Q: It looked to me that Fields wasn't running all that well Friday night. Shooting 1 for 7 in 20 minutes is also very unlike the Fields that left us in December. After seeing the performance Friday night, do you think he tried to come back too soon?

Bob Shepherd, Richboro, Pa.

FITTIPALDO: Fields was going to have to knock the rust off sooner or later, so as long as he was cleared to play by doctors, I had no problem with him playing against Marquette. He struggled with his conditioning and he obviously had an off shooting night, but I don't think anyone expected him to be the player he was in December in his first game back. He might not be that same player until March.

Jamie Dixon said Fields only went through two full practices before the Marquette game. He will have the benefit of four practices before the Notre Dame game Thursday night. I expect Fields to play much better against the Fighting Irish.

Q: Ray, any basketball purist (and objective Pitt observer in recent years)is not terribly surprised at the Marquette outcome or a loss against any team with guards/forwards that have fundamental ball skills and quickness. A high percentage of our players over the recent years lack these skills; for example, Sam Young walks most of the time and has little confidence when defender forces him to put the ball on the floor (same with Keith Benjamin and Gilbert who are even more deficient). These are basic skills that players at major programs consistently have (especially here in ACC country). Does Coach Dixon even have an awareness of this fundamental skill deficiency?

Similarly, DeJuan Blair always seems to be in a rush to shoot the

ball when in the post as if he's scared of going one-on-one against his defender (there seems to be zero development in his low post game, just like Aaron Gray). If Dixon isn't aware of this then Pitt will never get past the second round of the NCAA tournament where quickness and ability to score off the dribble are paramount. Your thoughts?

Matt Strosser, Charlotte, N.C.

FITTIPALDO: First off, Matt, Pitt has advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament twice under Jamie Dixon. The Panthers got to the Sweet 16 last season and lost to UCLA. In 2004, the Panthers lost to Oklahoma State in the third round.

I agree that Pitt has players who lack quickness at the guard positions. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with a fundamental lack of basketball skills. It has more to do with a lack of athleticism. But that's only one position.

The half-court offense after Mike Cook and Levance Fields were injured has been inconsistent, and at times, poor. Cook could save a possession by taking his man one-on-one at the end of the shot clock. The Panthers miss that. Fields could do the same thing, and Pitt will improve once he is 100 percent. For me, it's hard to criticize a coach or the players when almost half the team has been absent for nearly two months.

If you remember, the Panthers were getting out in transition and scoring when Fields was healthy. When Fields is back to his normal self, I think Pitt will begin to run again and some of those easy transition points will mask the deficiencies of the half-court

offense.