PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jeff Capel noticed the fearlessness in Trey McGowens, Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney right away.

The way they played, it was almost impossible to miss. Capel leaned on that inherent daring when he made his recruiting pitch to them last spring just days after taking over the rebuilding project at Pittsburgh.

Join me, Capel said. Let’s bring the swagger back together.

Less than nine months later, what Capel cautioned would be a lengthy process appears to be well ahead of schedule behind his three precocious freshmen, who have shrugged off the program’s regrettable recent past with a competitive fire that points to a promising future.

McGowens poured in 30 points, Johnson added 16 — including consecutive buckets in the final four minutes after Florida State cut Pitt’s lead to five — and the Panthers pulled away from the 11th-ranked Seminoles for a 75-62 victory on Monday night.

“All three of them are naturally competitive,” Capel said after Pitt’s first win over a ranked team in nearly two years. “They have a toughness about them and they aren’t afraid. We’re trying to develop that, trying to make that the culture. Toughness, togetherness. Today was a big step.”

McGowens led the way. Less than a week after setting a school record for a freshman by scoring 33 points against Louisville, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound McGowens threatened that mark by attacking the bigger, deeper Seminoles repeatedly, often resulting in an acrobatic layup or a foul or — occasionally — both. McGowens made 18 of 19 free throws for the Panthers (12-5, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who outscored the Seminoles 38-20 at the line.