NC State knew Pittsburgh was an improved squad from the winless ACC version of last year.
The task of defeating the Panthers became much more tenuous Saturday when starting redshirt junior center Wyatt Walker was ejected two minutes into the game, and then junior point guard Markell Johnson took a spill with 9:45 left in the first half, and didn’t return.
“I don’t have a update on Markell yet and I have not seen the play on Wyatt Walker yet,” NCSU head coach Kevin Keatts said.
Johnson was carried to the NCSU locker room and eventually returned to the team bench during the second half. The absence of Johnson and Walker created a chain reaction, starting with the fact the Wolfpack only had eight healthy scholarship players. The rotation was then shortened to seven when sophomore point guard Blake Harris didn’t play in the second half.
NC State was truly tested and trailed by five points with 9:53 left in game, but handled the adversity and Pitt’s zone defense with poise to win 86-80 in front of 17,695 fans at PNC Arena. NCSU returns to action at Wake Forest at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
“We found a way to win a game when things weren’t going our way,” Keatts said. “I think we are building something really special here where guys are learning how to fight and compete every day.”
The Wolfpack (14-2 overall, 2-1 ACC) bench responded well to playing heavier minutes, and outscored the Panthers (11-5, 1-2 ACC) 54-9 in points.
NCSU dominated the free-throw line in the second half, going 15 of 18, to finish going 19 of 25. The Panthers remained in the game in the first half thanks to going 18 of 21 en route to finishing 24 of 28 for 85.7 percent.
“I told our guys that Pitt was a good team and they remind me of us last year,” Keatts said. “They are very scrappy and they get after it and did a good job.”
NCSU fifth-year senior wing Torin Dorn added 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and he knew he was facing a different Pitt team under coach Jeff Capel.
"That is the best Pitt team I've played against and that is a testament to Coach Capel and his staff," Dorn said.
DJ Funderburk shreds Pitt's zone
NC State redshirt sophomore DJ Funderburk probably figured he’d play power forward at his third school in three years. He had played the position during his redshirt year at Ohio State and then at Northwest Florida State College last year.
The slender 6-foot-10, 210-pounder was thrust into playing the center spot when freshman Ian Steere quit the team after one game and subsequently transferred to St. John’s. Before that occurred, freshman center Manny Bates was ruled out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Funderburk was needed more than ever at center against Pittsburgh in light of Walker’s ejection. He finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in a season-high 34 minutes in the win. His ability to make things happen against a zone defense is an impressive trait.
“He’s skilled and any time you get a post guy that is skilled, he can step into that free-throw area and make shots,” Keatts said. “He can pick and pop, and he’s long.
“I thought DJ was great and when I leave out of here, I’ll go in there and give him a big hug. I thought he did a tremendous job.”
Funderburk said he doesn’t even like playing against zones.
“I think I play better against man, but I felt that we needed a lot and I did as much as I could,” Funderburk said. “It just so happened to come to me.”
Funderburk also remained out of foul trouble despite the heavy workload. His six offensive rebounds helped the Wolfpack crush the Panthers 21-9 in that category.
“I talked to the coaches and they were like, ‘You are all we got now, you have to play hard,’” Funderburk said. "I'm just trying to figure out how to play my defensive game with the ACC refs, that is all."
The Vanderbilt game was arguably Funderburk’s breakout performance when he had 16 points and five boards in the 80-65 win Dec. 1. He has scored in double figures in six of the last nine contests.
Eric Lockett emerges yet again
Fifth-year senior wing Eric Lockett doesn’t want to make this a trend, but for the second time this season, he responded well to not playing in the previous game.
The 6-5, 193-pound Florida International graduate transfer didn’t play in the big 78-71 win over Auburn on Dec. 19. He responded beautifully the next game with 15 points and eight rebounds and shot 3 of 3 on three-pointers in a 98-71 win over South Carolina-Upstate on Dec. 22.
Lockett went through deja vu when he wasn’t called during Tuesday’s 90-82 loss vs. North Carolina. Instead of sulking, he went back to the lab, or in this case the Dail Practice facility and worked on his game.
“He could have easily went back and went out at night and partied and not be happy with what happened,” Keatts said. “He didn’t do that.
“The next time we went back into the gym he smiled and he worked hard. He’s a mature young man who has graduated and worked on his master’s.”
Lockett was absolutely needed against Pittsburgh and he scored a season-high 17 points, plus seven rebounds and went 3 of 4 on three-pointers in just 22 minutes of action.
“We knew we had to play harder [in the second half] and try to get to the free-throw line,” Lockett said. “They beat us at the free-throw line in the first half.
“I’m glad he [Keatts] trusts me to put me out there this time. He believed in me and let me play. I’m happy to show him what I’m able to do.”
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