COLLEGE BASKETBALL Solid game helps keep Pitt perfect

Brandin Knight had 10 assists and five steals for the unbeaten Panthers.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Brandin Knight didn't have a field goal or a rebound until less than five minutes remaining in a long-decided game. Regardless, he was easily the most dominating player on the floor.
Knight's playmaking led No. 2 Pittsburgh on a 15-4 run just before halftime and the Panthers, relying on their defense to break open the game, cruised to a 65-41 victory over George Mason on Saturday.
Knight had 10 assists and five steals, and Jaron Brown scored 13 points as Pittsburgh (9-0) matched its best start since the 1987-88 season, the last time it was ranked No. 2. This is the Panthers' best start in coach Ben Howland's four seasons.
Pitt is 38-6 over the last two seasons and has yet to be challenged this season. The Panthers' closest game was a 15-point victory over Duquesne in their opener, and their average victory margin is 27 points.
Trouble shooting
The smaller, not-as-quick Patriots (5-4) had trouble handling Pitt's size and superior inside play, and never got any closer than 11 points in the second half. The Patriots shot 25.9 percent, 15-of-58.
"I don't know who our shooting coach is, but we've got to fire him," George Mason coach Jim Larranaga said. "It was a terrible game for us from start to finish. For us to make only 15 of 58 shots -- I don't care who the opponent is -- is ridiculous."
George Mason isn't the only Pitt opponent that has left the new Petersen Events Center saying much the same thing. The Panthers have held four of their first nine opponents to 49 or fewer points, with two more scoring in the 50s, and are 7-0 in their new home.
"I said to the team before the game, let's hold them under 50 points," said Knight, a third-team All-American last season. "We can demoralize the other team with our tenacious defense. Once we get it into their heads they can't score, it starts working on them."
Knight didn't get his first field goal until 4:36 to play, but his ballhandling and defense were largely responsible for Pitt's decisive run.
George Mason shot less than 20 percent for much of the first half -- the Patriots finished the half 8-of-33 -- but trailed only 21-16 with five minutes left in the half.
Knight got Pitt going with an excellent pass through traffic to Julius Page for a layup that made it 25-18, then stole the ball on his way back down the floor and fed it ahead to Brown for a layup.
"His defense was just outstanding," Howland said.
Page later had a steal that led to the second of consecutive baskets by Chevy Troutman, and Knight added a free throw and Page drove for another layup to finish off a streak of nine straight points that made it 36-20 at halftime.
Pulling away
With Pitt leading 44-33 in the second half, Ontario Lett scored from the inside on consecutive possessions to help the Panthers pull away on a 21-7 run.
Brown was Pitt's only double-figure scorer, but four players scored 8 or more points and Knight had 7. Mark Davis led George Mason with 15 points, but the other four starters combined for only 12 points. Jon Larranaga, averaging 11.6, scored only 3 points on 1-of-13 shooting.
"In my mind, he's their best player, and their best player left here with 3 points," Howland said.
Pittsburgh doesn't play a ranked team until its Jan. 6 Big East opener at home against No. 8 Notre Dame. But the Panthers' biggest test so far will be Tuesday afternoon at Georgia (7-3), which has won five straight.
"This will be, by far, the best team we'll see in non-conference [play]," Howland said. "They have the talent to be a Final Four team. This will be a very, very good test for us to see where we are."