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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 10:31 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2009

CBKB: Pitt's Dixon named Naismith men's coach of year

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Pitt coach Jamie Dixon has been named the Naismith men's coach of the year after leading the Panthers to a school-record 31 wins and the NCAA tournament regional finals.

The sixth-year head coach also guided Pitt to its first-ever top seed in the tourney and the school's first No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25. Dixon was an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii.

The Panthers fell short of the Final Four after a loss to Villanova on a last-second layup by Scottie Reynolds.

The coaching honor is presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, which announced the winner Tuesday.

Other finalists were Oklahoma's Jeff Capel, LSU's Trent Johnson and Kansas' Bill Self.