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Fields, Panthers host Houston Baptist to open season

Nov 9, 2007 - 3:20 PM Houston Baptist (1-1) at No. 20 Pittsburgh (0-0) 7:00 pm EST

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Jamie Dixon's 22nd-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers lost three starters from a season ago, but do not expect too much of a drop off.

Levance Fields and the Panthers host Houston Baptist in their season opener on Friday.

Pittsburgh, which lost a defensive battle to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament's West Regional semifinal, absorbed a huge loss with the graduation of center Aaron Gray. Gray was a four-year starter that averaged 14.1 points and 9.6 rebounds last season, in addition to providing a defensive presence.

Tyrell Biggs will get the first crack at filling the void left by Gray, but he will have to fend off prized recruit DeJuan Blair.

While Pittsburgh will miss Gray, the steady play of Fields will make it a contender in the Big East Conference yet again.

Fields averaged 9.6 points and handed out 4.6 assists last season to help the Panthers to their school-record sixth straight appearance in the NCAAs. The return of senior guard Ronald Ramon, who averaged 8.8 points a contest as the sixth man last season, will also help Dixon's squad compensate for their losses.

Pittsburgh, which has appeared in the Big East championship game in six of the last seven seasons, has won 10 straight home openers and 20 straight at home over non-conference opponents.

The Panthers should make it 21 straight against Houston Baptist, which is back in Division I after spending the last 18 years in the NAIA. The Tigers opened the season with a 67-62 win over Trinity on Saturday, but fell to Dallas Baptist, 108-103, on Tuesday.