PITTSBURGH -- Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens committed to Pittsburgh within a week of each other last spring, won over by new head coach Jeff Capel's enthusiasm and hardly bothered by the prospect of trying to earn their way into the starting lineup.
They spend copious amounts of time in the gym, determined to be part of the turnaround the Panthers have tasked Capel with orchestrating following the program's freefall under former head coach Kevin Stallings.
While the polish isn't quite there, the effort certainly is. McGowens scored 17 points, Johnson added 16 points, six assists and five rebounds as Pitt pulled away in the second half for a 69-53 victory over Youngstown State on Tuesday night.