PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh sophomore guard Durand Johnson kept pestering point guard James Robinson before Tuesday night’s game against Lehigh, insisting the shot that looked a little off in a romp over Howard last Sunday had returned.

“He pretty much told me he was going to be on,” Robinson said. “I kept giving him the ball.”

Johnson knocked down five 3-pointers during a red-hot first half and the Panthers remained unbeaten with an easy 77-58 victory over the well-traveled Mountain Hawks.

After watching his teammates shoot a school record 81 percent against Howard — a game in which he went 0 for 4 from behind the arc — Johnson spent some extra time in the gym searching for some rhythm. He found it on a night the Panthers once again raced to a big early lead and cruised.

“I wanted to come out tonight with more confidence, be shot ready,” Johnson said. “My teammates found me and I was able to knock them down.”

Johnson and center Talib Zanna keyed another explosive opening 20 minutes for the Panthers. Pitt (4-0) hasn’t led by less than 17 points at halftime in any of its games this season.

“We came out aggressive in the first half after we did everything right,” said Zanna, who finished with a career-high 23 points to go with 14 rebounds.

Lamar Patterson chipped in 17 points and five rebounds and James Robinson added a career-high 11 assists without turning it over as Pitt never let Lehigh in the game. The Panthers have won their four games by an average of 26 points.

Tim Kempton led Lehigh with 20 points but the Mountain Hawks (1-4) couldn’t keep pace. Playing its fourth road game in 12 days, Lehigh made just four of its first 19 shots and never got within 18 points over the final 34 minutes.

“They executed really well,” Lehigh coach Brett Reed said. “That’s what Pitt stands for. They were very consistent. I think we just didn’t come out with enough energy.”

The Panthers held Mountain Hawks senior guard Mackey McKnight to just eight points on 4 of 10 shooting, 11 points behind McKnight’s season average. While Kempton shot 7 of 10 from the floor, his teammates went just 14 of 37 (37 percent).

“They were just not letting me come off (screens) to see the floor,” McKnight said. “We still have to find our shots and get other guys open. Coach has put us in a number of schemes that had good looks.”