Pitt's Big East game against Villanova last night had an eerily similar feeling to a game the Panthers played against Rutgers four days earlier at the Petersen Events Center. The shooters were cold and the usually efficient offense was out of sync.

Unlike the second-half debacle against the Scarlet Knights, though, Pitt's defense and rebounding came out of hiding to save the day.

Pitt defeated Villanova, 69-57, before a sellout crowd that watched the Panthers turn in one of their top defensive performances of the season.

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Next

• Game: No. 18 Pitt (17-4, 5-3 Big East) at Connecticut (15-5, 5-3).
• When: 1 p.m. Saturday.
• TV: KDKA.
• Skinny: Pitt is 1-3 at Connecticut during the Ben Howland/Jamie Dixon era with the Panthers.

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Pitt held Villanova, one of the top offensive teams in the Big East, to its season low in points and held the Wildcats to 35.5 percent shooting. Villanova came into the game averaging 73 points in its seven previous Big East games.

"We started the Big East schedule shooting it extremely well," senior guard Keith Benjamin said. "The last few teams have done a good job of scouting and getting into us in our plays and sets. A couple of shots are tougher now. The last game we didn't have the defense, but tonight it was definitely there. We had that toughness. That's why we got through it tonight."

With the victory, No. 18 Pitt (17-4, 5-3) moved into a tie for third place in the Big East alongside Marquette, Louisville and Connecticut. The Panthers play Saturday afternoon at Connecticut.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon received a well-balanced, if erratic, offensive performance from his team. Junior forward Sam Young scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half to lead the Panthers. Reserve forward Tyrell Biggs had 14 points and senior guard Ronald Ramon and freshman center DeJuan Blair had 10 points apiece.

Blair registered his eighth double-double of the season with 14 rebounds. Blair led a fierce effort under the basket. The Panthers dominated the boards, 43-32, four days after Rutgers, one of the worst rebounding teams in the Big East, outrebounded the Panthers by 16 in the second half of a 77-64 loss.

"We knew we had to rebound because we didn't do that very well the last game," Blair said. "That was a big advantage for us. If we outrebound teams we're going to win a lot of games."

Villanova coach Jay Wright thought Pitt won the game through attrition in the frontcourt. The Wildcats are a guard-oriented team, and when 6-foot-8 forward Dante Cunningham got into foul trouble, it presented some major matchup problems in the lane.

"We played a hungry team tonight," Wright said. "They did a great job. Their effort kind of wore us down. Blair and Biggs wore us down on the offensive glass."

Pitt led for all but one minute, 18 seconds. Villanova used a 9-0 run to take its only lead, 38-37, with 13:38 left in the contest. Pitt watched Rutgers take a lead and pull away at a similar point in the game Saturday, but this time the Panthers responded in style.

Pitt went on a 22-3 run to take control of the game. Young scored eight points in the decisive run. When he made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:07 remaining, the usually stoic Young pumped his fist. When he blocked Corey Stokes' 3-point attempt and sailed in for a thunderous dunk and was fouled, he celebrated enthusiastically with teammates.

Young said he was letting out the frustration from his 4-for-17 shooting performance against Rutgers and his poor 2-for-8 start last night.

"After the 3-pointer and the block [and dunk], I kind of felt like I was coming out of my slump," Young said. "I felt like if I could bring a little more intensity to our team we could overcome this Villanova team."

Down the stretch, the Panthers held the Wildcats in check with some impressive defense. Villanova only had 41 points with 4:30 to play.

Benjamin said the improved defense was the key to the bounce-back win.

"We just stayed together," Benjamin said. "We stayed with what we do. Basketball is a game of runs. We knew they were going to make a run and make at us. We just didn't want to fall into what we did the other day [against Rutgers]. We just stayed tough with our rebounding and defense and then the shots started falling."

NOTES -- Pitt honored broadcaster Dick Groat at halftime for his November induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. ... Pitt had a season-high eight blocks. ... Benjamin had a career-high seven assists and tied his career-high with 37 minutes played. ... Biggs set career highs in free throws (8) and free-throw attempts (12).