Scott went 5 for 6 from 3-point range and reserve Scott Martin made three treys and finished with 10 points for Notre Dame (17-4, 6-3 Big East).

Gilbert Brown had 13 points for the Panthers (19-2, 7-1), who shot 40 percent (18 of 45) from the field in their first home loss since Jan. 20, 2010, against Georgetown.

Notre Dame trailed, 28-23, at halftime but Hansbrough made a jumper with 9:25 left to tie it at 39, kicking off a 9-2 spurt for the Fighting Irish. Scott capped the run with a 4-point play, making a 3-pointer as he was fouled by Ashton Gibbs.

Brad Wanamaker, who had 12 points for Pittsburgh, converted a layup to trim Notre Dame’s lead to 54-51 with 1:28 left but Hansbrough scored in the final seconds to help the Irish hang on.

Hansbrough also had seven assists and Scott added nine rebounds for Notre Dame, which shot 49 percent from the field.

Walker a Wildcat Former Connecticut women’s forward Samarie Walker is heading to Kentucky. The 6-foot-1-inch Walker will be allowed to practice with the Wildcats immediately, but won’t be eligible to play until the end of the Fall 2011 semester. Before transferring she played in 17 games for the Huskies this season, averaging 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds. She will have three years of eligibility remaining . . . West Virginia’s leading scorer, Casey Mitchell, was suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Coach Bob Huggins didn’t elaborate in a statement announcing the suspension of the 6-4 senior guard, who is averaging 16.6 points and 3.6 rebounds. The suspension comes a day after forward Dan Jennings walked away from the bench in the second half of a victory over South Florida. Huggins called Jennings’s exit “inexcusable.’’ Their absences leave West Virginia with just eight scholarship players heading into tomorrow night’s game at No. 23 Louisville . . . Al Nolen, a senior point guard for No. 16 Minnesota, needs surgery on his broken right foot, raising the question about whether he’ll be able to play again for the Gophers with only six weeks remaining before the tournament season begins. Coach Tubby Smith mentioned four weeks as a benchmark but said it was too soon to speculate about how long Nolen would be out. “That’s a real blow to us,’’ Smith said . . . Ohio State is again the runaway No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s poll, receiving all but two first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. Baylor remained No. 1 in the women’s poll, receiving 24 first-place votes. The Lady Bears have won 15 straight since their lone loss to No. 2 UConn.