After some lackluster defensive performances in January and February, Pitt is back to playing its signature tough, hard-nosed style. That's a good thing because the fourth-seeded Panthers will need that defense if they want to advance out of the NCAA tournament's South Region and into the Final Four.

Pitt's first-round opponent and the top seeds in the region are known for their defense, which could result in some low-scoring games.

Pitt's first opponent is No. 13 seed Oral Roberts, which set school records for defense this season in allowing only 61.4 points per game. No. 5 Michigan State, a likely second-round opponent for Pitt, has allowed 62 points per game.

If Pitt survives the first two rounds, more defensive-minded teams could await in the third and fourth rounds. Top-seeded Memphis has yielded 61.2 points per game; No. 3 seed Stanford 60.2. All four teams are among the top 37 nationally in scoring defense.

Pitt is not, but that in large part because of injuries that plagued the Panthers all season. Pitt has given up 65.2 points per game, but the Panthers played much more defensive-minded en route to the Big East tournament championship last week when they won four games in four days.

Pitt did not allow any of its four Big East tournament opponents to score more than 69 points. Three of the four shot 40 percent or less from the field. That was a stark contrast from the final portion of the regular season when Pitt's eight opponents shot 42 percent or more.

"We got back to playing defense," junior point guard Levance Fields said. "I remember talking about the defense when we were in that three-game losing streak and losing to Louisville. We got back to what we needed to do. And we're rebounding the ball."

In that loss to Louisville at the Petersen Events Center, the Cardinals shot 58 percent and scored 75 points. In the Big East tournament rematch, they only shot 37 percent and scored 69 points. And that game went to overtime.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon credits the improved defensive effort to a new practice routine. Or, rather, an old practice routine that had to be abandoned when the Panthers were dealing with their injuries in the middle of the season.

For much of the season, Pitt had to practice in an unconventional manner because four players were injured. With Mike Cook, Austin Wallace and Cassin Diggs out for the season and Levance Fields out for seven weeks, Dixon had to scale back practices to what amounted to glorified walk-throughs.

Dixon could not conduct practices that simulated games because he did not have enough players for five-on-five scrimmages. His workouts, famous for their intensity and physicality, became soft.

Dixon didn't have much choice. Another injury would have jeopardized the season.

But once Fields was healthy enough to return to practice full time, Dixon reinstituted his physical routine, and the results have been evident.

"We were able to get back into it and do the things we do," Dixon said. "We have just been more physical, more aggressive. We're more like we normally are. More like Pitt."

Senior guard Keith Benjamin said the improvement on defense also is a result of a much more disciplined mental approach the players have taken. Dixon has been drilling his players to concentrate on the task at hand.

"To me, it is more the focus," Benjamin said. "Now we have the numbers back and can go hard every day in practice. But everyone is so locked in with the game plans. As long as we lock into a game plan, we can defend anybody."