Staff picks: Can Pitt end the regular season with a win?
Pitt and North Carolina State will meet tonight at the Petersen Events Center for a 7:45 tip in the season finale for each team. The two squads met back on February 7th with the Panthers prevailing 67-64 in Raleigh. A lot has changed since then. The February game pitted two bubble teams against one another and while Pitt has maintained its NCAA Tournament course, it has fallen off the track for the Wolfpack.
NC State enters tonight’s game with a 17-13 overall record and has posted a 2-5 mark since that loss to Pitt. Conversely, the Panthers have maintained their push to make the tournament. Pitt collected its 20th win of the season on Tuesday night, and will look to finish the regular season on a three-game winning streak.
The earlier matchup saw Pitt build a double digit lead only for NC State to make several come back attempts. The Panthers held off those pushes to win by three. Jaland Lowe paced Pitt with 20 points in that game with Blake Hinson adding 16 himself.
Tonight is Hinson's senior night, along with KJ Marshall and Will Jeffress. Hinson has provided some memorable moments during his two seasons at Pitt, especially at the Petersen Events Center, and will look to close out his home career strong. Can Pitt pick up its 21st win and keep its NCAA Tournament chances alive? The Panther-Lair.com staff gives their picks.
The staff picks will continue into the postseason, but here is a look at the standing on the final day of the regular season.
Matt Steinbrink 24-6
Jim Hammett 22-8
Houston Wilson 22-8
Stephen Gertz 21-9
Chris Peak 19-11
Gertz: Both teams would benefit from winning this game in terms of seeding in the ACC Tournament next week, but there is more at stake for Pitt. Potentially earning a double bye in the conference tournament would be huge and put them in position to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Even if that means they need to play in the First Four again. The Panthers will need to do a better job against DJ Horne this time around. They cannot allow him to get whatever he wants on route to another 25 point performance. There is not much they can do against DJ Burns, but he is not equipped to play the entire game either. Both teams take care of the ball and do not force a lot of turnovers either. N.C. State does not defend the three-point line all that well, which I think will be the deciding factor. Pitt has been finding their groove with their outside shots and peaking as a team at the right time. On the other hand, the Wolfpack have lost three straight and have only won one of their last six road games against league opponents. Pitt needs to come out more focused than they did against Florida State. But they know what is at stake and I do not think they will let NCST play the role of spoiler on their home floor.
Prediction: Pitt 75-65
Steinbrink: This is a matchup that Pitt has struggled in since joining the ACC, but tonight has the chance to be a special atmosphere for the Panthers. This team has fought back and deserves a big crowd in the season finale. It will also be one of the bigger senior sendoffs in years with Blake Hinson walking for the last time. The Wolfpack are a solid team but have lost their last three and there is at least a chance of them packing it in today without a chance at the NCAA Tournament. DJ Horne is a very solid guard that can fill it up and Burns is a load inside. As long as the Panthers can defend Burns one on one and stay solid, they should be too much for NC State at home in a must win game.
Prediction: Pitt 82-74
Hammett: There is a lot on the line for this Pitt team. Tonight will either be a punctation mark on a stellar midseason turnaround, or a gutting letdown loss. There is not much in between here for the Panthers. Pitt has played great basketball since mid-January, but it still feels like this game with NC State is a must-win even after the team picked up its 20th win on Tuesday. The Wolfpack are a challenge because of the two DJs: Burns and Horne. That pair combined for 44 of NC State’s 64 points in the first meeting. Pitt has to be mindful of those two, but I think this game is more about the Panthers and how they play. NC State is talented and all, but Pitt is playing with a lot more on the line and has been. The Panthers have averaged 89 points over the past two games and I think the hot shooting continues. Pitt has played with a sense of urgency and I believe they can feed off of the crowd tonight for win No. 21.
Prediction: Pitt 88-78
Wilson: Pitt concludes their regular season tonight at home against NC State. The Wolfpack are currently on a 3 game losing streak and sit at 10th in the ACC right now. Pitt has been playing really well at home and I expect that to continue today against NC State. This win would be another victory that would help them continue to have a pulse in the NCAA Tournament bubble picture before they compete in the ACC Tournament. I can see Pitt dominating from start to finish tonight.
Prediction: Pitt 81-73
Peak: As we all know, Pitt can’t afford a loss tonight if the Panthers want to keep their NCAA Tournament chances alive. Fortunately for Jeff Capel and company, I don’t see a loss happening. The two DJ’s - Horne and Burns - are going to be a problem for Pitt, but I think the Panthers have at least two guys who will be a problem for N.C. State: it’s just a question of which two. I don’t see Blake Hinson finishing his Petersen Events Center career with anything less than 20 points, and then you can take your pick of the guards for which other player (or players) will step up. Pitt is rolling right now and has been since bouncing of its 1-5 start in ACC play. I don’t see the Panthers slowing down, and I think they get a key win on Senior Night.
Prediction: Pitt 85-71