The Pitt basketball team returned to practice yesterday one day after learning that they must play the next two months without junior point guard Levance Fields. That news came on the heels of learning that Mike Cook's and Austin Wallace's seasons were over because of knee injuries.

That's a lot to absorb in three weeks of time. Coach Jamie Dixon had wondered about his team's mental outlook Sunday, but he was pleasantly surprised with the upbeat attitude they displayed at a workout yesterday, the first of two before a non-conference game tomorrow against Lafayette at Petersen Events Center.

"We've gone through a lot in the last week or 10 days," Dixon said. "It's been an emotional time for them, but they responded well. They were excited about practice. We started practice 10 minutes early because they were out there so long beforehand.

"I told our guys this can make us stronger and better. Some guys will get some opportunities and get minutes. I think it can make us better in the long run. I really do."

Dixon has nine healthy scholarship players available for the next two months. Every one of them, even those who have been stapled to the bench for the past month, will get opportunities to play now that three of their teammates are down.

One player who will take on an expanded role is freshman guard Bradley Wanamaker, who will be the primary backup at point guard, shooting guard and small forward in the wake of Fields' injury.

Wanamaker saw his first extended playing time in more than a month against Dayton when he played 15 minutes. He had not played the three previous games against Duke, Oklahoma State and Washington.

"Even though I haven't played the last few games, my confidence is still high," Wanamaker said. "I had to wait my turn. I had a couple of good and experienced players in front of me. I just had to wait. I didn't take it as a negative. I took it as a positive and learned. Now I have to do what I watched them do. I have my opportunity now."

Wanamaker had been Fields' backup at point guard in October and November, but he struggled in that role and will only be used there in a pinch the next two months. Dixon will look to senior Ronald Ramon to fill in at point guard.

Ramon spent practice yesterday almost exclusively at the point and said he must take on a different role now that Fields is out of the lineup.

"It's more of a leadership thing," Ramon said. "I have to go out there and carry the team and make sure guys are in the right spots. It's being a team. We're going to be the same, smart team we've been. Nothing is going to change with us. We're going to play the same way we've been playing. We just have to go out there and execute our plays and play hard."

Ramon went through a full practice yesterday without any major problems with his right (shooting) shoulder. It was dislocated early in the Dayton game, he missed a few minutes, and then went back into the game.

It was clear by his performance that his shoulder was giving him some problems. Pitt's top outside shooter, Ramon was 0 for 8 from the field and 0 for 6 from 3-point range against the Flyers. If Pitt wasn't so depleted by injuries, the game against Lafayette might have been one Ramon sat out.

But given the circumstances, Ramon knows he must play tomorrow and for the next few months with discomfort.

"It's painful. I'm not going to lie," Ramon said. "But I'm still going to go play. My team needs me and I'm going to respond and go out and play as hard as I can."

NOTES -- Dixon said Fields' surgery went well. He will be on crutches for about a week and will wear a walking cast. ... Cook will have surgery on his injured knee tomorrow. ... Dixon said he is looking into the possibility of recruiting a player or two from the football team to walk on the basketball team because of the injury situation. "Nothing is definite yet, but we've looked at possibilities," Dixon said. "We always look into that, but with the situation the way it is now we'll look at it even more." ... Pitt fell from No. 6 to No. 13 in The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches' polls.