Sarah Cochran
Redshirt freshman forward Manny Bates goes up to dunk the ball over the Mount Olive defense on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 in PNC Arena. NC State beat Mount Olive 113-73. Bates scored 10 points, had 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks against the Trojans. NC State beat Mount Olive 113-73.
The NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball team goes head-to-head against the Clemson Tigers at Littlejohn Arena in Clemson, South Carolina Saturday. This will be a grudge match for Clemson, as the last two encounters with NC State came down to the wire. The first of these ended with a stellar 3-point buzzer-beater from Wolfpack junior guard Braxton Beverly, and the second ended with an amazing second-half comeback that kicked Clemson out of the ACC Tournament.
The Tigers (6-7, 0-3 ACC) have been going through a rough patch this last stretch of games, only winning one of their last seven. They will have to rely on their star player, Aamir Simms, who has taken the role of team leader this season. Leading the team in points, rebounds, steals and blocks, Simms will have to show out in this game if Clemson wants a chance at defeating NC State (10-3, 1-1 ACC).
The Tigers are not the most productive team from an offensive standpoint, putting up only 67 points per game and shooting 31.7% from deep. However, Clemson racks up a decent number of boards with 34 rebounds per game, but that is mostly thanks to Simms.
Simms’ 7.7 rebounds per game are impressive, but what’s even more impressive is that a lot of those rebounds are coming from the offensive side. The forward has grabbed 32 offensive rebounds this season, 18 more than the next-highest teammate. Simms’ hustle stats are a force to be reckoned with, so if he focuses up and doubles down, he could cause a big disruption among Pack defenders.
NC State won’t roll over for the Tigers, though, as its offense and defense are equally potent. On the offensive side, senior guard C.J. Bryce is a machine when it comes to shooting. He’s most well known for his high-percentage play, taking midrange shots and utilizing the pick-and-roll. His effective playstyle is what lets him lead the team in points, but he can also shoot lights out from deep. Bryce is leading the team in 3-point percentage at 43.5%.
When Bryce is put with Beverly, senior forward Pat Andree, and junior guard Devon Daniels, the Wolfpack makes a dangerous recipe for 3-point potential. All of the players listed above are shooting 38% or higher from deep, so if they catch fire, it’s over for Clemson.
The Wolfpack is dominant on offense, putting up 81 points per game, but its defense is equally as impressive, and that is mainly thanks to two players: Daniels and freshman center Manny Bates. While Bryce is leading the team in rebounds, Daniels and Bates are leading the team in steals and blocks, respectively. The hustle stats shared between these two are eyebrow-raising, as Daniels’ two steals per game coupled with Bates’ astounding 3.3 blocks per game is a great defensive combination. Clemson will have to really work for every point if it wants a shot at winning.
The tipoff between the Tigers and Pack is slated for Jan. 4 at noon. The game can be viewed on the ACC Network or listened to on Wolfpack Sports Radio. Follow @TechSports on Twitter for live updates.