Pitt coach Jamie Dixon will turn to a freshman to replace injured senior Mike Cook in the starting lineup.

Redshirt freshman Gilbert Brown will make his first career start tomorrow night when the Panthers travel to Dayton for the final non-conference road game this season. Brown is getting an opportunity to start because Cook sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Pitt's 65-64 victory against Duke last week.

Brown had been Cook's backup and is averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to play more," said Brown, a Harrisburg native who was a highly regarded prospect coming out of South Kent (Conn.) Prep in 2006.

"I have to be more aggressive and be ready from the start instead of just playing fill-in minutes and giving energy to the team. I have to be more consistent with what I do."

Brown is one of three players who will see increased playing time due to Cook's injury. Senior Keith Benjamin, the backup shooting guard, will play more minutes at small forward. And freshman Bradley Wanamaker, who has not played since the Duquesne game Dec. 4, will see more minutes at small forward and shooting guard.

"We lose about 25 minutes a game, so there are 25 minutes available for other guys now," Dixon said. "Obviously, Keith, Gilbert and Bradley will get those minutes. We interchange those guys a lot. We put a lot of different packages out there. We have a lot of flexibility. I know those guys are looking forward to the opportunity."

Brown, at 6 feet 6, is taller than Cook and more athletic, but he does not have nearly the experience that Cook possessed. Cook had started 48 consecutive games for Pitt and before that was a two-year starter at East Carolina.

Brown has played in 11 games at the collegiate level and will be learning on the job. Despite Brown's lack of experience, Dixon does not believe Pitt's on-court dynamic will change much.

"I don't think we'll be that different," Dixon said. "[Brown] was playing a lot of minutes. We'll still be able to handle the ball at that spot. We'll still have good decision-making and the ability to step out and shoot it as well as put it on the floor. These guys have been improving throughout the year.

"Between those three guys, we'll be fine. We'll be able to come up with those minutes."

Benjamin, who was playing 16 minutes per game, should see his playing time increase dramatically the rest of the season. Benjamin has been playing mostly as the backup to starting shooting guard Ronald Ramon this season, but he has played small forward in the past.

"My role really doesn't change too much," said Benjamin, who is averaging 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. "I'm kind of used to it. I've done it the last two years now. I'll just be playing a lot more now and I have to condition myself to that."

The biggest change will be for Wanamaker, who had been concentrating on learning the point-guard position. Wanamaker had been struggling, and it got to the point where Dixon had all but eliminated him from the rotation for the past month. Now he'll have an opportunity to play more at his more natural position of shooting guard.

"This gives Brad a little more of a chance to be free and not have to concentrate on being a point guard," Benjamin said. "He can just go out there and do the things he's great at."

Benjamin believes Brown and Wanamaker are ready to assume larger roles.

"We don't like to call Gil a freshman because he's been around here for a year," Benjamin said.

"Experience-wise, he hasn't played the minutes he's about to see. Neither has Brad. But we know they're good. We're just going to go out there and keep playing. We'll keep moving on."