The fact that this is NC State’s 4th ACC win in a row shouldn’t be taken lightly. Winning four straight in the ACC is something most teams rarely (if ever) do, and to do it under the circumstances NC State has, well, you. have to give credit all around.
That said, if you came here looking for a rah-rah, celebratory article that talks about 4-game winning streaks and ignores what happened last night, well then, I’d advise you to go somewhere else.
Ok, now that you’ve been warned…
NC State did not play well at all. In fact, this was likely their worst conference showing this season, in my opinion. They went up against a Pitt team that was depleted, but a Pitt team that seemed like they had something to prove. On the other end, NC State (mostly the freshmen) seemed like they were overlooking this game. They didn’t have the focus or the intensity they’ve had over the prior 3 games. This was a loss against any team in the conference except this specific Pitt team.
Now, like I said, a win is a win and when you listen to the players and Keatts in the postgame, you. hear a message of optimism and a coach who is harping on the fact that they made enough plays to get it done. And look, he’s absolutely right. Learning how to win is not about playing perfect every time out, but it is about doing what it takes to beat your opponent, no matter what the situation.
On the other hand, this wasn’t a game where Pitt played exceptionally well, or a game where NC State just had an off-shooting night. This was a game NC State just wasn’t mentally ready for. At least most of them.
I’m not here to doom and gloom. This game doesn’t mean NC State isn’t good or that they aren’t going to close out the season on a high-note. This was just a game you can chalk up to freshmen being freshmen. The freshmen just got the lesson of what can happen when you come off an upset win over a top 15 team, get a ton of great publicity, and then face a team everyone thinks you should beat. Luckily, they got to learn this lesson without taking a loss and that’s solely thanks to the upperclassmen.
The upper-classmen saved the day
We’ve talked a lot about the freshmen over the past couple of weeks, but make no mistake, you’re chalking this win up to the upperclassmen willing this team to victory.
While the rest of the team seemed to be sleepwalking through the game, Braxton Beverly looked like he was playing with a sense of urgency. He was attacking, making crisp passes, and hunting his shot. The senior leader ended up with 14 points, 1 assist, and 2 rebounds. So it’s not like he had a huge night on the stat sheet, but if you watched the game, you know it was Beverly who helped the Wolfpack hold on and win this game.
If you are looking at the stat sheet, Hellems is the guy who stood out. He had a great first half, helping him finish with a team-high 15 points and 10 boards and 5 assist and fought hard all game. While he went cold in the 2nd half, he continued to play physical throughout.
Funderburk and Bates were a mixed bag. Bates had 10 points and 6 blocks but only came down with 3 boards. Funderburk scored 13 on 4-7 shooting, but he too only brought down 3 rebounds. So, while they played ok, they definitely. seemed out physicalled on the blocks.
Pitt outrebounded NC State 45-31 and had 20 (YES, 20) offensive rebounds to NC State’s 7.
The freshmen learned a lesson
You can’t take a night off in this league. You can’t get a big head in this league. If you do, you’ll get beat.
The freshmen, for whatever reason, came out flat in this game. A group that was physical and mixed it up with a stronger, more mature #15 UVA squad, looked soft, shied away from contact, and didn’t play with much fire or focus.
Hayes, Moore, and Seabron combined to go 2-13 for 11 points. This is after they went 9-19 for 33 points against Virginia. But this is what freshmen do, and this is how freshmen learn. Consistency is usually the last thing these guys have to master before being what most would consider ‘ACC ready.’
It’s also worth noting that for the second straight game, PG Cam Hayes had ZERO turnovers. That’s 68 consecutive minutes without turning the ball over. However, during that span Hayes only. has 2 assists. I’m sure Keatts is harping on him taking care of the basketball, but NC State needs Cam to be a playmaker. He was hitting his shots and scoring vs. Virginia but was off against Pitt. Keatts needs him to recognize that and go into playmaking mode, helping his teammates get open looks and making the defense work. Cam was too stagnant in this one and tended to float around the 3 points line all night. It will take games like these to find that happy medium and to understand when to take on which role for this team.
On Sunday, the freshmen didn’t show up, but they were bailed out by the vets. They learned a lesson without taking a loss, and at the end of the day, that’s an outcome you can live with.
The overall takeaway
Look, this was an ugly game. NC State was out-physicalled and they lacked focus, but honestly, they picked the right night to have an off game. Pitt was active, but they just lack talent. With 2 of their 3 top scorers gone from the team, they just didn’t have shot makers. NC State did just enough to win and at the end of the day, that’s all anyone will remember.
The team shouldn’t dwell on the negatives and us fans shouldn’t either. These are the nights you’ll get when half of your team is freshmen. The question is, do you have the veterans to step up when that happens? Last night, NC State did and they extended their winning streak to 4 games.
Learn from this, make sure it never happens again, and move on. That will likely be Keatts mission over the next few days heading into another must-win vs. Notre Dame.
