The ACC Tournament continues on Wednesday, as Pittsburgh faces NC State in Charlotte with a spot in the next round on the line. The Panthers enter this Pitt vs NC State contest after surviving the opening round with a dramatic 64-63 win over Stanford, giving the Panthers a bit of confidence after a difficult regular season. That victory pushed Pitt to 13-19 overall and showed the group still has plenty of fight left late in the year.
NC State arrives with the stronger overall résumé. The Wolfpack finished the regular season near the top tier of the ACC standings with a 19-10 record and a 10-6 conference mark. Their offense has been one of the most productive in the league, but they are on the bubble and will try to prove that they belong in the NCAA Tournament with a win here.
Pick: NC State -6.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 4 out of 5
The Panthers secured the final spot in the ACC Tournament after a dramatic overtime win at Syracuse and have won three of their last four games entering this matchup. Their victory over Stanford in the opening round was another close call, which shows they are comfortable playing tight games.
NC State has had a far more stable season. The Wolfpack finished well above .500 and boasts one of the league’s top scoring attacks. They already defeated Pitt earlier in the year and have multiple scoring options that can create problems for opposing defenses.
The biggest question in this contest is whether Pitt can slow the tempo. The Panthers are far more comfortable in physical half-court games, while NC State thrives in faster contests where their guards can push the pace and generate open looks.
Going into this game, the Wolfpack are in the NCAA Tournament field according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi. But a loss here could change all of that and NC State probably needs to win at least this game at the ACC Tournament in order to avoid being in bubble peril come Selection Sunday.
NC State Wolfpack
Pittsburgh Panthers
Stat | Pittsburgh | NC State |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 70.2 | 83.5 |
Points allowed per game | 71.0 | 76.0 |
Team Field Goal % | 44% | 47% |
Rebounds per game | 34.7 | 35.0 |
Assists per game | 13.3 | 15.7 |
Score Projection: Pittsburgh 71 – NC State 79 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Pittsburgh 34%, NC State 66% ATS PRO
Pitt deserves credit for reaching this stage and for the grit shown in its opening round win. Still, this is a difficult matchup against a team that already beat them and has far more offensive firepower. NC State’s ability to create scoring opportunities through Copeland and Williams gives them a clear edge. My recommendation is to lay the points with a fresher NC State team, as they should advance and alleviate some of the pressure on them as far as making the NCAA Tournament is concerned.
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