A few days after Pitt lost starters Levance Fields and Mike Cook to injuries last month, Coach Jamie Dixon delivered a simple message to his nine healthy scholarship players.

Namely, he would allow no excuses the rest of the season, nor would he set any limitations for those who remained.

Maybe he should have added this, too: not many losses were permitted, either.

Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin, playing new roles because of the injuries, both scored 18 points, and the 15th-ranked Panthers surprised No. 5 Georgetown 69-60 on Monday night.