Wolfpack Tipoff: Game 7, Memphis
NC State (5-1, 0-1 ACC) vs. No. 16 Memphis (5-1)
Barclay's Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. (17,732)
4 p.m., ESPN2 (PxP: Doug Sherman; Analyst: Fran Frachilla)
Streaming: ACC Network Extra; National radio: Sirius 84, XM 371, Live stats: GoPack.com
Series history: State leads 3-1
Last meeting: State won 71-60, on Jan. 14, 1998.
Most recent game: State beat Little Rock 74-58; Memphis beat Ole Miss 87-86
BetOnline line: State minus-1
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"This is one of the games that we were excited to have because we knew coming into a tremendous job recruiting class. And they're good. I know a lot of people say they aren't good without James WIseman. It doesn't matter. They got really good players. They remind you a lot of when Duke had Wendell (Carter) and Marvin Bagley. They're a talented group. So we're excited about it. It's a great opportunity to get a chance to see how much we've grown and where we need to get better." Coach Kevin Keatts
"I'm very proud of a young team coming out against a veteran team and basically growing up right before our eyes. I couldn't have been more proud of everything that happened. We had our bumps and bruises but ... the big-time plays we made at the beginning of the game, in the middle of the game, at the end of the game – especially after Lester (Quinones) got hurt and couldn't come back, the troops rallied and pulled a huge win out." Memphis coach Penny Hardaway on his team's close win against Ole Miss on Saturday
"There's always things we can improve on, but I love where the team is going and the direction we're heading. I believe that we can handle a lot of teams that people don't think we can handle." Sophomore forward Jericole Hellems
| NC STATE | Stats | MEMPHIS | Stats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Markell Johnson | 6-1 Senior | 10.0 ppg 6.8 apg | Boogie Ellis | 6-3 Freshman | 8.0 ppg 1.8 rpg |
Braxton Beverly | 6-0 Junior | 9.8 ppg 2.3 apg | Damion Baugh | 6-3 Freshman | 4.8 ppg 4.5 apg |
C.J. Bryce | 6-5 Redshirt Senior | 17.7 ppg 7.7 rpg | D.J. Jeffries | 6-7 Freshman | 14.0 ppg 3.8 rpg |
Jericole Hellems | 6-7 Sophomore | 9.7 ppg 4.2 rpg | Precious Achiuwa | 6-9 Freshman | 15.0 ppg 8.3 rpg |
Manny Bates | 6-10 Redshirt Freshman | 7.3 ppg 3.7 bpg | Isaiah Maurice | 6-10 Srnior | 2.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg |
NOTABLE
NC State notes | Memphis notes
Memphis will be without two of its top players for Thursday's Barclay's Classic. Freshman big man James Wiseman (19.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg), the projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, is suspended by the NCAA until Jan. 12 Freshman quarter Luther Quinones (10.6 ppg, 3.0 apg) is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand. ...
This will be the second neutral site game of the series. State defeated Memphis 98-83 on Dec. 29, 1973 in New Orleans as part of the Sugar Bowl tournament. The Wolfpack went on to finish the season 30-1 and won the national championship ...
This will be State's first game away from home. It's first six games were all played at either PNC Arena or Reynolds Coliseum. ...
This is the second straight game in which the Wolfpack will have faced a team coached by a former NBA player. Last Saturday's opponent Little Rock was coached by Darrell Walker, Memphis is coached by former All-Star point guard Penny Hardaway. ...
In In his first two seasons at State, coach Kevin Keatts has led his team to six wins against top-25 ranked teams when his team is unranked. Keatts' State teams are 2-1 against non-conference opponents ranked in the top-25. The Wolfapck defeated No. 2 Arizona 90-84 on Nov. 22, 2017 in the Battle 4 Atlantis and beat eventual Final Four participant and then seventh-ranked Auburn 78-71 last Dec. 19. His only loss to a non-conference ranked opponent was last season 79-75 at No. 22 Wisconsin. ...
Devon Daniels (24), C.J. Bryce (13), Manny Bates (15) and Markell Johnson (11) are part of the Wolfpack's balanced lineup
Thursday's matchup pits two teams with similar styles. Memphis ranks 11th in Division l at forcing opponents into turnovers at 20.5 per game while the Wolfpack leads the ACC at 17.8 forced turnovers per game. Memphis has a plus-4.8 turnover margin on the season and State has a plus-5.3 turnover margin this season. ...
State and Memphis are two of the highest scoring teams in the country. The Tigers lead the American Athletic Conference and rank 14th nationally in scoring at 86.7 points per game while the Wolfpack leads the ACC in scoring and ranks 24th in the country at 84.5 points per game. ...
State has scored 80 or more points in 41 of the 75 games Kevin Keatts has coached the Pack and has a 33-8 record when it scores 80 or more points. On the flip side, the Wolfpack is just 7-11 when its opponent scores 80 or more points.
