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PITTSBURGH (AP) Xavier Johnson scored 13 second-half points to lead Pitt through a slow first half and over Monmouth, 63-50 on Monday night.

Pitt (3-2) was stifled early by the visiting Hawks and their own poor shooting in the opening 20 minutes of play. The Panthers made just one of their first nine field goals and three of their first 17.

During the opening 10 minutes, head coach Jeff Capel momentarily benched Johnson, Pitt's sophomore starting point guard, for walk-on Onyebuchi Ezeakudo. If Capel was looking for a quick spark, he didn't get it, as only a 10-for-10 mark at the charity stripe prevented the Panthers from trailing going into the break.

But in the second half, Johnson came alive.

He scored nine points in the first six minutes of the second period and kept on leading the Panthers, finishing with 15 points and nine of Pitt's 13 assists.

Monmouth (1-4) found outside success from guard Ray Salnave, who had 10 points and was 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and inside with forward Mustapha Traore, who was 5 of 10 from the floor for 12 points.

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