Pitt never quite put St. John’s so far down in the second half that there was no chance that they could not come back. At the same time time, Pitt never really let St. John’s close the gap enough to make it probable. Pico put it right.

Watching the game, it seemed like a deeper cut, a more thorough beating. But on the scoreboard and in the box score, it wasn’t.

It also did not hurt just how badly coached St. John’s is. I mean, I have never like St. John’s. Yet, I found myself ticked off at how badly these players have been coached and wasted. Anthony Mason, Jr. is an unfortunate victim of injuries that took away some great skill and ability. But the others, Kennedy, Burrell, Boothe, Hardy and some others. I could picture any and all of them thriving at Pitt. None being particularly huge recruits, but you can see that they have talent, work hard, want to improve and will play defense.

Unfortunately for them, Norm Roberts has shown no clue at how to be a head coach and actually make a team. It is no wonder the papers in NYC barely pay attention to them except to note the frustration and say that Norm Roberts time should be finished.

Here’s a story that has been written by so many, many times over this millennium: Pitt winning without stars.

Sam Young isn’t surprised one bit.The former Pittsburgh standout and current Memphis Grizzlies rookie isn’t shocked one bit at the success the Panthers are enjoying.

“Not at all. Even though they lost some great guys in the program, still this is a program. It’s a system and the system works,” Young said at halftime of No. 12 Pitt’s 71-64 victory over St. John’s (15-13, 5-11 Big East) at Madison Square Garden.

Young addressed the current players at the half. He was in town because the Grizzlies faced the Knicks Saturday night as part of a split college/NBA doubleheader at the Garden.

Despite losing four players who combined for 286 career starts — Young, DeJuan Blair, Levance Fields and Tyrell Biggs — the Panthers are now 22-7, 11-5 in the Big East and headed to the NCAA tournament for the ninth consecutive season, seven straight under head coach Jamie Dixon.

Pitts doesn’t have a single player who is likely to be named to the All-Big East First Team.

Aside from the interesting note that Young addressed the team, it would be that Coach Dixon seems to be pushing Gibbs for Most Improved Player.

After helping the Jamie Dixon-coached USA Under-19 team win the gold medal last summer at the FIBA World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, Gibbs has 10 games of 20 points or more. “I haven’t really looked at it but the numbers kind of speak for itself,” Jamie Dixon said when asked if Gibbs deserved Most Improved Player honors.

In the last 11 years, five Pitt players have already won the award – Ricardo Greer, Brandin Knight, Carl Krauser, Aaron Gray and Young.

“[Gibbs] stepped up in a big way because last year he was just a role player but that’s what we needed him to be,” Young said. “He’s a very hard worker. Even last year when he first got in he was a hard worker and it’s paying off.”

As for the game itself, there isn’t a lot to say. The struggle to rebound has now reached multiple games and appears problematic.

The rebounding and fouls were what kept St. John’s in the game. Pitt executed its offense so much better. They hit open shots and got more going inside. Gilbert Brown continues to alternate solid offensive games with disappearing acts. This was one of the good games, and he said the right thing about coming off the bench.

Brown, the team’s third-leading scorer at 10.6 points per game, has embraced his role coming off the bench. The 6-foot-6 redshirt junior forward is a candidate for Big East Sixth Man of the Year, an award started last season.

“I really want to be on a winning team, regardless of whether I’m starting or I’m a sixth or seventh man,” Brown said. “Our success as a team is the most important thing.”

I have to wonder if Jermaine Dixon has reaggravated his ankle or his foot hurting. It wasn’t just that Dixon has been pulling up for jumpers a lot more and not penetrating to the basket. He took only a few shots — all jumpers. He had 0 rebounds. He only had one against Notre Dame. And despite Gibbs having more significant foul troubles that limited him, Dixon only played 22 minutes. His one-on-one defense was solid but he seemed to stay outside on both ends.

Nasir Robinson had a very solid game. Scoring on putbacks and finishing inside (5-7) — and at the free throw line (3-3). He was one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Dante Taylor gave Pitt some good minutes and looked solid at the offensive end. Overall, Pitt’s efficiency on offense was impressive in a slow paced game.

Still, a road win is always a good win, and Pitt has managed to go 5-4 on the road in the Big East this season. That means Pitt finishes the season with two home games. Not that Pitt should or wants to lose either, but they only need one to clinch a minimum of 4th place in the Big East and the double-bye for the Big East Tournament. Pitt could end tied at 4th with Louisville and Marquette but holds the tiebreaker over both for the double bye.