The images of the Pitt basketball team in the Jamie Dixon Era are those of big, tough-minded, physical teams that manhandle opponents defensively and pound them relentlessly on the glass.

But that image might change, at least some, this season because this version doesn't quite fit that mold. This Panthers team is sleeker, smaller and a little more skilled at all five spots than most of its predecessors.

In fact, the Panthers best lineup so far has been its "smaller lineup" that puts forward Michael Young at center and involves some combination of a second forward, a wing and two guards.

"Everybody wants to be bigger, stronger, and it looks great on paper, but, often times, it is not your best group," Dixon said. "So, I think this smaller group, once we have all of our guys back, would be effective for us.

"I think we have always been the team that gets our best guys on the floor and puts them in position to succeed and that is what has helped us."

This lineup has been used increasingly each time out -- the Panthers have played two exhibitions and two regular-season games -- and each time it seems to be more effective while creating matchup issues for opponents and playing to some of its offensive strengths.

"It is a team that I had envisioned [the smaller lineup]," Dixon said. "We are almost are forced to play a little bigger actually than we want to [until Cam Wright is back from a foot injury], and that is not a good thing. But Mike has been very effective. He was our best post defender last year and, right now, he is our best post defender again.

"So ... our best team may be our smaller team. [Young] obviously gives us more offensively. But if he gives us more defensively, that speaks to it."

The smaller lineup, however, took a hit when Durand Johnson was suspended for the season. Furthermore, Wright likely will be out a few more weeks.

Those two were the most experienced and versatile wing players.

With Wright out, Dixon has tinkered with the lineup and used a combination of Jamel Artis and Sheldon Jeter at forward and wing. He also has put Chris Jones and freshman Cam Johnson there, though Johnson, a freshman, is mostly a guard.

The Panthers then have three guards to man the other two spots at various times -- Jones, Josh Newkirk and James Robinson -- and, when Wright returns, they will gain another player who could play on the perimeter.

Jones said he likes playing with this lineup because it is athletic, skilled and can score points in transition as well as in the half-court offense because Young is such a good scorer in the post.

"It allows us to do a lot of different things," Jones said of the smaller lineup. "It opens things up for us on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. At the end of that Samford game, Mike was in the game, and they were [spreading us out] and trying to drive, but we were switching [on defense].

"But Mike is a very mobile guy, so he was doing a pretty good job playing defense on the perimeter.

"And then offensively, it allows us to run a lot more, to get out in transition and get some easier points."

The Panthers have two true centers -- Joseph Uchebo and Derrick Randall. At times, they will need to play bigger and use them while moving Young back to power forward. The two centers, however, combined for only 14 minutes of playing time Sunday against Samford.

Pitt (2-0) leaves today for Maui and will play four games in six days starting Friday against Hawaii (2-1) .

Paul Zeise: pzeise@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1720 and Twitter @paulzeise.

First Published: November 19, 2014, 7:11 a.m.