The Duquesne Dukes have piqued the curiosity of basketball fans across the country with their mass substitution, up-tempo style that has successfully worn down many opponents the past two seasons.

The Dukes like to run the fastbreak on offense and play a full-court pressure defense. The frantic, run-and-gun style has led to the Dukes' best start in 25 years and a gaudy 92.3 scoring average.

But the Dukes are not the only team in the city with a desire to play at a fast tempo.

Pitt has changed its personality this season. The Panthers have transformed themselves from a rugged team that liked to play in the half court to a team that likes to take advantage of their transition opportunities. That has been evidenced in their 84.0 scoring average and their 30-point average margin of victory through seven games.

So the question heading into the 76th edition of the annual City Game between No. 12 Pitt (7-0) and Duquesne (6-1) tomorrow night at the Palumbo Center will be the manner in which both teams choose to play.

If the players have their way, this contest could be one of the highest scoring in the history of this intense city rivalry.

"We're not going to change anything we're doing," Pitt junior point guard Levance Fields said. "We'll be pushing the ball, playing like we've been playing. If it's not there, we'll run a play. But we're still looking to attack against every team we play."

Duquesne players, not surprisingly, welcomed the opportunity to get into an up-tempo game with the Panthers.

"Yeah, why not," Dukes center Shawn James said. "Let's run."

Duquesne rarely goes away from its up-tempo style. The only time this season the Dukes stopped their pressure and trapping defense was in its first loss of the season to Drake Saturday night. In that game, Drake was able to break the press and get open 3-point shots. It capitalized by making eight from behind the arc in the first half to lead, 51-43, at the intermission. Dukes coach Ron Everhart scaled back his rotation to seven players in the second half and called off the press. It worked to a certain extent. Drake shot 18 percent from the field in the second half, but the Dukes lost, 77-73.

"We like to run, that's no secret, but we're not a one-dimensional team," Everhart said. "We can play half court, too, if that's the way the game is played. I know we can put fresh legs on the court and play at up-tempo if that's the way Pitt wants to play."

Pitt has showed little interest in playing the slow-down game. The Panthers have been held below 78 points once this season -- in the third game against Saint Louis. The Billikens forced Pitt into a slow-down game, but the Panthers still managed to win, 69-58, proving they play any type of game and still be successful.

"We've been the same every game," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. "If we have an advantage we're going to take it. If we don't have an advantage, you have to wait until you get a good shot. It's about taking good shots. It doesn't matter if it's a two-on-one [break] or against a half-court defense. You have to take high-percentage shots. If we have numbers, we're going to push just like we always have and always will. The key will be their press. When they press, we have to break it and then take good shots at the end of it."

Pitt did not handle pressure very well in a few games last season. Louisville's full-court pressure defense helped the Cardinals win, 66-53, in a mid-February game at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers had 19 turnovers in that game, 16 in the first half when the Cardinals jumped to a big lead.

A few weeks later in the Big East Conference tournament, Pitt made the correct adjustments and beat Louisville, 66-59. The Panthers only had six turnovers in that game.

In the end, Pitt's ability to handle the pressure could be the difference in this game. Dixon said he does not plan to vary his substitution pattern because of Duquesne's substitution system, so the play of Fields and the rest of Pitt's guards will be of utmost importance.

"They have a variety of different presses that maybe will pose some trouble for us," senior guard Keith Benjamin said. "We're getting their presses down pat. We have to realize when they're trapping right away and when they're not.

"We go over it every day. This year we have better ballhandlers with our [forwards] and [centers]. That helps the guards knowing that they can give it to our big men, and they can get it across half court, set up our offense and help us out."

NOTE -- Pitt moved up two spots to No. 9 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll and two spots to No. 12 in The Associated Press poll. This is the sixth consecutive season that Pitt has cracked the top 10 of the coaches' poll.