PITTSBURGH - Brandin 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. <br>
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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.<br>
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Pittsburgh doesn't play a ranked team until its Jan. 6 Big East opener at home against No. 8 Notre Dame, but the Panthers could be tested Tuesday at Georgia. <br>
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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. <br>
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Knight, a third-team All-American last season, didn't get his first field goal until 4:36 remained in the game, but his ballhandling and defense were largely responsible for Pitt's decisive run. <br>
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George Mason (5-4) 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. <br>
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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. <br>
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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 layoff to finish off a streak of nine straight points that made it 36-20 at halftime. <br>
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George Mason, still fighting with its shooting as the smaller, not-as-quick Patriots had trouble handling Pitt's size and superior inside play, never got any closer than 11 points after that. The Patriots shot 25.9 percent, 15-of-58. <br>
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With Pitt leading 44-33, Ontario Lett scored from the inside on consecutive possessions and Carl Krauser made one of two free throws as Pitt pulled away during a 21-7 run. <br>
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Brown was Pitt's only double-figure scorer, but four players scored 8 or more points. 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. <br>
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The Panthers have held four of their first nine opponents to 49 or fewer points, with two more scoring in the 50s.
