Pittsburgh Sports Insider

The Penguins last hosted the all-star game in 1990.

Graessle (6-4, 225) was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted rookie free agent out of the University of Pittsburgh in 2009, but was released prior to training camp. He was then signed to the California Redwoods of the United Football League (UFL) for the 2009 season.

London (6-4, 215) was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Massachusetts in 2007. He spent the 2007 season on the Giants’ practice squad and was released prior to the 2008 season. London was then claimed by the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 31, 2008, and appeared in 14 games (one start) with three catches for 30 yards. He was released by the Dolphins prior to the 2009 season

Gibbs scored 20 points, only the second time in 10 games he's reached the 20-point mark, and Dixon had 18 points and six rebounds while holding Colonials leading scorer Karon Abraham to two points over the final 24 1/2 minutes. Brad Wanamaker added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers.

Pitt (18-6) won its second game in three days after losing four of five and ended a nine-game winning streak by Robert Morris (16-9) for the second straight season. The Panthers took control by breaking out of a 32-all tie with 2:38 left in the first half and led 59-37 with 12:18 remaining.

Abraham scored 16 points, but didn't have a basket after hitting a 3-pointer with 5:34 left in the first half. His only points of the second half were two free throws with Pitt leading by 22 points with 6:06 remaining. Russell Johnson scored 11 points and Velton Jones and Mezie Nwigwe had 10 each for the Colonials.

For most of the first half, this was a rarity in the all-Pittsburgh matchup: a close game. Pitt is 28-0 in the series, all on its home court, with every victory by at least eight points. Since 1999, the Panthers' average winning margin is nearly 24 points.

The Colonials, an NCAA tournament team out of the Northeast Conference last season, took advantage of Abraham's fast start to go ahead 19-13. The 5-foot-9 freshman had 14 points as Pitt led only 30-29 late in the half, but he wasn't a factor offensively the rest of the game.

Once Abraham stopped scoring, the Colonials did, too. Pitt scored seven of the final eight points of the first half to take a 39-33 lead. Gilbert Brown's tip-in with 2:18 remaining - his first basket of the game - broke the 32-all tie and preceded Dixon's 3-pointer and Brown's own baseline drive.

Brown has been a streaky scorer lately, getting 25 points against South Florida and 23 against Seton Hall but not scoring against West Virginia while the Panthers were losing four of six. He finished with six points.

Gary McGhee didn't score in the first half, but dunked for the first two baskets of the second half as Pitt scored the first eight points after halftime to extend its run to 15-1. Robert Morris managed only a free throw by Rob Robinson over a span of 5:24, and had only three baskets during a stretch lasting 13 1/2 minutes in which Pitt took a 57-37 lead.

Pitt won its 47th consecutive home game against a non-conference opponent and is 75-1 against non-Big East teams in the Petersen Events Center.

*Courtesy:   Associated Press

MENS AP BASKETBALL RANKINGS

1) Kansas
2) Syracuse
3) Kentucky
4) Villanova
5) West Virginia
6) Purdue
7) Georgetown
8) Duke
9) Kansas State
10) Michigan State
11) Wisconsin
12) Tennessee
13) Ohio State
14) Texas
15) New Mexico
25) PITT

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Mark Letestu to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Letestu recorded his first career NHL goal (and point) in Pittsburgh’s 5-4 victory over Buffalo Feb. 1. Letestu, who made his NHL debut Nov. 14 against Boston, has appeared in seven games this season for Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Tim Wallace from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Wallace, 25, played in Pittsburgh’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday afternoon, recording three hits in 5:50 minutes of ice time.

Hazell, the Big East's No. 2 scorer with a 23.0 points per game average, had his second successive subpar game against Pitt with two points on 1-of-7 shooting in 32 minutes after not starting.

Hazell, held to nine points after getting into foul trouble during the Pirates' 64-61 victory on Jan. 24, scored 32 points in an 81-71 loss to No. 2 Villanova on Tuesday and had a combined 60 points in his previous two games.

Jermaine Dixon added 15 points for Pittsburgh (17-6, 7-4 Big East), which went on a 22-7 run after leading 41-37 -- causing the frustrated Pirates (12-9, 3-7) to draw three technical fouls during their third consecutive loss.

The victory was an important one for Pitt, which may drop out of the AP Top 25 after losing 70-51 to No. 6 West Virginia on Wednesday. The Panthers had lost four of five after vaulting to No. 9 in the poll and, with a rematch against West Virginia and a visit by Villanova awaiting in their next five games, the Panthers probably couldn't keep losing if they are to play in a ninth consecutive NCAA tournament.

Brown came out strong at the start after being shut out against West Virginia, scoring 11 points as Pitt took a 15-11 lead -- and causing a foot-stomping Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez to switch off defenders against Brown several times, once only 30 seconds into the second half.

Brown has scored 25 points (South Florida), 0 and 23 in his last three games.

Pitt still hasn't been swept in a season series by the Pirates since 1993-94. Seton Hall lost its 16th straight on the road against ranked teams dating to a 65-61 victory against then-No. 8 Pitt on March 3, 2006.

It was an unusual Big East home game for Pitt, with a weather-slimmed crowd of 6,681 that was only about half as large as the normal capacity turnout of 12,508 and the game was not televised.

A 2-foot snowfall that ended at midday led school officials to urge ticketholders to stay home and watch on TV unless they could walk to the Petersen Events Center. However, a planned ESPN Regional telecast that was to have been shown locally was scrapped early in the afternoon because of problems getting a full production crew to the arena.

Their election brings Pitt’s total to six inductees in Canton, joining linebacker Joe Schmidt (inducted in 1973), tight end Mike Ditka (1988), running back Tony Dorsett (1994) and quarterback Dan Marino (2005). 

   Both members of Pitt’s famed 1977 recruiting class, Grimm and Jackson became bedrocks on the Panthers’ dominant squads over the next four years. The pair helped Pitt to a 22-2 record over the 1979 and 1980 seasons, including a pair of Top 10 finishes in the polls. As seniors in 1980, they helped the Panthers to an 11-1 mark and selection by The New York Times computer poll as the country’s No. 1 team

As Pitt’s starting center, Grimm was at the heart of an impregnable offensive front. Marino once remarked, “There were games when my uniform never got dirty. There were games when I never hit the ground. That’s incredible.”

 A third-round draft choice of Washington in 1981, Grimm (Scottsdale, Pa./Southmoreland H.S.) went on to start 11 seasons at guard for the Redskins (1981-91) and helped lead the team to four Super Bowl appearances and three victories. He was voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1983-86) and was a first-team selection to the 1980s All-Decade Team. Grimm was an original member of Washington’s renowned “Hogs” offensive line, which also included another all-time Pitt great, Mark May.

 Now a highly respected coach in the NFL, Grimm currently serves as the assistant head coach, run game coordinator and offensive line coach with the Arizona Cardinals. He was the assistant head coach and oversaw the offensive line for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they won Super Bowl XL over Seattle, 21-10.

  Jackson (Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee H.S.) collected 290 career tackles at Pitt and still ranks 17^th all-time in that category. Paired with Hugh Green, Jackson helped form one of the most feared defensive end tandems in college football history. Jackson was an integral part of a Pitt defense in 1980 that ranked No. 1 in the country and surrendered just 11 points per game.

A second-round draft pick by New Orleans, Jackson spent 15 seasons in the NFL (1981-95). He compiled an incredible 128 sacks, which ranked third all-time when he retired following the ’95 campaign. Jackson recovered 28 fumbles (second most in NFL history) and forced 41 (fourth all-time). He broke up 118 passes.  

 In 1994, he signed as a free agent with San Francisco and earned a ring that season as he helped the 49ers to a 49-26 victory in Super Bowl XXIX over San Diego. Jackson was a four-time All-Pro selection and six-time Pro Bowler.

The Dukes (12-11, 3-6 Atlantic 10 Conference) led 57-50 with 6:55 remaining but the Colonials (12-10, 2-7) cut the lead to one, 64-63, on Damian Hollis' layup with 1:34 left.

Eric Evans' layup gave Duquesne a 66-63 lead and Melquan Bolding's free throw made it 67-63 with 41 seconds left.

Saunders, whose double-double was his 17th this season, rebounded a missed jumper by Lasan Kromah, was fouled by Aaron Ware and made both shots for a 69-63 lead with 28 seconds left.

Kromah scored 15 points and Dwayne Smith 14 to lead George Washington.

Duquesne's buses to the arena on Saturday morning broke down in the nearly 20 inches of snow that blanketed the D.C. area and the team had to take other vehicles to get to the game.

  LeBeau is part of a seven-member class that also includes offensive guard Russ Grimm, linebacker Ricky Jackson, running back Floyd Little, defensive tackle John Randle, wide receiver Jerry Rice and running back Emmitt Smith.

In August 2009, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee had named LeBeau and Little as finalists for the Class of 2010, and then they both received at least 80 percent of today’s vote by the overall selection committee to be elected.

“I would like to congratulate Dick on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Steelers’ President Art Rooney II said. “Few men in the history of the NFL have contributed more to the league as a player and coach than Dick LeBeau during his 51 years in the league. All of us with the Steelers are thrilled with his selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010.”

LeBeau spent all of those 14 seasons as a cornerback for the Detroit Lions, and he still holds the NFL record for that position with 171 consecutive games played. His 62 career interceptions currently rank seventh on the NFL’s all-time list and were third in the league at the time of his retirement following the 1972 season. LeBeau earned three trips to the Pro Bowl (1965-67) and led the NFC in interceptions with nine in 1970. He originally was drafted by the Cleveland Browns out of Ohio State, but he was waived during training camp and claimed by the Lions before the start of the 1959 NFL season.