2000-01 record: 19-14; 7-9 in Big East (5th in West) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: Lost to Mississippi State 66-61 in second round of NIT. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Knight 9.2 ppg | Rebounds: Zavackas 3.3 rpg | Assists: Knight 5.5 apg | FG %: Zavackas 45.7% | 3pt %: Zavackas 49.4% | FT %: Zavackas 82.1% 00-01 Stats: Pittsburgh | Big East

		Molnday, Oct. 29 A solid backcourt in Brandin Knight and Julius Page, but the Panthers suffered a big rebounding loss from departure of Ricardo Greer. Donatas Zavatkus must step up inside and stay within the team strategy. The Panthers must trust each other as a team, as well as get big Toree Morris involved.

Outlook
The Panthers return three starters, but none of them is named Ricardo Greer, the 6-foot-5 forward who led the team in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg in league games) and field-goal shooting (48.5 percent), and added 2.8 assists per game.

Pittsburgh also will have to replace its center, Isaac Hawkins, who led the team in rebounding in all games at 7.9 rpg.

The only choices at center seem to be 6-10, 280-pound sophomore Toree Morris (2.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and 6-10, 210-pound freshman Mark McCarroll. Sophomore Donatas Zavackas has a reliable outside shot, but at 6-8 could be more valuable if his point came closer to the basket.

Beyond developing a center in a hurry, third-year Coach Ben Howland's biggest task will be to find a go-to scorer among who's still around, which includes the starting backcourt of 6-foot junior Brandin Knight (9.2 ppg, 5.5 apg) and 6-3 sophomore Julius Page (9.1 ppg).

This is a team with much heart, as evidenced by its finish to last season, when it won three of its final four regular-season games and then reached the Big East tournament title game for the first time. But does it have the talent to finish .500 again? Two in-state recruits might be the difference either way: 6-7 forward Chevy Troutman, the reigning Mr. Basketball in Pennsylvania, and 6-4 Yuri Demetris, who averaged 30.7 points as a high school senior in the Pittsburgh area.

What we like: A range of players could emerge as solid perimeter scorers from the group of Knight, Page and Demetris, and Knight in particular could be on the verge of a breakout season.

What we don't like: There is very little in the way of experience or depth at center, and freshmen will have to play well at three positions for the Panthers to have a chance. That's a tough combination.

The bottom line: Pitt overachieved last season at 19-14, and its best two big men are gone. Don't expect the Panthers to overachieve again this season.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Brandin Knight	Jr.	G	6-0/175	PTS: 9.2 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 5.5
Julius Page	So.	G	6-3/180	PTS: 9.1 | REB: 1.8 | AST: 1.1
Donatas Zavackas	Jr.	F	6-8/225	PTS: 7.9 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 1.3
Jaron Brown	So.	G	6-4/230	PTS: 4.8 | REB: 2.4 | AST: 1.5

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Ricardo Greer	F	6-5/220	PTS: 16.6 | REB: 7.4 | AST: 2.8
Isaac Hawkins	F	6-8/210	PTS: 9.3 | REB: 7.9 | AST: 1.2

Pittsburgh Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Tony Tate	G	6-0	Jersey City, N.J./Marist H.S.