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Q: It seems that Sam Young isn't mentally into the game at times yet no one seems to talk about it. Don't get me wrong, there are times when he's unstoppable. But there are also other times when he looks lost on the court, turns the ball over repeatedly and doesn't bother to box out or crash the boards.

Shawn, Hermitage

Fittipaldo: I wrote about Young's uninspired play early in the second half in a story in today's paper, Shawn. That is not the kind of effort Pitt needs from an upperclassmen and leader on the team. I will say that Young usually is a player who takes pride in hustling. In that one instance against Rutgers it almost seemed like he quit on the play. I'm not sure why he appeared so disinterested, but he was, and it was a sign of things to come.

We'll give Young a pass for the Rutgers game. It seemed like everyone was in a fog in that game. But there is a lesson to be learned from the loss. The Panthers cannot afford to take any team lightly. If the last-place team in the league came come into the Petersen Events Center and beat them, then any team will be able to do the same. We'll see what kind of leadership Pitt has in the next few weeks.

Q: DeJuan Blair was one of the main reasons Pitt lost to Rutgers. His two fouls out on the perimeter were so foolish. By now, don't you think he should be thinking more mature on the court? Is it just me or do I see the same MO for Pitt teams, they can't or won't defend 3-point shooters. Is it the players they have or the lack of coaching?

Tom Tuntas, Coca Beach, Fla.

Fittipaldo: For all his physical attributes Blair is having a hard time thinking the game. He has no idea when to be aggressive and when to lay back. He was in perfect position to have a big second half against Rutgers. He had 12 points, six rebounds and just one foul at halftime, but picked up two fouls in 15 seconds in the opening minutes of the second half on reach-in fouls that were avoidable.

What's disturbing is that it's not the first time Blair has been so careless. He routinely picks up unnecessary fouls. He is a freshman, but it's also a month until March. At what point does inexperience stop becoming an excuse for him?

As for defending the 3-point shot, Pitt has had a few bad games this season when opponents have shot a high percentage. But overall, the Panthers do a decent job of limiting 3-point shooters. Opponents are shooting 31 percent from 3-point range for the season. Only three other teams in the Big East do a better job of defending the perimeter.