Pitt point guard Levance Fields had bone graft surgery last weekend to stabilize the foot he injured in December. Coach Jamie Dixon said Fields is expected to rehabilitate for eight weeks, but he should be ready to play by the time the Panthers open the regular season in early November.

Fields, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior, fractured a bone in his left foot in a Dec. 29 game at the University of Dayton. He missed nearly seven weeks but came back to help lead Pitt to the Big East championship and into the NCAA tournament.

After the season ended, Fields rested for two months as per doctor's orders. He did not participate in conditioning workouts with the team in the spring or take part in any on-court training.

Fields was cleared to take part in the Pittsburgh Basketball Pro-Am, the summer league in Green Tree where the local players play in June and July.

In August, Fields reported some pain in the foot. After being examined, it was revealed that Fields had what Dixon termed a "slight" fracture of the same bone that was injured in December. Dixon said the doctors were surprised that the bone fractured again.

Fields could have opted to treat the injury with rest, but he opted for surgery.

"As with any injury we'll see how it heals, but we don't anticipate him missing any games," Dixon said.

The first day of practice is Oct. 17. The first game is scheduled for the second week of November. Dixon does not anticipate Fields missing any regular-season games and is hoping he can return to practice for a spell with the rest of the team in October.