Pitt at NC State Live Feed: Panthers Pull Upset on Wolfpack

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers walked into PNC Arena as a 10-point underdog and left as eight-point victors. They survived multiple second-half surges from NC State to pull off a pretty stunning upset in Raleigh.

Game Information

Matchup: Pitt at NC State
Time: 7:00 P.M. ET
Where: PNC Arena
How to Watch: ACC Network
How to Listen: 93.7 The Fan

Live Game Chat

Come chat with our Inside the Panthers team. Stephen Thompson will share their thoughts and news, and any highlights from the game. Tweet at us at @InsidePitt to have your thoughts and reactions shared in the feed.

Stephen: Final: Pitt 68, NC State 60

What a win for the Panthers, who entered as 10-point underdogs. You cannot say enough about Jamarius Burton, who scored a career-high 24 points. He countered almost every Wolfpack run singlehandedly. Give credit to the Pitt defense as well. They made some adjustments midway through the first half

This is a mightily impressive win for the Panthers who have won an ACC opener for the third time in five years with Jeff Capel at the helm. Their win streak is up to five and Vanderbilt is the only high-major opponent standing in between them and their next ACC contest against Syracuse.

Stephen: The Panthers are once again weathering a counterattack from the Wolfpack behind Jamarius Burton, who's scored 14 of his career-high 22 points in the second half. He and Nike Sibande have hit big shot after big shot to keep their team at arm's length from NC State. The Panthers lead 65-56 at the final media timeout of the game.

Stephen: Pitt is going to have to work to fend off another strong push from NC State. They've scored six straight and cut their deficit to six with 7:13 to go.

Stephen: NC State went on a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to just four with 13:08 left in the second half, but Elliot knocked down his first 3-pointer of the night on the next possession to silence the home crowd and steal some momentum back. Pitt did a tremendous job weathering that storm and they now lead by nine with 11:45 to go.

It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows, though. Federiko picked up two silly fouls during that run. It's not necessarily fatal for the Panthers but given the foul trouble elsewhere, he can't afford to pick up weak penalties.

Stephen:

#Pitt is out-NC State-ing NC State. Good defense is driving the offense. Wolfpack have four turnovers in the first five minutes of the second half and the Panthers have made them pay for every one.

11-point lead in the second half of a road ACC game? Are we dreaming?
— stephen thompson (@stephenethom) December 3, 2022

Stephen:

Biggest key of the game so far has been Pitt's defense on Jarkel Joiner. He has 1 point and is 0-5 from the field. He averages 17 a game.
— Jim Hammett (@JimHammett) December 3, 2022

Stephen: Pitt has opened up their largest lead of the night at 41-34 with 15:49 to play in regulation. Hinson and Burton are leading the charge with 12 points and two rebounds each. They've given the Panthers some situational strength down low against other perimeter players, which is key when their bigs are so much smaller than NC State's.

Stephen: Halftime: Pitt 33, NC State 28. The Panthers, who entered as 10-point underdogs, executed really well at the end of the half and will carry a two-possession lead into halftime. This has been an excellent game so far.

The Panthers have settled in defensively a bit. It helps that they were able to hang a pair of fouls on Burns and send him to the bench, but Federiko Federiko has done an outstanding job adjusting and figuring out how to use his length and agility to counter brute force.

Pitt has to clean up the turnovers - they have nine so far - but other than that, it was a strong half.

Hinson hasn't missed and is tied with Burton for the team lead in points with eight. Cummings hasn't made a field goal but did dish out three assists. It's been a rough shooting night for Elliot, but he has eight rebounds to lead the game. Seven of the eight players Capel's sent to the floor have scored.

Smith and Burns are carrying the offensive load for the Wolfpack so far, with 11 points each. Smith has made just three of his 10 attempts from the floor.

Stephen: NC State is getting right in the jersey of every Pitt player on defense. The pressure is making every Panther hesitant to pass and there's not enough off-ball movement to get guys free and make things easier.

The Wolfpack have turned seven Pitt turnovers into nine points and lead 19-16 at the 7:07 mark of the first half. 260-pound D.J. Burns is bullying his opponents on the block and has scored a game-high nine points.

Stephen: Both defenses have started to figure their opponents out. Pitt's made just one of their last five shots and NC State is just two for their last six. But the Wolfpack are beginning to apply their full-court pressure more effectively. They've sped the Panthers up to forced three turnovers and lead 14-11 with 11:48 to go in the first half.

Stephen: These two squads are off to a great start. The crowd is alive and both teams are making their shots as the first media timeout hits. Pitt is 4-6 from the field, NC State is 4-8 the Wolfpack lead, 10-9. Smith is as good as advertised - he's hit a couple of triples from spectacularly deep range.

One concern for the Panthers is that Blake Hinson, who has scored five of his team's nine points, picked up his second foul just five minutes in.

Stephen: Starting lineups are in and the Panthers will roll with a familiar bunch. John Hugley, Jamarius Burton, Greg Elliot, Blake Hinson and Nelly Cummings will be the first five out for Jeff Capel. Kevin Keats' Wolfpack will send Smith, Joiner and Morsell alongside Jack Clark and Dusan Mahorcic to the floor to face them.

Stephen: The backcourt play in this game should be outstanding. Pitt's been strongest on the perimeter and NC State brings a three-headed monster to this game. Terquavion Smith, a projected first-round pick, joins Casey Morsell and Jarkel Joiner in a loaded guard group. They're all averaging north of 15 points and three rebounds per game, with Joiner and Smith combining for nine assists per night.

Pitt's starters of Greg Elliot, Jamarius Burton and Nelly Cummings will have to put pressure on that trio on the offensive end in addition to being smart with the ball against the Wolfpack's full-court press.

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