The 6-foot-9 Zanna, who averaged 8.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in his first three games, led the Panthers (4-0) on a night when their backcourt of Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker barely combined to match the 19.3 average they both came in with.
Pittsburgh will play the winner of the No. 13 Illinois-Texas game for the title on Friday night in the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.
The Panthers closed the first half on a 10-2 run for a 31-27 lead, then started the second half on an 11-2 run with Zanna, who had two points and five rebounds in the first half, scoring six points that gave them a 42-29 lead with 17:43 to play.
Maryland (3-1) came right back with a 14-2 run that made it a one-point game with 13:20 to play.
The Terrapins tied it one more time at 46 on a three-point play by Berend Weijs with 12:47 left, but the Panthers took the lead for good 11 seconds later on a three-point play by Nasir Robinson.
Cliff Tucker had 17 points to lead the Terrapins, who hurt themselves at the free throw line, making 14 of 30. The missed free throws kept Maryland from getting closer than six points down the stretch and offset a fine defensive effort on Pittsburgh's veteran backcourt.
Gibbs, a junior, finished with 13 points on 3-for-8 shooting, while Wanamaker, a senior, had 10 points in 25 minutes as he was limited by foul trouble.
Gilbert Brown and Travon Woodall both had 11 points for the Panthers, who improved their record at Madison Square Garden since 2000 to 25-11.
Jordan Williams had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Terrapins, who were outrebounded 49-28, including 15-6 on the offensive end.
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