Pitt ready for tough games

The No. 2 ranked Panthers finished the easy part of their schedule with a rout of Robert Morris.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH -- After cruising through one of the softest early season schedules in the country, except for a loss in the lone tight game they've played, the Pitt Panthers got a warning from their coach.
It won't be this way again the rest of season.
Chevy Troutman repeatedly powered through undersized Robert Morris for easy baskets to score 24 points and No. 2 Pittsburgh bounced back from its first loss with an 85-49 victory Saturday.
Pitt, barely getting a workout before Monday night's Big East opener against No. 6 Notre Dame, is 22-0 against Robert Morris and 55-0 against Northeast Conference schools.
Starting with Notre Dame, the only team to beat Pitt twice last year during the Panthers' 29-6 season. Notre Dame improved to 12-1 by beating Valparaiso 55-53 Saturday.
Pitt, which will be facing its first ranked opponent, plays its final 16 regular season games in the conference.
The Panthers (10-1), coming off a 79-67 loss to Georgia that is bound to drop them in next week's Top 25, overwhelmed Robert Morris with their size and strength in opening up first-half leads of as many as 27 points.
DaMarcus Ellis had 11 points for the Colonials (3-6).
With Pitt so dominant up front, it hardly mattered that Pitt star point guard Brandin Knight had another ineffective game offensively with four points. He had nine assists.
No. 1 Alabama 65, No. 19 Xavier 58
Erwin Dudley had 18 points and 10 rebounds and he and Antoine Pettway each made two free throws in the final 22 seconds for Alabama.
The game was the first for the Crimson Tide (10-1) since Monday's loss at Utah. The win extended the school-record home winning streak to 26 games. Mo Williams had 17 points for Alabama. Romain Sato had 17 of his 20 points in the second half for Xavier (9-3).
No. 6 Notre Dame 55, Valparaiso 53
CHICAGO -- Matt Carroll had 14 points, and Dan Miller and Torin Francis each added 12 as the Fighting Irish (12-1) won their eighth straight.
The Crusaders, who trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half, missed two 3-point attempts in the last two minutes -- including a long one by Greg Tonagel with 2.4 seconds left.
Joaquim Gomes led Valparaiso (5-7) with a career-high 17 points in the game played at the United Center.
Dayton 92, No. 13 Marquette 85, OT
DAYTON, Ohio -- Ramod Marshall scored 23 points and Keith Waleskowski hit a clutch 3-pointer in overtime to lead the Flyers (8-3).
Robert Jackson was 8-for-9 from the field and had 19 points for the Golden Eagles (8-3), who lost their second straight and dropped to 0-4 on the road this season.
No. 18 Kansas 100, Missouri-Kansas City 46
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kirk Hinrich scored a career-high 29 points for the Jayhawks (9-3), who may have lost second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Wayne Simien for at least two games with a separated right shoulder.
Michael Watson, who entered the game as the nation's third-leading scorer at 25.6 points per game, had 20 of his 27 in the second half for the Kangaroos (1-11).
No. 22 Maryland 79, Wagner 57
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Ryan Randle had 21 points and tied a school record by making all 10 of his field goal attempts, and Steve Blake had 12 assists to move into 20th place on the NCAA career list for the Terrapins (7-3).
Jermaine Hall scored 26 points for the Seahawks (4-6).
No. 23 Wake Forest 68, Richmond 62
RICHMOND, Va. -- Josh Howard scored 21 points to lead the Demon Deacons (9-0), who opened the second half with a 20-5 run.
Tony Dobbins had 18 points for the Spiders (6-5), who lost their 11th straight to Wake Forest.