NC State Looks to Improve Consistency at Pitt

RALEIGH — The week and season as a whole already took a massive positive turn on Tuesday for NC State men's basketball after the Wolfpack knocked off No. 18 Clemson on the road. The victory erased a major resumé blemish suffered a few days before when Will Wade's team dropped a home game to lowly Georgia Tech.

Now, NC State (13-6, 4-2 ACC) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh (8-11, 1-5 ACC) in the Steel City on Saturday, putting the perfect conference road record on the line against Jeff Capel's Panthers. The Wolfpack has lacked consistency all season long, with this spot being another risky one given the noon start time and looming weather issues.

Challenges posed by Pitt

jeff capel — Jan 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel on the sideline against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There aren't many coaches in college basketball with a warmer seat than Capel's this season, as the ACC veteran is off to one of his worst starts as head coach of the Panthers. Still, all league opponents have something to prove and the difference between keeping a job and losing one could be making the ACC Tournament at the end of the season.

The Panthers aren't particularly exceptional at anything, ranking 87th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 120th in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom. Pitt likes to take things slow on the offensive end, averaging 19.4 seconds per possession, good for the 340th slowest in the country. NC State proved it could survive against a grind-it-out style in the win over Clemson.

Pitt is 17th in the ACC in scoring, averaging just 72.7 points per game. The Panthers are led by sophomore guard Brandin Cummings, who enters the Wolfpack matchup scoring 13.6 points per game. Senior forward Cameron Corhen could pose some size issues for the Wolfpack, standing 6-foot-10 and averaging 12.7 points and 8.0 rebounds.

The Panthers are a middle-of-the-road defensive team in the conference, allowing 70.7 points per game on average, just behind the Wolfpack's 71.8.

How NC State can attack Pitt

The approach should remain the same as usual for the Wolfpack. NC State can be chaotic with its pressure and switching, as Pitt ranks fifth-worst in the ACC in turnover margin, giving the ball 10.8 times per game. While the average number of giveaways is somewhat low, the Panthers have fewer possessions because of their pace of play.

Should Darrion Williams and other members of the Wolfpack continue to shoot the ball from 3-point range on the road, NC State should have a distinct advantage in that area as well. Opposing offenses are shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc against the Panthers, putting their 3-point defense at 243rd in the country.

Jan 10, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

It will be a quick trip for NC State, as the looming winter storm threatening the East Coast could strand the team in Pittsburgh if it doesn't leave expeditiously. The weather concerns moved the game to ESPNU rather than its original ESPN2 slot, as other ACC games were moved earlier in the day to avoid potential delays or postponements.

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