Pitt's most experienced men's basketball player will miss the first half of the season on academic suspension.

Redshirt junior Gilbert Brown, who was expected to be the starting small forward for the Panthers, will miss at least the first 11 games after he was suspended from the university last night.

Brown, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound native of Harrisburg who has played in 72 career games for the Panthers, will be eligible to rejoin the team Dec. 20.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon declined comment and Brown was unavailable.

Brown started 15 games as a redshirt freshman in the 2007-08 season after Mike Cook injured his knee. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game that season and earned the Coaches Award for outstanding attitude at the team banquet following the season.

Brown played in 32 games last season and averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. With the departure of all-Big East Conference player Sam Young, Brown was expected to take on the role of leading scorer as well as team leader this season. The player most likely to assume more minutes in Brown's absence is sophomore Nasir Robinson.

Brown's departure means junior guard Brad Wanamaker is Dixon's most experienced player. Senior guard Jermaine Dixon, who started all 36 games last season after transferring in from junior college, is the next most experienced player.

Pitt has qualified for eight consecutive NCAA tournaments and is coming off one of its most successful seasons in school history. The Panthers advanced to the Elite Eight last season and finished the season with a 31-5 record.