Sarah Cochran
Senior guard Markell Johnson drives down the court during the game versus UNC on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020 in PNC Arena. Johnson scored 12 points and had 6 assists against the Tar Heels. NC State lost to UNC 75-65.
Over the past couple of weeks, NC State men’s basketball team has learned just how quickly things can change. After winning three consecutive conference games, the Pack seemingly fell off the rails against a subpar Georgia Tech team for the second time this season.
While the loss to the Yellow Jackets could have been bearable with a bounce-back win against rival North Carolina, the Wolfpack instead gave the fans at PNC Arena one of the worst performances in the Kevin Keatts era, losing by 10 points to one of the worst North Carolina teams in two decades.
This is the low point for the Wolfpack. Its back is against the wall, and with a No. 6 Louisville team coming into town on Saturday, things could get even worse. This is not a game NC State is expected to win, but it is a game it must win to keep this season afloat.
Louisville brings in a team that currently sits at the top of the ACC standings at 9-1, with the Cardinals having won their past 7 games.
The Cardinals are strong all around, but if the Pack hopes to pull off the upset in Raleigh, then it will have to limit star forward Jordan Nwora. Nwora is currently averaging 18.7 points per game while shooting a very impressive 43% from behind the 3-point line. His performance against Boston College was one of the best of his career, as Nwora dropped 37 points on the Eagles, including a career-high seven 3-pointers.
The most impressive thing about this Louisville team is that while Nwora is the leading scorer on this team and can single-handedly take over a game, the Cardinals can get points from a lot of different guys. They do not need Nwora to play well to win games.
In the Cardinals’ win against Duke at Cameron Indoor this year, Nwora only scored six points on 25% shooting, and the Cardinals still won by six. Louisville might have the deepest team in the ACC, which will be a huge advantage come March.
The battle on the boards is also going to be a huge factor in this game, as the inability to get rebounds sunk the Pack in its last game versus the Tar Heels. Redshirt freshman center Manny Bates and redshirt junior forward D.J. Funderburk were simply bullied Monday night, giving the Heels way too many second-chance points.
The odd thing about the Cardinals, however, is that their leading rebounder is not one of their big men, but rather forward Dwayne Sutton.
Only standing at 6-foot-5, Sutton averages an impressive 8.9 rebounds per game. Pack forwards Jerricole Hellems and Devon Daniels are going to have to really work for their rebounds in this one.
Ultimately, this game comes down to the Pack playing up to its potential. When the team is clicking, it has the potential to be one of the top teams in the ACC.
Guards senior Markell Johnson and redshirt senior C.J. Bryce are going to have to start taking efficient shots. If the jump shots are not falling, then the Pack needs to start driving to the basket. “Hero ball” has severely limited the team this season, and it especially showed in its last game.
While there is not much going the Pack’s way right now, NC State fans must be hopeful that head coach Kevin Keatts will have his guys prepared.
The Pack is coming into this game with two more days’ rest than Louisville and home court advantage. With the group facing a much more talented team at home in a desperate situation, this game is eerily similar to the 2017 game against Duke.
If NC State basketball has taught us anything, it is that anything is possible, and with efficient play and a little bit of luck, there is still a chance for the Wolfpack to turn the season around on Saturday. The game is set to tip off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN.