NC State Looks to Keep Rolling Against Georgia Tech
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RALEIGH — After a perfect road trip and a week off from the action, NC State men's basketball is back in action on Saturday, as Georgia Tech (10-8, 1-4 ACC) arrives at the Lenovo Center for another conference matchup. The Wolfpack (12-5, 3-1 ACC) will try to keep its momentum moving forward.
Head coach Will Wade was pleased with the steps the Pack took on the road, as some key changes, such as Darrion Williams being more ball-dominant and Matt Able playing with more freedom, appeared to galvanize the team after an ugly and disappointing loss to Virginia. While the week off slowed down the progress, it also allowed NC State to get right from a health standpoint.
12PM. TOMORROW. 👀 pic.twitter.com/DNomHSHrO5
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 16, 2026
On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, get a full preview for Saturday's matchup against Damon Stoudamire's Yellow Jackets and find out how a win only boosts the Wolfpack's chances for an impressive run through the ACC.
Watch the episode here
What challenges does Georgia Tech pose?
Stoudamire has yet to unlock the potential he saw in Georgia Tech when he left his role as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, but they have had some moments in his first three seasons where they've come close. Earlier in the season against Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Yellow Jackets had the Blue Devils on the ropes, but ultimately lost by six.
Since then, Stoudamire and the Yellow Jackets have just one win over lowly Boston College and will enter the Lenovo Center riding a three-game losing streak. Georgia Tech isn't an offensive juggernaut, scoring just 75.4 points per outing, while the Wolfpack ranks third in the ACC with an average of 86.5 points.
Georgia Tech is led by senior forward Kowacie Reeves Jr. The veteran enters the NC State matchup leading his team with 15.8 points per game, while shooting 44.5% from the field. He is shooting a career-best 38.5% from 3-point range, a major reason for his six-point surge in average scoring. Overall, the Yellow Jackets aren't exceptional from beyond the arc, shooting just 35.6% as a team.
In terms of usage, 6-foot-9 forward Baye Ndongo is the face of Stoudamire's team. The big man has a usage rate of 24.5% while averaging 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Ndongo struggled against the Blue Devils and other marquee opponents on the Georgia Tech schedule, so he could be neutralized if NC State is showing its best form defensively.
How NC State can attack Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech struggles mightily with turnovers. The Yellow Jackets have the second-worst turnover margin in the ACC and average 11.7 giveaways per game. If the Wolfpack guards, particularly Quadir Copeland, can create havoc in the team's full-court pressure, Georgia Tech might be in for a long day. The Wolfpack is at its best when it's able to score off turnovers, so there should be ample opportunities if the Yellow Jackets play to their tendencies.
So long as NC State doesn't fall into the home trap game, it should be able to overpower the Yellow Jackets with its offensive firepower.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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