Fields Needed Second Surgery

For those who saw Levance Fields on crutches recently, it wasn't a mirage, because Pitt's senior point guard needed a second surgery on his left foot last weekend to correct a small fracture and will be out nearly two months.

The bone graft surgery, done to stabilize the foot, was performed by Dr. Freddie Fu and Dr. Robin West at UPMC-South Side.

Pittsburgh will open practice Oct. 17, and the regular-season games will begin sometime in November. So, the 5-foot-10 Levance Fields is not expected to miss any game time if rehabilitation can begin on schedule soon.

Fields previously broke his fifth metatarsal -- the outermost bone that connects the little toe -- in his left foot Dec. 29, 2007, during a lopsided loss at Dayton, the game after Mike Cook suffered a season-ending knee injury. Fields missed seven weeks after that, but finished the season strong to lead the Panthers to the Big East Conference Tournament title and into the NCAA Tourney.

Fields took two months off after the season, per doctors orders, but played in Pitt's Pro-Am Summer League at Green Tree in suburban Pittsburgh and also participated in Phoenix Suns player Steve Nash's NBA point guard camp.

Fields, however, did not participate in Pitt's offseason conditioning workouts in the spring or go through any on-court training.

After playing in the Pro-Am in June and July, Fields reportedly experienced some pain in the foot. After an examination, a slight fracture in the same bone was found. Instead of resting it again, Fields opted for the stabilizing surgery.