Sports

Pitt Celebrates Homecoming with 'Midnight Madness'

An outdoor basketball court will be constructed on Bigelow Boulevard between the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union.

Fans will get their first glimpse of the 2012-13 Pitt men's and women's basketball teams when it hosts an outdoor "Midnight Madness" event on Friday, Oct. 12, as part of the University of Pittsburgh's homecoming activities—and in honor of the institution's 225-year anniversary celebration. 

The Pitt basketball teams will play on an outdoor floor constructed on Bigelow Boulevard located between the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union.

Lights and portable bleachers will be built, along with a video board. The teams will be introduced to the crowd and conduct several contests and promotional activities. Admission is free and open to the public.

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As part of Pitt's homecoming festivities, "Midnight Madness" will immediately follow the university's fireworks and laser show presented by the Pitt Program Council, which begins at 9:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of Learning. Should inclement weather occur, the backup location for "Midnight Madness" is the Petersen Events Center.

The Pitt men's and women's basketball teams begin their NCAA mandated practices earlier in the day. The Pitt men return three starters, seven of its top nine scorers and seven of its top nine letterwinners.

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In addition, the Panthers welcome a top-10 ranked recruiting class. The Pitt women's team returns eight letterwinners and four starters from a season ago, including Brianna Kiesel who was the only unanimous selection to the Big East All-Freshman team.

Pitt last hosted "Midnight Madness" prior to the 2003-04 season. In 2002-03, Pitt's "Midnight Madness" opened the brand new Petersen Events Center and featured a student ticket sale in which 2,800 students waited for the opportunity to purchase tickets.

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