Pitt at NC State Takeaways: Panthers' Experience Shines Through

PITTSBURGH -- Winning the game wasn't an absurd concept, but winning in the fashion that the Pitt Panthers did seemed a little far-fetched coming in. 

The Panthers entered PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina as 10-point underdogs and left as eight-point winners. It is hard to understate how impressive Pitt was in their ACC opener, as their wealth of experience shone through in the key moments of a well-earned 68-60 victory over NC State. 

Surviving Second-Half Runs

The most impressive part of this game was not that Pitt jumped out to leads as big as 12 on the road against an ACC opponent that has given them notorious amounts of trouble in the past. No, their best stretches of play came while the Wolfpack were trying to mount comebacks in the second half. 

The Panthers led all the way through the second half, but NC State made it dicey at points. Twice they cut a double-digit lead to six or less and both times, Pitt responded with clutch shot-making to silence a raucous crowd and keep their opponents at arm's length. 

Jamarius Burton led the charge, getting to the paint at will and scoring 16 of his career-high 24 points in the second half to provide an answer every time. Blake Hinson also hit some big shots and Nike Sibande shot with extreme confidence to find some key buckets. 

This is what their fantastic experience is supposed to look like - serenity and poise in the face of high stakes, tight games and pressure from the opponent. For really the first time this year, that experience was put to good use. 

Panthers Contain Superstar Smith, Speedy Pack

Terquavion Smith did his best Trae Young impression early in this game, with his first three buckets coming from well beyond the 3-point line. He scored 15 points, dished out four assists, grabbed six rebounds and stole two passes on a night that didn't even seem like his best effort. When facing a player of his talent, that's a win. The Panthers forced the ball out of his hands and begged someone else to beat them. 

Pitt's tremendous defense extended to the rest of the floor as well. They beat the Wolfpack at their own game, using 12 turnovers to score 15 points and holding the other two parts of NC State's three-headed backcourt monster - Jarkel Joiner and Casey Morsell to 10 points on 4-20 shooting, eight rebounds and three assists combined, when they entered averaging 32.2 points between them. 

Give credit to Federiko Federiko, who in relief of the foul-plagued John Hugley found out how to use his length and agility to counter the NC State forwards and centers that had as much as a 50-pound advantage on him. 

Hugley Looks a Step Slow

Speaking of Hugley, for the second straight game, he didn't look like the star he is. He scored just three points, collected no rebounds and was absent from the assist column while picking up three fouls and committing three turnovers. There were times when it looked like he just plain didn't know where he was supposed to be. It's still easy to chalk up his recent sluggishness to rust, but as he gets further removed from his injury, that becomes a less reliable excuse. 

The Panthers can be grateful for the valuable minutes the undersized Federiko contributed against NC State's imposing frontcourt, but that shouldn't be something Pitt has to count on all season. Stars need to play like stars for this to be at its best and Hugley is one of those stars. 

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and so much more!

Pitt Volleyball Approaches NCAA Tournament with New Definition of Success

Pitt Gets Two New Bowl Game Projections Days Before Announcement

Pitt DT Calijah Kancey to Miss Bowl Game with Shoulder Injury

Former Pitt Target Phil Jurkovec to Transfer from Boston College

Pitt Preparing to Face NBA-Ready Prospect in NC State's Terquavion Smith

Pitt F William Jeffress Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

Pitt G Greg Elliot Breaks Slump with Sharp Shooting Night vs Northwestern

• Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt