NC State went on the road to take on #20 Pitt and made a massive statement, crushing the Panthers 78-61.

The Pack came into this game 0-5 in the ACC and on the verge of total collapse. But an encouraging outing against #5 UNC led them coming out with total confidence against the Panthers and leaving with a very convincing victory.

A major difference has been the uptick in minutes for sophomore Cody Martin. The do it all wingman has been a revelation for Gottfried and company. Not only has he been the team’s lock down defender, but he’s given the them a guy who can create a little bit off the dribble, someone who is a pass first type player and a guy who is patient in the offense.

While Martin has really changed the way this team plays, he’s not the real reason for this victory. Cat Barber, who is honestly turning into one of the best scoring guards in the country, turned in another massive performance. The junior PG played magnificent. He finished with 31 points, 7 boards and 8 assists. Although he did turn the ball over 8 times, his scoring and ball handling really made a massive difference.

Inside it, once again, was the Abu show. The kid is becoming a man. As we stated from the beginning of the season: If NC state is going to become a great team, they are going to need Malik Abu to be a go-to scorer on the blocks. He has become just that. Nothing his 8th double-double in the past 10 games, the sophomore big went 7-13 shooting for 16 points and grabbed 10 boards.

Two other guys that had big games were Mav Rowan and Lennard Freeman. Rowan, who decommitted from Pitt to attend NC State, came out looking to show the Panthers what they missed out on. The freshman sharp shooter went 5-11 and 4-6 from beyond the arc for 14 points, while Freeman snatched up a game high 14 rebounds.

At the end of the day though, NC State won this game on the defensive end. With physical play, tough rebounding and great position defense, they were able to keep Pitt 37% shooting. They also kept them off balance when they took it to the hoop by taking 4 charges on the night.

This was a massive win and one that could turn the tide for this young team. Next up is Duke who has lost 3 straight and will be very hungry for a win at the PNC. The two storylines will collide on Saturday when something has to give. The game is at 2pm in Raleigh.