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No. 8 Pittsburgh set for first-place battle with Georgetown

Feb 24, 2007 - 3:39 PM No. 8 Pittsburgh (24-4) at No. 12 Georgetown (21-5) 2:00 pm EST

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- With first place in the Big East Conference on the line, Pittsburgh travels into unfriendly territory without its best player.

The eighth-ranked Panthers hope to claim sole possession of first place in the Big East when they visit No. 12 Georgetown on Saturday.

The Panthers (24-4, 11-2 Big East) likely will be without injured 7-0 center Aaron Gray for a second consecutive contest.

Pittsburgh's leading scorer and rebounder, Gray suffered a sprained left ankle in last Saturday's game against Washington.

The Panthers are riding a school-record six-game conference road winning streak. However, they will have the hands full with the Hoyas, who have won 10 straight contests - all in conference - for the first time since the 1983-84 season.

The Hoyas (21-5, 11-2) last won 11 straight during the 1994-95 campaign.

Pittsburgh, which has won seven of its last eight contests, won the first game between the teams this season, 74-69, on January 13. Mike Cook led four players in double figures with 18 points as the Panthers shot 57 percent (28-of-47).

Pittsburgh is coming off Monday's 71-68 triumph at Seton Hall. Levance Fields scored 15 points, including several down the stretch, and Levon Kendall added a season-high 14 for the Panthers.

Georgetown, which has not lost since its last meeting with Pitt, beat Cincinnati, 75-65, on Wednesday. Green scored 21 points and Jonathan Wallace added 17 as the Hoyas overcame an early 10-point second-half deficit.