NC State Basketball Team in Serious Danger of Missing ACC Tournament
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Only Miami and Boston College have fewer victories in ACC play than Kevin Keatts' eighth NC State basketball collection. And the Wolfpack (9-10, 2-6 ACC) already lost its only meeting of the season with the conference standings' other two-win squad, Virginia.
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Granted, Virginia is currently 2-7 while NC State sits at 2-6. Even so, it's worth pointing out that if the regular season ended following the Wolfpack's road bout against No. 2-ranked Duke (17-2, 9-0 ACC) at 8:30 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN), Keatts' bunch would have to snap the Blue Devils' 13-game winning streak just to earn an invite to the ACC Tournament in Charlotte's Spectrum Center, March 11-15.
Despite welcoming SMU, Cal, and Stanford to grow to 18 members this season, the ACC Tournament remains a 15-team event. The squads with the three worst records in conference action will miss the cut.
In other words, although NC State is fortunate to have several more weeks to turn things around, the real threat of not even reaching the ACC Tournament must have Keatts' attention. It'd mark a newfound brand of letdown for the Wolfpack in light of its historic five wins in five days last year en route to cutting down the nets in Washington, D.C., before ultimately reaching the Final Four.
NC State basketball has lost four in a row and remains winless outside of Raleigh. The Wolfpack has dropped 10 of 14 since beginning the season 5-0 across an easy home slate against early non-conference opponents.
Moreover, the NC State schedule still includes a handful of the toughest matchups: at Duke, vs. Clemson, at Stanford, vs. Louisville, at UNC, and vs. Wake Forest. Each of those six opponents, accounting for half of what would be the Wolfpack's only remaining games if it doesn't earn a postseason, is 6-3 or better in ACC play.
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.
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