Know Your Opponent: North Carolina State

By Bobby Hundley

North Carolina State (GoPack.com)
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Rankings: No. 18 KenPom, No. 15 AP
Record: 13-1
Carolina Series History (Last Meeting): UNC leads 156-78 (UNC 98, NCSU 89, Feb. 10, 2018, PNC Arena)

The arrival of Kevin Keatts in Raleigh certainly injected some energy into this old rivalry, with the two 2018 meetings (each won by the road team) seeing possessions and points galore. Fast forward to 2019 and Tuesday night's showdown could be the most anticipated in the series (at least by State fans) in a generation.

Between transfers and freshmen, the Wolfpack roster features a whopping nine new faces, but a trio of returners form the backbone of the team. Junior Markell Johnson and sophomore Braxton Beverly are a dynamic backcourt duo, while senior Torin Dorn does it all as a veteran inside-outside threat who leads the Pack in both scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Johnson in particular has been electric, making 70 percent of his 2s, 51 percent of his 3s and ranking among the top 100 in the nation in assist rate.

Transfers C.J. Bryce (UNCW) and Devon Daniels (Utah) join Dorin and Johnson in averaging double figures, while Samford grad transfer Wyatt Walker and former Ohio State redshirt D.J. Funderburk provide some needed heft up front. Keatts is comfortable going 10 deep, and no Wolfpack player averages more than 26 minutes per game, a departure from previous seasons when standouts like Cat Barber and Dennis Smith Jr. rarely left the court.

NC State will be the most efficient offense on the UNC schedule to date not named Gonzaga, and only Duke, Virginia and Virginia Tech currently sit higher than the Wolfpack's No. 12 KenPom offensive ranking. State is also the third fastest team in the ACC behind the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils. That's all Keatts, who regularly had UNCW among the most up-tempo teams in the CAA.

The Wolfpack has also tightened up defensively after ranking 12th among ACC teams in defense during league play a year ago, though State did allow 1.11 PPP to Miami in its conference opener Thursday in Coral Gables.

NC State is a tough 4-point loss at Wisconsin from being 14-0 entering Tuesday night's contest. And while the Pack's non-conference strength of schedule of 348 (out of 353) won't do Keatts' club any favors come March, a 78-71 win over Auburn before Christmas stands as one of the better non-league wins for an ACC team. A win Tuesday in Raleigh, however, would move State up a level in terms of both local and national perception and could set the stage for a breakout 2019.

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