MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Pitt might have an NCAA tournament berth locked up, but the Panthers continue to resemble a team that is searching for an identity as the postseason rapidly approaches.

This most certainly is not a defensive team in the mold of Pitt teams from the recent past. That point was driven home once again last night when West Virginia pounded the Panthers into submission with a 76-62 victory at WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia became the latest opponent to expose Pitt's suspect defense. The Mountaineers shredded the Panthers' defense, shooting 49 percent from the field. They were the fourth consecutive opponent to shoot 47 percent or more from the field.

"The way the defense has been the last couple of games ... we were lucky to get out of Syracuse alive, we were lucky to come back against Cincinnati," Pitt senior Keith Benjamin said. "You can't keep doing that. It's not going to work. You have to come up with something on the defensive end, and we're not."

Pitt made West Virginia's Joe Alexander look like an All-American. Alexander, who came into the game averaging 15 points per game, poured in 32 against the Panthers. Darris Nichols scored 17 and Alex Ruoff added 14.

A team without a real post presence, West Virginia outscored Pitt, 30-24, in the lane. Time after time, the Mountaineers sliced their way through Pitt's defenders for easy baskets.

"We're not playing hard and being aggressive on defense," junior point guard Levance Fields said. "If a guy makes a tough shot, coach always says do it again because there aren't many times they will. Now, if a guy makes a tough shot, we put our heads down and we start giving up layups. Since I've been back, we've been giving up a lot of layups.

"We have to play defense. We can still be in games if we play defense. We give up layup after layup. Because we're giving up so many points, we're putting ourselves in too many deep holes."

West Virginia leapfrogged Pitt into sixth place in the Big East standings. More important, the Mountaineers (21-9, 10-7) enhanced their NCAA tournament resume with the victory and likely won't have to sweat out selection Sunday if they take care of business Saturday at St. John's.

Pitt (21-9, 9-8) should be in good position for an NCAA berth as well if the Panthers can beat DePaul Sunday afternoon in the regular-season finale at the Petersen Events Center.

Pitt got behind the 8-ball early in the game because of foul trouble. The officiating crew called 45 fouls in the game, including 23 in the first half.

DeJuan Blair and Ronald Ramon each picked up two fouls in the first half. Gilbert Brown had three. That forced coach Jamie Dixon to go to his bench, which failed to provide quality minutes in the starters' absence.

West Virginia surged to a 40-30 halftime advantage. That lead quickly lead grew to 17 in the opening moments of the second half. The Mountaineers led by as many as 23 before they decided to coast the final few minutes.

"Obviously, we were outplayed," Dixon said. "Foul trouble was a big factor in the game. They were in foul trouble, too. They responded better to it than we did. We were never able to get into a rhythm."

Unlike the previous two games against Cincinnati and Syracuse, the offense was not able to keep Pitt in the game when the defense folded. The Panthers had 16 turnovers, 10 in the first half, when they had the opportunity to take a lead against the equally sluggish Mountaineers.

Pitt was 21 for 48 from the field and 16 for 28 from the free-throw line. Fields led the Panthers with 15 points. Season scoring leader Sam Young, who fouled out midway through the second half, could only manage 13.

Benjamin said the six days until Sunday's regular-season finale should be used for some self-introspection.

"Right now, it's gut-check time," he said. "Everyone has to look at themselves. If we want to be champions like we say we do, then we have to get it done."