On Monday, in explaining the cause of his team’s three-game losing streak, Pitt coach Jamie… On Monday, in explaining the cause of his team’s three-game losing streak, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon blamed the Panthers’ struggles on poor rebounding and even poorer defense.

Last night, the Panthers did not improve in either category.

But they won.

Pitt (20-8, 8-7 Big East) overcame a sluggish first half and a feisty Cincinnati team to end its downward spiral with a 73-67 victory at the Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers’ 14-3 run midway through the second half put them in the lead, and forward Sam Young’s steady scoring touch provided the rest.

Young had a team-high 20 points and five steals to lead a Pitt team that was out-rebounded, 37-25.

The 6-foot-6 junior displayed his ability to score from anywhere on the floor and played the proverbial thorn in Cincinnati’s side all night. His windmill slam dunk on a fast break in the beginning of the second half energized the crowd, and his improbable layup following a brutal foul with 5:42 left gave Pitt its biggest lead of the night, 61-55.

“Sam Young took over the game,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “We needed this win