RALEIGH, N.C. -- Yes, the biggest problems the Pitt Panthers had in their 38-31 loss Saturday to North Carolina State were on defense, specifically the inability of the linebackers and secondary to cover receivers and make tackles.

But the game also marked the continuation of some disturbing second-half offensive trends, and that was as much to blame for the loss as anything the defense did.

Pitt had seven second-half offensive possessions, and the Panthers failed to make a first down on five of them, including the final four. In fact, the Panthers' final four drives totaled 14 plays and netted a minus-4 yards.

The Panthers converted only one of six third downs in the second half and finished 2 for 10 on third downs. Pitt is 10 for 34 (29 percent) in its past three games, but the percentage of success has shrunk to 20 (4 for 20) in the second half.

As a result of Pitt's frequent third-down failures, the Wolfpack had the ball for nearly 18 minutes in the second half while the Panthers had it 12 minutes.

For the game, the Wolfpack ran 81 plays and held the ball for about 37 minutes while the Panthers ran 46 plays and owned the ball about 23 minutes.

Such a lack of execution and efficiency and perhaps the absence of more aggressive play-calling left a tired Pitt defense on the field for too many plays.

Freshman Dion Lewis ran 10 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, but he ran nine times for 16 yards and no touchdowns in the second.

He has rushed 38 times for 209 yards and four touchdowns in the first half this season and 28 times for 155 yards and one touchdown in the second.

Even that second-half statistic is skewed by an 85-yard touchdown run against Buffalo.

That suggests one of two things: A failure to adjust once defenses adjust or play-calling that perhaps becomes too conservative down the stretch.

In the win against Navy, the Panthers went three-and-out on three of five possessions and managed only two second-half field goals. Against Buffalo, the Panthers went three-and-out in three of seven second-half possessions.

That means the Panthers have gone three-and-out in 11 out of 18 second-half drives (62 percent) in the past three games as compared to going three-and-out on three out of 17 drives (18 percent) in the first half.

Pitt has scored 73 first-half points in the past three games and 40 in the second half of those three.

Those numbers are skewed by the Buffalo game in which the Panthers got six points from a defensive touchdown and another seven after an interception was returned to the Buffalo 2.

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