Fields still not all the way back

Six minutes into the first half of Friday night’s game at Marquette, Levance Fields rose off… Six minutes into the first half of Friday night’s game at Marquette, Levance Fields rose off the bench and checked into a game for the first time in nearly two months.

At that moment, Pitt fans rejoiced.

Thirty-four minutes later, their heads hung in disappointment.

After spending the last 12 games in street clothes watching his Panthers play from the sidelines, Fields shot just 1 of 7 from the field and committed two turnovers in one of Pitt’s worst losses of the season, a 72-54 stomping at Marquette.

Fields, who fractured his fifth metatarsal in his left foot Dec. 29 against Dayton, returned to the lineup but was relatively ineffective as he and the Panthers had one of their worst showings of the season.

“I felt all right out there,” Fields said after the Marquette game. “[The foot] is about 85 percent. It was just like practices. It’s a little sore.”

Fields was originally expected to be out eight to 12 weeks but was cleared by doctors to play again before Pitt’s win against Providence.

He practiced twice before the game against Marquette.

There was speculation that Fields would dress to face Providence, but he decided not to and held off until Friday.

“I didn’t want to push it,” Fields said.

But heading into Friday night, he said he was ready to play and felt strong.

“I know I’m going to play,” Fields said. “My body has been good.”

Redshirt freshman Gilbert Brown said Fields does nothing but help the team when in the lineup, even though the Panthers have had some success without him.

“He’s the main creator,” Brown said. “He rolls right back in.”

But Fields struggled to find his rhythm when he finally stepped back on the court, ending with just four points in 20 minutes.

The junior point guard from Brooklyn missed his last six shots after knocking down his first.

It wasn’t the same performance the Panthers were used to getting out of Fields, who was averaging 11.9 points and 5.4 assists heading into the contest.

“He wasn’t like his usual self,” Sam Young said. “He was a little sluggish, and we’re still used to getting him back into the lineup.”

Fields said it would take him a little while to get into the same shape he was in prior to his foot injury, but he still said he had the same confidence he has always had.

“You have to have confidence,” he said. “[Or] there’s no sense in me playing.”

Fields did say he was playing at 85 percent Friday, but his status could improve this week.

The Panthers have a sizable challenge on their hands tonight at Notre Dame.

They will follow that up with home games against Louisville and Cincinnati.