Mark Gottfried got angry and the N.C. State players got the message.
Gottfried wanted more toughness and more defense after a third straight ACC loss on Sunday. There was definitely more of the former and just enough of the latter to pull out a 79-74 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Sophomore guard Maverick Rowan scored 21 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:51 left, and freshman forward Omer Yurtseven contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds to push the Wolfpack (13-6) to 2-4 in ACC play.
The Panthers (12-6, 1-5) started the second half nearly unconscious, making 13 of their first 17 shots.