The real Sam Young stood up on the road at St. John’s

Now that was the Sam Young to whom we’ve grown accustomed. The nimble forward ignited a… Now that was the Sam Young to whom we’ve grown accustomed. The nimble forward ignited a surging Pitt offense and sparked an 81-57 victory in the Panthers home away from home, Madison Square Garden, on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s win was a big one – Pitt needed another road win in the Big East. There are nine games away from the Petersen Events Center this season, and none of them will be easy. Securing a second road win will help Pitt push into double digits in conference wins.

With nine games at home, it seems logical to project seven to nine conference wins. That makes road games very important – more important than you’d think. The NCAA Selection Committee weighs road wins heavily.

Pitt has another great chance for a win on Saturday, when lowly Rutgers strolls into town for a league matchup at the Pete. But before you start licking your chops and planning your post-game party, look at the scores from Wednesday’s scoreboard. Did you find it yet?

Rutgers 80, Villanova 68.

That’s not to say Rutgers will beat Pitt – that will be very difficult for a young team like Rutgers in this hostile environment – but it doesn’t look like it will be too easy.

Then again, it’s the Big East: Anything can happen.

Let’s field those questions.

Q: Do you think the lack of depth is finally catching up to the Panthers? Brad Wanamaker has been practically nonexistent, and Cassin Diggs and Gary McGhee are either hurt (Diggs) or ineffective (McGhee) as well. Can the team survive with mainly six players rotating until Levance Fields comes back? – Zack in South Oakland

A: I wouldn’t go that far. The Panthers did, after all, just beat then-No. 5 Georgetown last week. Pitt also pounded St. John’s on Wednesday.

We haven’t seen depth really emerge as a problem. I think the biggest problems will come when foul trouble rears its ugly head, but DeJuan Blair, the only player who has the potential to foul out every game regardless of depth, has been good avoiding fouls.

But back to your original point, it’s true that Wanamaker has had trouble in his minutes.

He apparently can’t shoot yet, and his ball handling and passing leave plenty of reason to worry for Pitt coach Jamie Dixon. Yet that’s missing the point of his role on the 2007-08 Panthers.

Wanamaker will have to be a star or a key player in the future, but this year, he spells Ronald Ramon, Keith Benjamin and Gilbert Brown. He basically tries to hold down the fort until the starters come back.

Diggs is out indefinitely, and Dixon has said recently that the 6-foot-10 center might need surgery. He didn’t appear to be comfortable before Dixon said that, and Diggs has been battling injuries since he arrived here.

McGhee played well at South Florida, but that was a while ago now. He basically gobbles up Blair’s fouls and spells the bigger guys. No one’s asking McGhee to score 10 points off the bench, but he rebounds well and can wear out the opponent’s big man for a few minutes.

In summation, yes, Pitt can survive with an eight-man rotation, because McGhee and Wanamaker can spell the starters. The Panthers don’t need them to score big, and Tyrell Biggs has been a great sixth man. Don’t worry, Zack, Pitt will be just fine for now.

Q: DeJuan Blair has been in foul trouble from time to time. How much of a problem will this be come tournament time if he can’t stay on the court? – Mike in North Oakland.

A: I’m sensing a trend here. If he has trouble, and he’s been OK the past few games, it will be tough for Pitt.

But the league’s most valuable sixth man, Biggs, has been a force inside. At 6-foot-8, Biggs is a long defender with the size to bang in the paint.

He has actually been an awkward matchup for opponents. He is quick inside, hustling to offensive boards and sneaking by slower big guys.

He has that elusive, high release that no one can seem to defend. It’s a sweet stroke, and if he’s hitting the 15-footers in the tournament, it almost won’t matter what Blair is doing.

But still, Blair is a great emotional player, who can spur big runs and quell opponents’ runs. He just has that magnetism, that electricity to his play. So while Biggs can fill in nicely for Blair, Blair’s absence would hurt in the tournament.

Q: Gilbert Brown has struggled to find his shooting touch so far this year. How much can we expect from him as the year goes on? Is he really getting better offensively? – Another one from Mike.

A: Gilbert Brown is not starting at small forward to score big-time points. He plays significant minutes because, along with Young, he is the team’s most athletic player. He rebounds well, scraps, hustles and uses his size, speed and strength to play effective defense.

Brown’s jumper will come back. He’s a smooth shooter. He will be a tough guy to cover in the future because he is taller than most shooting guards, where he will probably play in the future, and he can score multiple ways.

But for right now, his athleticism helps Pitt tremendously on the boards and on defense. That’s the role he has to fill now, and he does it well.

Q: How can I send in a question?

A: Send your hoops Q’A questions to jag59@pitt.edu or you can snail mail them to 434 William Pitt Union, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15260. It’s fun to get questions, so keep sending them in.