Game predictions: NC State at Pittsburgh

NC State Wolfpack basketball continues ACC play Wednesday at Pittsburgh at 4:30 p.m. on ACC Network.

The Panthers (9-7, 5-6 ACC) are coming off of a 71-65 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday, and the Wolfpack (8-9, 4-8 ACC) lost to Duke 69-53 in its last game.

Here are The Wolfpacker staff's game predictions for State's matchup with Pittsburgh:

This a tough game to pick.

Both of these teams are entering this contest after some recent struggles. NC State has lost eight of its last 10, and Pitt has dropped five of its last six.

The Wolfpack will once again be shorthanded. Not only will it be without fifth-year senior guard Devon Daniels (out for season with an ACL Tear), the Pack will also miss redshirt junior guard Thomas Allen, who was announced to be unavailable this morning with a lower leg injury.

Senior guard Braxton Beverly, who sat out the second half of the Duke loss with a hip injury, appears ready to play based on NC State's social media posts, but it's still questionable whether or not he's back to 100 percent that quickly.

With all of the injuries in the backcourt, the Wolfpack will have a tall task Wednesday afternoon in correcting its recent turnover issues. The Pack turned the ball over a combined 38 times over the past two games.

That said, NC State should have an advantage in the post against a small Panthers squad. Pitt's tallest starter is 6-8, so the Pack will have the size advantage down low with fifth-year senior forward DJ Funderburk (6-10) and redshirt sophomore center Manny Bates (6-11).

Despite the lack of height on the roster, Pittsburgh has been a solid rebounding team this season. If the Wolfpack wants to pick up its second-straight road win, it will have to outrebound and outscore the Panthers in the paint.

I expect NC State to come out energized and play a tough game, but the injury problems in the backcourt concern me with the recent turnover struggles. I'll go with Pitt in a coinflip.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 70, NC State 67

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: NC State 79, UNC 75 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 87, Boston College 80 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: NC State 73, Clemson 71 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 72, Miami 64 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: NC State 82, Florida State 77 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 81, NC State 75 (Actual: UNC 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 80, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 75, Syracuse 72 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 70, NC State 65 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

ACC Game 10: NC State 77, Boston College 70 (Actual: NC State 81-65)

ACC Game 11: NC State 75, Syracuse 69 (Actual: Syracuse 77-68)

ACC Game 12: Duke 85, NC State 84 (Actual: Duke 69-53)

At some point between now and the end of the season, I have a hunch that the Wolfpack is going to figure out a formula that will work for them.

One of the ongoing issues is, even prior to fifth-year senior guard Devon Daniels’ injury, NC State has struggled to get a firm handle on its personnel identity and rotation. Daniels’ ACL tear compounded that issue.

That is evident by the fact that NC State has used 10 different starting lineups over its 17 games thus far. Head coach Kevin Keatts has gone big and small, older and younger, and everything in between.

Pittsburgh is a good example of a team that can figure it out for a while and play really good basketball. For the first three weeks in January, it twice defeated Syracuse (once by 20 points) and knocked off Duke at home. Since then it has fallen on harder times, perhaps partially due to multiple game postponements.

Both of these teams are looking for that spark to finish the 2020-21 campaign strong, with Pittsburgh probably having a little more opportunity, in terms of March Madness, than NC State.

I could see this game going either way, but I’ll give the home team an edge.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 71, NC State 62

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: UNC 79, NC State 70 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 78, Boston College 66 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: Clemson 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 79, Miami 76 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: Florida State 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 79, NC State 76 (Actual: North Carolina 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 77, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 69, Syracuse 66 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 72, NC State 59 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

ACC Game 10: NC State 74, Boston College 62 (Actual: NC State 81-65)

ACC Game 11: NC State 78, Syracuse 67 (Actual: Syracuse 77-68)

ACC Game 12: Duke 83, NC State 76 (Actual: Duke 69-53)

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