief Dec 2012—Philippine Typhoon Bopha Relief Nov 2013—Operation Damayan - Philippine Typhoon Haiyan Relief April 2015—Operation Sahayogi Haat- Nepal Earthquake Relief

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Marine Camps

on Okinawa

Marines have a long history on the island of Okinawa

beginning in late World War II and continuing to present day. Today there are seven major camps and approximately 15,000 Marines stationed here. These camps are under the command of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and host the units of III Marine Expeditionary Force, America’s expeditionary force in readiness in the IndoAsia-Pacific region.

Marines have built a strong bond with our friend and neighbors, the Okinawan residents and many other countries in the region over the years through thousands of community relations and friendship events held annually. Operationally, Marines from Okinawa have responded to 16 different Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions over the last 10 years.

Whether responding to an earthquake in Nepal, a typhoon in the Philippines or teaching a weekend English class for Okinawan school children, the Marines of III MEF and MCIPAC continue to stand across the region as a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on for our friends, partners and allies in times of need. Our camps along the coast have evacuation route agreements through the base for local residents to escape in case of tsunami or typhoon. We thank Okinawa for hosting us, allowing the saving of lives across the region.

Camp Gonsalves home to the Department of Defense’s only Jungle Warfare Training Center, which provides expert instruction to prepare Marine and Joint Forces for the rigors of combat in a dense jungle environment.

Camp Schwab home to

the 4th Marine Regiment, Marines of 3rd MarDiv, and a rifle range.

Camp Hansen home to the

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Medal of Honor endurance course, a rifle range and Marines of 3rd MarDiv.

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma

home to many of the helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft of 1st MAW, UC-12 and UC-35 Operational Support Aircraft (which recently surpassed 100,000 safe flying hours) and is designated as a United Nations Command (rear) airfield.

Camp Kinser home to the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, several logistics units and extensive warehouse and supply operations to supply all the needs of the thousands of Okinawa Marines and their families.

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Camp Courtney home to III

MEF, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and 3rd Marine Division headquarters, family housing and commissary and exchange services.

Camp FOster home to Marine Corps Installations Pacific and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing headquarters, family housing, the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, schools, commissary and exchange services and several aviation, supply and logistics units.

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ARMED FORCES CLASSIC

BY THE NUMBERS

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GONZAGA

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PITTSBURGH

REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE TITLES IN SEASONS

5

(all but the 2011-12 season)

Senior PRZEMEK KARNOWSKI ranks fifth in blocks in Gonzaga history (112).

Senior Preseason All-American candidate Senior KYLE WILTJER leads the team in scoring (16.8) and three point field goal percentage (.466)

20 22 Set school records in 2014-15 with a 22game win streak and 35 overall wins

Gonzaga has won at least 20 games for 18 consecutive seasons

17

Gonzaga has made it to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 17 seasons.

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RETURNING STARTERS including All-ACC honorees Jamel Artis (3rd) and Michael Young (HM) and Seven of its top 10 scorers with 85 percent of its scoring, 74 percent of its rebounding, 86 percent of its assists.

85% SCORING

74%

REBOUNDING

86% ASSISTS

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ARTIS (13.6 ppg.) and YOUNG (13.4) form the top returning scoring tandem in the ACC. Pitt ranks among the nation’s top-6 programs in winning percentage (.765, 364-121) over the last 14 years.

9 70

PITT IS ONE OF ONLY NINE SCHOOLS NATIONALLY TO ADVANCE TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT IN 12 OF THE LAST 14 SEASONS.

number of consecutive games returning starter Michael Young has started at Pitt.

JAMES ROBINSON owns a career 3.29:1 assistto- turnover ratio, tops in ACC history (minimum two years and 300 assists).

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Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few Gonzaga University head coach

Mark Few has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I basketball annals in his 16 seasons at the helm, and in the process has made Bulldog basketball a household name across the country. He served as an assistant coach at GU for 10 seasons prior to taking the reins of the program.

Mark Few

Head Coach

Few has put together one of the most dominating runs in NCAA history, especially in the West Coast Conference.

The Zags have won or shared 15 regular season league titles in his 16 seasons (all but the 2011-12 season) and taken home the conference tournament championship 12 times. The Bulldogs won or shared 11 straight West Coast Conference regular-season titles from 2000 to 2011, which was the longest current active streak in the nation at the time and the second-best streak all-time in the NCAA Division I, ranking behind only UCLA’s 13 Pac-10 Conference titles from 1967 to 1979.

Few has led Gonzaga to an Elite Eight appearance (2015) and five Sweet 16 appearances (2000, ’01, ’06, ’09, ‘15), coached 10 All-Americans, six Academic All-Americans, 70 all-conference selections, 11 WCC Players of the Year, six league newcomers of the year and six league defenders of the year. Few has also cultivated NBA talent, including current NBA players in Kelly Olynyk, Austin Daye, Rob Sacre, Ronny Turiaf and David Stockton. He also helped recruit and develop Dan Dickau, Richie Frahm, Adam Morrison, Jeremy Pargo and Elias Harris, all NBA players. Morrison became the highestdrafted player in GU history when he was taken No. 3 overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006.

Entering the 2015-16 Season, Few: • Is the winningest active coach by percentage at .810 (438-103).

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• Ranks first for most wins after 16 seasons (438-103).

• Is in the Top 15 among active Division I coaches for most 20-win seasons with 16.

• Is tied for fifth for most consecutive 20-win seasons for active coaches with 16.

In 2015, Gonzaga took full advantage of that 17th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, making a run to the Elite Eight, before falling to eventual national champion Duke. The Zags won a school-record 35 games last season, including a record 22-game winning streak, and WCC regular season and tournament titles. Few was named WCC Coach of the Year in a sweep of league individual awards – Kevin Pangos, Player of the Year; Gary Bell Jr., Defender of the Year, Kyle Wiltjer Newcomer of the Year. In addition, Pangos and Wiltjer each earned multiple AllAmerica honors, including third team accolades from the Associated Press.

Few’s 2013 team also earned the school’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That team had a then school-record 32 wins before being eclipsed by last year’s squad. Olynyk was named a first team All-American and a first team Academic All-American, becoming just the fifth player since 2000 to accomplish that feat in the same season. One of the others, former Zag Dan Dickau, makes Gonzaga the only school with two players on that list.

While Few has achieved nationwide acclaim on the court, he and his wife, Marcy, are also active in the Spokane community. Mark and Marcy were honored for their philanthropy in June 2008 as recipients of the Nell and John Wooden Coaching Achievement Award by the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame based in Boise, Idaho.

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GONZAGA Much has changed for the Gonzaga

Bulldogs since advancing to their second Elite Eight in program history, but much remains the same. Gone is the stalwart backcourt of Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr., but what remains is perhaps the nation’s best frontcourt and a talented group of unproven but hungry guards ready to carry the Zags to new heights.

Frontcourt

Gonzaga boasts one of the deepest and best, if not the very best, frontcourts in the country this season. Led by Kyle Wiltjer, an offensive assassin who will garner a number of projections for pre-season All-American, the Gonzaga frontcourt is as deep and talented as you will find in college basketball. Wiltjer continues his development at Gonzaga as a multi-faceted offensive threat that can score in a variety of ways both inside and out.

Seven-foot-one Przemek Karnowski enters the year as a senior with the opportunity to be one of the most dominant big men in the country, while Domantas Sabonis’ tenacity and efficiency make him an important piece to Gonzaga’s success. He had a perfect field-goal percentage on seven occasions and shot nearly 67 percent for the year, and then spent the summer training with the Lithuanian national team. While everyone’s

SEASON PREVIEW

focus has rightly been on Gonzaga’s big three, seven-foot-one Ryan Edwards will also provide a valuable fourth big man for this Gonzaga team.

Backcourt

Much conjecture has followed the Gonzaga backcourt which loses two of the program’s winningest players in Pangos and Bell, along with sensational transfer Byron Wesley, who together formed the backbone of the Gonzaga backcourt last season.

While the country may not know Josh Perkins very well due to his early-season injury and Silas Melson, this duo is primed to make up the backcourt of the future for the Zags along with Bryan Alberts. Perkins is a dazzling pass-first playmaker who can score when needed.

Melson is a prolific, athletic scorer who lacked an opportunity to really get going his freshman season in limited minutes.

Alberts brings size and shooting ability that complements the other youngsters well along with a good defensive matchup for larger guards.

Kyle Dranginis will look to expand his scoring role this year, which he’s demonstrated at times throughout his career, along with a Swiss Army Knife ability to deliver whatever the team needs.

Eric McClellan will finally get a full year of playing time following his mid-year transfer and untimely foot injury that prolonged his absence last season. McClellan is an opportunistic and proficient scorer who handles the ball very well and matches up favorably with almost any athlete in the country.

Newcomers

Gonzaga welcomes a pair of the nation’s highest profile off-season transfers in Johnathan Williams and Nigel WilliamsGoss, along with redshirt freshman Bryan Alberts and walk-ons Jack Beach and Jeremy Jones. Williams, Williams-Goss and Jones will each sit out the season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Williams left Missouri after leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding last season, while Williams-Goss joins Gonzaga following two very successful individual years at Washington, including second team All-Pac 12 honors this past season. Jones joins Gonzaga from Rice University and will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules after giving up football for the opportunity to concentrate fully on basketball.

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2015-16gonzagaroster 0

Silas Melson

G 6-4 186 so.

Portland, Or

2

3

G 6-2 160 fr.

San Diego, Ca

G 6-5 203 sr. (rs) Nampa, ID

Jack Beach

13

Josh Perkins

Kyle Dranginis

Nigel Williams-Goss G 6-3 190 jr.

Happy Valley, Or

14

Johnathan Williams

G 6-3 185 Fr. (rs) Park Hill, Co

f 6-9 228 jr.

Memphis, Tenn

PrzEmek Karnowski

10

Bryan Alberts

G 6-5 198 Fr. (rs) Northridge, Ca

15

Rem Bakamus

G 6-0 167 jr. (rs) Longview, Wa

24

Ryan Edwards

C 7-1 290 sO. (rs) Kalispell, MT

Mark Few

Donny Daniels ASSISTANT COACH

Domantas Sabonis

F 6-11 240 so.

Kaunas, Lithuania

22

23

f 6-6 203 sr.

San Antonio, Tx

G 6-4 196 sr. (rs) Austin, TX

Jeremy Jones

25

C 7-1 287 sr.

Torun, Poland

HEAD COACH

5

Eric McClellan

33

55

F 6-10 240 sr. (rs) Portland, OR

G 6-3 178 so. (rs) Vancouver, B.C

Kyle Wiltjer

Tommy Lloyd ASSISTANT COACH

Dustin Triano

Brian Michaelson ASSISTANT COACH

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Pittsburgh Head Coach Jamie Dixon HEAD COACHING ACHIEVEMENTS

Jamie Dixon Head Coach

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• Four-time National Coach of the Year (2009 Naismith, 2010 USA Basketball, 2010 Jim Phelan Award, 2011 The Sporting News).

• Guided Pitt to three Big East Championships (2003-04 regular season, 2008 tournament, 2010-11 regular season).

• Set NCAA Division I all-time records for most victories after eight years as a head coach (216 wins), seven seasons (188) and six years (163). Also ranks third on the list after both nine years (238 wins) and 10 seasons (262). Ranks fourth after 11 seasons (288) and after 12 seasons (307).

• Led Pitt to the 2010-11 outright Big East regular season title, a league that placed an all-time record 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament that year.

• Became the only coach in NCAA Division I basketball to guide his team to the NCAA Tournament and win at least one game in each tournament over a span of six seasons (2006-11). Pitt is the only school to achieve that distinction during that period.

• Guided the 2009 USA Basketball Under-19 National Team to the Gold Medal at the FIBA World Championships during July 2009.

The team finished with a perfect 9-0 record.

• Led Pitt to the school’s second Big East Championship title in 2008, becoming just the second squad in league history to win the title after winning four consecutive games.

• In 2010-11, became the first and only coach in Pitt history to guide

Pitt to eight consecutive 20-win seasons and eight straight 10-win Big East regular seasons, the only Big East program to achieve those goals during that time frame.

• Led Pitt to its only two 30-win seasons in program history (31 wins in 2003-04 and 31 wins in 2008-09), first No. 1 ranking (200809) and first No. 1 seeds upon entering the NCAA Tournament (2009 and 2011) in school history.

• Only head coach in school history to lead Pitt to eight straight NCAA Tournaments (2004-11) and nine overall.

• Guided Pitt to three NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances (2004, 2007 and 2009).

• Concluded the 2012-13 season as the winningest coach in Big East history with a .658 winning percentage in league games (127-66, RS+T). His winning percentage ranks ahead of legendary Big East coaches including Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (.654), Georgetown’s John Thompson (.653), Louisville’s Rick Pitino (.653), St. John’s Lou Carnesecca (.635) and Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun (.634).

• Named Madison Square Garden’s College Basketball “Coach of the Decade” (2000-10).

• Is one of only nine coaches in NCAA Division I history to win over 100 games during the first four seasons of a coaching career.

• Tied an NCAA Division I record by reaching 200 career victories in only eight seasons. One of only 13 coaches in NCAA Division I history to reach 200 victories in 255 games or less.

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Pittsburgh PREVIEW SEASON

An uneven finish to the 2014-15 season

and an offseason littered with injuries have quelled outside prognostications for the Pitt men’s basketball team, but expectations inside the program remain high as the Panthers enter their third year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. AllACC forwards Jamel Artis and Michael Young along with senior point guard James Robinson headline a veteran-laden roster that features eight players with extensive Division I starting experience.

The Panthers registered a 19-15 record (8-10 ACC) and reached postseason play for the 15th consecutive season a year ago. Following a trip to the 2015 NIT and with a roster featuring a mixture of high-level veterans, talented transferring and rising prospects, head coach Jamie Dixon is poised to get the Panthers back on the biggest stage in March.

Young has started every game of his college career and has established himself as one of the top rebounders in the ACC. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and is second among returning ACC players in terms of offensive rebounds (3.3 orpg.).

Pitt’s post rotation features three new, yet experienced faces. The Panthers welcome a pair of graduate transfers in Rafael Maia (Brown) and Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (Richmond) as well as junior college addition Rozelle Nix (Pensacola State JC). Maia joins the program after leading the Ivy League in rebounding for the past three seasons, while Nelson-Ododa is an established shot blocker with 185 blocks over 94 career games (69 starts). Nix, highly-touted junior college prospect, earned first team All-Panhandle Conference honors a year ago after averaged 11.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Pitt returns eight letterwinners from a year ago, including Artis and Young, who combined to average 27.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.

Sophomore Ryan Luther also returns to provide the Panthers frontcourt with even more depth and versatility.

Artis, one of the ACC’s most versatile scoring threats, averaged 13.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game en route to earning third team AllACC honors. He is the top returning scoring in conference play after averaging 16.1 points in league play in 2014-15.

The Panthers have a great mixture of talent, experience and depth on the perimeter. Spearheading the rotation is veteran point guard James Robinson, who has started 102 of 103 career games. Widely regarded as one of the top point guards in the ACC, Robinson enters the year as

the league record—holder in assistto-turnover ratio and averages of 7.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.3 assist per game.

Junior Sheldon Jeter returns after averaging 4.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, while redshirt junior Chris Jones is back after averaging 8.5 points and making 41 three-point field goals last season. Cameron Johnson is also back after missing all but eight games last season with a shoulder injury.

Three newcomers will also have an impact in the backcourt. Graduate transfer Sterling Smith is an elite perimeter weapon with 934 points and made 159 three-point field goals over 93 career games at Coppin State. Jonathan Milligan joins the program after averaging 14.3 points per game and earning all-conference honors a year ago. Freshman Damon Wilson, ranked No. 73 in the ESPN Top 100, adds to an already deep backcourt.

Talented, tough and together will define a Pitt team ready to get back to the NCAA Tournament and crack the upper echelon of the ACC. It will take all three elements to navigate a challenging schedule that features 11 matchups with NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.

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GET CLOSER TO THE ACTION 2015-16 FOOTBALL EVENTS ADVOCARE TEXAS KICKOFF

ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL

HOUSTON, TX – NRG STADIUM

LAS VEGAS, NV – SAM BOYD STADIUM

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – TROPICANA FIELD

September 5, 2015

December 19, 2015

December 26, 2015

Texas A&M vs. Arizona State

Pac-12 vs. Mountain West OR BYU

American vs. C-USA

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www.LVBowl.com

www.StPetersburgBowl.com

MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL

ADVOCARE V100 TEXAS BOWL

PRESENTED BY DISNEY

ORLANDO, FL – ORLANDO CITRUS BOWL

September 6, 2015 Arkansas - Pine Bluff vs. South Carolina State

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HOME DEPOT COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS ATLANTA, GA – COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

MARMOT BOCA RATON BOWL

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL

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FT. WORTH, TX – AMON G. CARTER STADIUM

December 22, 2015

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HAWAI`I BOWL

BIRMINGHAM BOWL

HONOLULU, HI – ALOHA STADIUM

BIRMINGHAM, AL – LEGION FIELD

ATLANTA, GA – GEORGIA DOME

December 24, 2015

December 30, 2015

December 19, 2015

American vs. Mountain West OR BYU

SEC vs. American

MEAC vs. SWAC

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POPEYE’S BAHAMAS BOWL

ORLANDO KICKOFF

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – THOMAS A. ROBINSON NATIONAL STADIUM

ORLANDO, FL – ORLANDO CITRUS BOWL

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – UNIVERSITY STADIUM

December 24, 2015

September 5, 2016

December 19, 2015

C-USA vs. MAC

Ole Miss vs. Florida State

Mountain West vs. C-USA

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ZAXBY’S HEART OF DALLAS BOWL

FC / BLUE

FC / BLACK

DALLAS, TX – COTTON BOWL

MONTGOMERY, AL – CRAMTON BOWL

December 26, 2015

December 19, 2015

Big 12 vs. C-USA

OC / WH ITE

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Big Ten vs. Mountain West

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Big 12 vs. SEC

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RAYCOM MEDIA CAMELLIA BOWL USAGE GUIDELINES:

December 29, 2015

Mountain West vs. MAC

December 10, 2015

GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL

FC

HOUSTON, TX – NRG STADIUM

December 22, 2015

American vs. MAC

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DATE 102913

2015-16 BASKETBALL EVENTS

ARMED FORCES CLASSIC

ADVOCARE INVITATIONAL

OKINAWA, JAPAN - CAMP FOSTER

WALT DISNEY WORLD, FL - ESPN WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS

PRESENTED BY CORONA

November 13, 2015

November 26, 27 & 29, 2015

NEW YORK, NY – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

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December 8, 2015

Gonzaga vs. Pittsburgh

Alabama • Dayton • Iowa • Monmouth • Notre Dame Southern California • Wichita State • Xavier

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STATE FARM CHAMPIONS CLASSIC CHICAGO, IL - UNITED CENTER

DIRECTV WOODEN LEGACY

November 17, 2015

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – CAL STATE FULLERTON & THE HONDA CENTER

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November 26, 27 & 29, 2015

Kansas vs. Michigan State • Kentucky vs. Duke

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GILDAN CHARLESTON CLASSIC CHARLESTON, SC – TD ARENA

Arizona • Boise State • Boston College • Evansville Michigan State • Providence • Santa Clara • UC Irvine

BROOKLYN, NY - BARCLAYS CENTER

www.CharlestonClassic.com Bradley • George Mason • Long Beach State • Mississippi Oklahoma State • Seton Hall • Towson • Virginia

November 19, 20 & 22, 2015

PRESENTED BY CORONA

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STORRS, CT - HARRY A. GAMPEL PAVILION

Butler • Miami (FL) • Minnesota • Mississippi State Missouri State • Temple • Texas Tech • Utah

December 5, 2015 www.WomensJimmyVClassic.com Notre Dame vs. UConn

WWW.

HONOLULU, HI - STAN SHERIFF CENTER

December 22, 23 & 25, 2015 www.DiamondHeadClassic.com

PRESENTED BY WENDY’S

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WOMEN’S JIMMY V CLASSIC

SAN JUAN, PR – COLISEO ROBERTO CLEMENTE

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC

COLLEGE BASKETBALL AWARDS

November 26 & 27, 2015 Arkansas • Georgia Tech • Stanford • Villanova

PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF

Virginia vs. West Virginia • UConn vs. Maryland

Auburn • BYU • Harvard • Hawai’i • New Mexico Northern Iowa • Oklahoma • Washington State

NIT SEASON TIP-OFF

November 19, 20 & 22, 2015

MEN’S JIMMY V CLASSIC

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LOS ANGELES, CA - CLUB NOKIA

April 2016 www.ESPNEvents.com

1 1• 1 3 • 1 5

2015-16PITTSBURGHroster 0

James Robinson

G 6-3 198 sr.

Mitchellville, Md

1

Jamel Artis

F 6-7 220 jr.

Baltimore, Md

12

chris jones

G/f 6-6 213 jr. (RS) Teaneck, N.J

2

Michael Young F 6-9 235 Jr. Duquesne, Pa

15

Sterling smith

F 6-8 225 jr.

Beaver Falls, Pa

33

Alonzo Nelson-Ododa F 6-9 235 gs.

Atlanta, Ga

JAMIE DIXON HEAD COACH

Damon Wilson

G 6-5 200 fr. (rs) Powder Springs, Ga

21

Sheldon jeter

G 6-4 185 GS. Chico, CA

3

G 6-7 185 fr. (rs) Moon Township, Pa

35

Zach Smith

g 6-3 200 jr.

Smethport, Pa

Brandin Knight ASSISTANT COACH

Ryan Luther

50

Ryan Seelye

F 6-6 225 fr.

Saint Marys, Pa

Bill Barton ASSISTANT COACH

Rafael Maia

f 6-9 215 SO. Gibsonia, Pa

23

cameron Johnson

5

4

f 6-9 245 GS. Sau Paulo, Brazil

24

Mike Lecak

G 6-2 175 sr. (rs) Pittsburgh, Pa

25

Rozelle Nix

c 6-11 300 Jr. Cincinnati, Oh

55

Jonathan Milligan G 6-2 170 jr.

Orlando, Fla

Marlon Williamson ASSISTANT COACH

17

Armed forces Classic GAME Recap2012 TM

62 66

michigan state

Connecticut

November 9, 2012 RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany Shabazz Napier is fairly confident

that if Connecticut got its running game going, nobody could keep up with the Huskies. No. 14 Michigan State proved him right—falling to the Huskies 66-62 in the Armed Forces Classic held on November 9, 2012 in a hangar on U.S. Ramstein Air Base.

Kevin Ollie’s first game and win as the Huskies’ head coach was watched by former coach Jim Calhoun, who worked as play-by-play radio commentator. After the game, UConn players and Ollie ran and embraced Calhoun, the Hall of Famer who retired in September of that year.

Napier led all scorers with 25 points.

“We are too fast, we are a transition team and when we get going, no one can keep up with us,” Napier said. “We just tried to do what they did, transition. We got some easy rebounds, they came off the boards and we let them go.”

UConn led most of the game and by as many as 16 points during the first half.

18

“We executed the game plan and the game plan was to play hard. We stepped up to the plate, we took the challenge and we came up with a victory,” Ollie said.

Keith Appling scored 17 points and Branden Dawson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Michigan State.

spite rolling his ankle in the second half, and DeAndre Daniels added 12 for the Huskies.

The 14th-ranked Spartans hit just one of their first eight shots, while Connecticut made nine of its first 10, and raced out to a 20-6 lead on a 3-pointer from Napier.

A steal by Napier and a lob to Ryan Boatright made it 32-18 Huskies, who stretched that to 16. The Spartans closed the half on a 10-2 run, but trailed 40-33 at intermission.

Boatright rolled his left ankle less that 3 minutes into the second half and was hobbled the rest of the game.

Gary Harris scored to pull the Spartans to within two points at 62-60, but Denzel Valentine and Appling each missed a shot in the last minute that would have tied the game, forcing Michigan State to foul.

Napier hit four free throws in the final 13 seconds to seal the win.

Ryan Boatright had 13 points, de-

There were three UConn players hailing from Germany at the Classic: Niels Giffey scored three points and Enosch Wolf had two. Leon Tolksdorf did not play.

—ESPN

Armed forces Classic GAME Recap2013 82 75 Oregon

Georgetown

November 10, 2013

U.S. ARMY GARRISON HUMPHREYS, PYEONGTAEK, South Korea Joseph Young had 24 points and five

rebounds as No. 19 Oregon beat Georgetown 82-75 in a season opener played at a U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea.

Young, who made all 12 of his free throw attempts, and Jason Calliste, who scored 16 points and made all 11 of his free throws led Oregon to a win before hundreds of soldiers at Camp Humphreys, a U.S. Army base south of Seoul, the country’s capital.

Georgetown center Joshua Smith scored 25 points but only had four rebounds for the Hoyas, who closed within four points with a minute left. But Georgetown missed key free throws in the closing minutes, while Oregon hit theirs.

Georgetown was outrebounded 4032 and was just 1 of 15 from 3-point range. The Hoyas only led twice in the game —with the opening basket and then briefly early in the second half.

Markel Starks, a senior guard, helped keep Georgetown in the game, hitting the Hoyas’ only 3-pointer with 7:31 left and scoring 16 points.

cargo pants. Instead of names on the back of their jerseys, Oregon had “USA”; Georgetown had words like “Integrity,” “Courage” and “Respect.”

Oregon opened up an early lead in the first half off repeated turnovers and poor shooting by Georgetown, but the Hoyas closed within 37-34 at halftime. They were carried by forward Mikael Hopkins’ 10 points and Smith’s nine first-half points.

Both teams said that regardless of the outcome, the game was a unique experience.

—ESPN

For Oregon, Young had 11 points in the first half and Calliste had 12 at halftime. Mike Moser had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Ducks.

Oregon was listed as the “home” team, but both schools were far from home.

The teams played in special camouflage uniforms -- light-colored camouflage for Oregon, dark for Georgetown, and coaches on both teams wore combat boots and military-style

19

Armed forces Classic GAME Recap2014 68 81 Minnesota

Louisville

U.S.C.G. AIR STATION BORINQUEN AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico -- Rick Pitino

the first half on 5-for-6 shooting, including a 3-pointer to make it 29-16 with 6:38 left. The Gophers cut to a nine-point deficit, but Harrell dazzled the crowd with an emphatic alleyoop dunk during another Cardinals rally to take a 43-30 halftime lead.

proved he could have another title contender at Louisville. He just regrets it had to be at the expense of his son’s team.

After No. 8 Louisville’s 81-68 win over Minnesota on Friday night in the season opener for both teams, Pitino said he never should have agreed to play the Golden Gophers and their second-year coach Richard Pitino, his son.

“It was a nice event, but I really didn’t want to play this game,” said Pitino, who is now 2-0 against his son. “I hate the fact that we won. We don’t want to open up 0-1, but I didn’t want my son to open up 0-1. So for all the exposure, it was great until the end of the game. I rather have not played it, because my son lost.”

Montrezl Harrell had 30 points and Terry Rozier added 18 to lead the Cardinals in the Armed Forces Classic, played at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen in front of about 1,400 people, most of them in the military.

20

Minnesota showed why it was the worst team in the Big Ten last season in defensive efficiency with 19 fouls in the first half, including four starters with two fouls each.

The athletic Cardinals never let Minnesota get comfortable, holding the Gophers to 40 percent shooting and forcing 18 turnovers. They seemed surprised by Minnesota’s energy that included a 14-10 lead after freshman guard Nate Mason hit two free throws.

But the Cardinals’ freshman Quentin Snider sparked a 19-2 run with a three-point play and Minnesota had no answers for Harrell.

Harrell could have turned pro last season, but he showed off an improved jump shot with 17 points in

Andre Hollins kept Minnesota in the game with 10 of his team high 22 points in the first half. Starters Mo Walker, Joey King and Deandre Mathieu combined for just two first-half points. Walker and Mason finished with 10 points apiece.

Rick Pitino only returned two seniors to go with five sophomores and eight freshmen for his first season in the ACC. It was plenty on this night to go along with Harrell, who finished 9-for-12 from the field, and added seven rebounds. Chris Jones also had 13 points for the Cardinals.

—AP/ESPN