No. 17 Pittsburgh Downs St. John’s, 63-53

Jan. 28, 2010

PITTSBURGH (AP)–Ashton Gibbs and Gary McGhee scored key baskets to start a game-ending 9-1 run and No. 17 Pittsburgh overcame some cold shooting and a large rebounding disparity for a 63-53 victory over St. John’s on Thursday night.

Brad Wanamaker scored 16 points, Gibbs added 14 points and McGhee scored eight of his 10 points in the second half as the Panthers (16-4, 6-2 Big East) rallied from a six-point deficit to end their first two-game losing streak in nearly two years.

Justin Burrell scored 14 points and Dwight Hardy had 12 despite making only three of 10 shots for St. John’s (12-8, 2-6), which lost its seventh in 10 games. The Red Storm trailed only 54-52 after D.J. Kennedy’s two free throws with 1:56 to play.