Chance For Revenge or Just Another Game?

The Wolfpack looks to turn the tables on Georgia Tech after two straight last second losses to the Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech has beaten NC State the past two times the teams have met on the basketball court, both at PNC Arena, both in the final seconds of regulation or overtime.

The Yellow Jackets have spoiled both the Wolfpack's Senior Night last season and the opening game of this season.

Despite that painful recent history, State coach Kevin Keatts said that his team isn't approaching Saturday's rematch in Atlanta as a chance for payback.

"I know people always say 'revenge games.' It doesn’t matter," Keatts said. "Their team has changed. Our team has changed. They’re playing really good basketball. If you look at the game (Wednesday), they had the opportunity to win against a really good Louisville team on the road, so it’s a different game than it was before."

While the revenge factor might not matter much to Keatts, his players have a different opinion on the subject.

As far as junior guard Braxton Beverly is concerned, having a chance to make amends for those two close losses to the Yellow Jackets is definitely a motiviating factor.

"Yeah, because it’s the second game in a row that we’ve lost on the last possession against Georgia Tech dating back to last year," he said. "For me, yes, it’s definitely another one.

"It’s another challenge because they handed us a loss in the first game of the season." Beverly said. "That’s still pretty fresh to us."

While teammate C.J. Bryce said that he's also looking forward to evening the score with Tech, he added that Saturday's game is only one of many such opportunities for the Wolfpack, as it looks to get back to the NCAA tournament after barely missing out a year ago.

"We have a lot of revenge out there for teams, especially with us not being able to make the tournament last year," Bryce said. "It's a statement season for us and we'll continue to move in the right way."

Keatts is right about at least one thing when it comes to this latest meeting with the Yellow Jackets. The team he sends out onto the floor for this game will be dramatically different from the one that saw State squander a 15-point lead on the way to an 82-81 overtime loss.

The Wolfpack (14-5, 5-3 ACC) was down two players for that first matchup, with point guard Markell Johnson missing the game with an ankle injury and big man D.J. Funderburk serving a suspension.

Both of those key players are back and will be in the lineup Saturday. But there's a good chance two others won't be.

Keatts said there's a slight chance redshirt freshman Manny Bates will be cleared to play after suffering a blow to the back of his neck in a win against Clemson one week ago. Graduate forward Pat Andree is also listed as questionable because of an injury to his right ankle late in that same game.

Both missed Monday's win at Virginia, becoming the fifth and sixth State players to miss at least one game because of injury this season.

Because the Wolfpack has had so much experience playing shorthanded, Keatts is confident his team will be able to adjust and play another strong game against the Yellow Jackets -- who despite their 8-11 (3-6) record, have played well in their last three games.

"Each game in the ACC is completely different," Keatts said. "We went into Virginia with a different mindset than we go into every other game. It certainly doesn’t hurt if you’re winning. We’ve been fortunate. We are winners of three in a row and we just want to continue to build."