PITTSBURGH - Try typing Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown or Gary McGhee, plus game-winning shot, into a Google search.
You will find a few articles about players driving past this year's group of Pittsburgh seniors for winning shots but won't see one about them connecting on a shot.
Wanamaker, Brown and McGhee have had tremendous careers with the Panthers. The trio has gone 110-27 in their four years at Pitt, but none has had a defining moment.
Entering their final Big East tournament with a chance to become a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, all three will have plenty of chances to finally leave an unforgettable mark in Pitt history.
"We are happy with how we did this year, but this is just the first checkpoint," said Brown after Pitt defeated Villanova, 60-50, to clinch sole possession of the Big East regular season title Saturday. "After tonight, we're going to focus on New York [and the Big East tournament] and the opportunities we'll have there."
To be fair, the trio has made plenty of game-winning plays. They just happen to be in the middle of games, or not quite at the buzzer.
Whether it be an offensive rebound, taking a charge or diving for a loose ball, Wanamaker, Brown and McGhee have all done the little things to win games.
Brown changed Saturday's game with a 3-pointer to extend Pitt's lead to four and fuel a 14-2 run that put the contest away.
However, when it comes down to the final seconds, the trio has done more losing than winning.
In Pitt's 68-66 victory over Texas on Nov. 19, a game that could be key to the Panthers getting a No. 1 seed, junior Ashton Gibbs scored the final seven points. Against Rutgers, Gibbs made a 3-pointer to extend Pitt's lead to four with 58 seconds to play in a three-point win.
Gibbs also hit a game-winning 3-pointer against Providence last year and made a game-tying trey against West Virginia.
When the Panthers edged the Friars, 83-79 this year, it was sophomore Travon Woodall who scored the final four points.
Woodall hit a 3-pointer to put Pitt ahead by one with 12 seconds left against St. John's, but Dwight Hardy drove past Brown for the game-winning layup in the final second.
Brown later missed a jumper and a layup in the final minute of overtime against Louisville with the Panthers down by three points.
Wanamaker tried his luck against Notre Dame but missed a layup with 49 seconds left and Pitt down three in an eventual loss.
During the past 10 years in which Pitt has won either the Big East tournament or the regular season title six times, the Panthers have been known for not making the big shot to win close games in the NCAA Tournament.
One game-winner from Wanamaker, Brown or McGhee is all it would take to erase any failures the three have had in regular season close games throughout the years.
Seeing a senior come through with his career and legacy on the line might just be the spark this Pitt team needs to finally crash the Final Four party that has eluded them throughout their entire run under Jamie Dixon and Ben Howland.
"These seniors have given us leadership, on and off the court," Gibbs said. "They are very vocal in the gym every day. These guys have worked hard and improved in each game, and that's something I'll take away from this group of seniors."
Now that all the talking is done, all that's left is to hit that big shot that helps Pitt survive an inevitable NCAA Tournament scare and reach its potential.
Michael Boytim can be reached at mboytim@altoonamirror.com or 946-7521.
