PITTSBURGH — Most players his age have moved on to the NBA or their life's work, content to put their college days behind them and take on different challenges in the adult world. Pitt point guard Carl Krauser was planning to do exactly that.

The leading scorer on the fourth consecutive Pittsburgh team to win at least 20 games and advance to the NCAA tournament, Krauser joined sophomore center Chris Taft in declaring for the NBA draft last spring. But while Taft was drafted on the second round by the Golden State Warriors, Krauser was politely told during the pre-draft camp that his game wasn't ready for the NBA.

After that, he tried to work out a deal to play professionally in Europe, but couldn't find what he wanted. So he changed his mind and told coach Jamie Dixon that he would return at age 24 for his senior season, the senior Panthers player in many ways.

"I wouldn't have come back if I didn't think we were going to be good," said Krauser, who averaged 16 points last season.

Young, these Panthers are. Good? They're about to find out, starting with Saturday's season opener against St. Peter's.

After fielding a succession of veteran teams that featured players such as Brandin Knight — Krauser's predecessor at point guard — Julius Page, Jaron Brown, Chevon Troutman and Taft, Pitt has only two returning starters. One of them, guard Antonio Graves (7.8 points per game average in 2004-05), didn't start one of the two exhibition games.

That means that despite having a point guard who is nearly in his mid 20s, the Panthers will be younger than they've been since former coach Ben Howland's early days on the job in 1999-2000. Freshman point guard Levance Fields, for example, was 14 when Krauser enrolled at Pitt in 2001.

There is talent around, but much of it is inexperienced. Sam Young, a 6-foot-6 freshman small forward, was chosen as the national prep school player of the year last season, and Fields was expected to take over the point immediately if Krauser turned pro.

A number of players who saw uneven playing time last season, including 6-1 sophomore guard Ronald Ramon (6.8 points), 7-0 junior center Aaron Gray (4.3 points), 6-2 sophomore Keith Benjamin (2.2 points), 6-6 senior John DeGroat (1.9 points) and 6-9 junior Levon Kendall (3.5 points), will play a lot more. A lot more will be expected from them, too.

Gray, for example, averaged only about 11 minutes per game, but must play considerably more to give Pitt a consistent rebounder and a physical presence inside. Kendall moves from small forward, where he often looked uncomfortable taking shots on the wing, to his preferred power forward position.

"We're still trying to get guys used to playing different positions," Dixon said. "The minutes are still being worked out."

Ramon and Benjamin, a pair of streaky outside shooters, need to be more consistent. So does Krauser, whose tendency to hold onto the ball last season caused some friction with Taft and Troutman and led the offense to bog down at times. He had 122 turnovers on a 20-9 team that faded down the stretch, more than twice as many as anyone else.

The potential stars look to be Young, the leading scorer in the two exhibition games, and Fields, who can play the point if Krauser slides over to shooting guard. Young is athletic and plays taller than his 6-6.

"He's an instant highlight," Gray said. "He's going to be a great spark, whether coach puts him in the starting lineup or has him coming off the bench. Having someone like him who can get your 12,500 people going just adds to our home-court advantage."

The Panthers will see plenty of their Petersen Events Center home court, too, with nine of their first 11 games there. Another will be played a mile or so down the street at Duquesne, with only a Dec. 28 trip to South Carolina interrupting an all-Pittsburgh schedule until they travel to Louisville on Jan. 15. Pitt's first two Big East home games also are at home.

"Replacing guys has always been a constant in this program," said Dixon, who was 51-14 in his first two seasons on the job. "But guys have always stepped up. I expect that to happen this year as well."