Since Pitt returned from the Legends Classic in Brooklyn, the Panthers have followed a pattern:

In their three games against mid-major competition, they have struggled in the first half, trailed or carried a minimal lead at halftime and then put on a show in the second half.

Last Sunday, a three-point halftime deficit against Alabama State turned into a 73-54 win. On Tuesday, a seven-point lead at halftime that felt closer than it looked finished as a 22-point victory over Fairleigh Dickinson. And on Friday night, Pitt closed the week with yet another one, falling behind William & Mary by seven in the first half and heading to the locker room down four before another dazzling offensive display in the second half secured an 80-64 win.

Pitt wasn’t perfect in the second half against William & Mary like it was against Fairleigh Dickinson, when the Panthers hit all 17 of their shots from inside the arc. But the second-half performance was still fairly hot and had stretches when the offensive attack simply couldn’t be stopped.

Blake Hinson got Pitt’s scoring going in the second half with a layup, but the hot streak really started one basket later when Jamarius Burton drained a three to gut the lead to 39-38.

From there, Pitt made its next seven attempts from the floor, including another three by Burton to gave the Panthers a 46-45 lead - an advantage they wouldn’t relinquish.

The star of the second half, though, was Nike Sibande. After scoring 11 in the second half of Sunday’s win over Alabama State, the senior guard scored 12 in the second half Friday night.

All told, Pitt shot 16-of-36 (44.4%) from the floor in the second half, including 10-of-19 (52.6%) from inside the arc.

The issue remains, though, that the Panthers didn’t defend well in the first half. William & Mary shot 45.7% from the field in the first half and grabbed 10 offensive rebounds; those numbers dropped to 36% and three offensive boards in the second half, which allowed Pitt to pull away. But the continued issues with defense before halftime will have to be a concern for head coach Jeff Capel.

Still, there’s no question that the offense produced, Hinson produced a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds before he fouled out on a double-shot call of a personal foul and a technical foul late in the second half, while Burton and John Hugley added 16 each and Sibande scored 15 and grabbed nine boards himself.

Hugley, Sibnade and starting guard Nelly Cummings had four assists each.

With the win, Pitt improves to 4-3 on the season. The Panthers will have the weekend off before traveling to Evanston (Ill.) to face Northwestern for a 9 pm tipoff on Monday night.