Discover the Heart of Innovation: North Carolina State University Unveiled

NC State Game Notes | California Game Notes

 

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men’s basketball squad is set for a matchup Saturday evening against ACC newcomer California at the Lenovo Center.

Tipoff against the Golden Bears is planned for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network. NC State supporters can also tune in to Matt Chazanow and Tony Haynes deliver the play-by-play on the Wolfpack Sports Network.

 

Pack Tracks

– NC State suffered a tough defeat to Virginia Tech, 79-76, on Wednesday night

– The Pack commanded a lead of up to 15 points in the second half, holding a 72-60 advantage with 6:38 remaining, but the Hokies finished strong with a 19-4 run to claim victory.

– NC State conceded season-highs in points (79) and three-pointers made (11) to the Hokies. This loss also ended the Pack’s 15-game winning streak when scoring at least 70 points.

– Jayden Taylor topped the Pack with 17 points. He has now recorded double digits for three consecutive games and in five of the last six contests. The Indianapolis, Ind., product netted three three-pointers against the Hokies and has been able to sink multiple three-pointers in six of the past seven games after doing so in just two of the initial ten games this season.

– Ben Middlebrooks concluded with 13 points and matched his career-high with three steals. He stands second in the ACC for blocks (26) and his 20 steals trails Jayden Taylor by just one for most on the roster. Middlebrooks and Florida State’s Taylor Bol Bowen are the only ACC participants demonstrating at least 25 blocks and 20 steals this season.

– Marcus Hill contributed 12 points versus Virginia Tech. The senior from Rockford, Ill., has reached double figures in 10 consecutive matches and leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game. Hill maintains a shooting percentage of 50 percent from the field this season (seventh in the ACC), ranks second on the team with 37 assists, and boasts nearly a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (37-to-19). Over six conference games, Hill has elevated his average to 16.0 points per game while shooting 50.6 percent.

– NC State recorded eight turnovers against Virginia Tech and has now maintained single-digit turnovers in nine contests this season. NC State tops the ACC and ranks 12th nationally in the fewest turnovers per contest (9.6). NC State is striving for a fourth consecutive season ranked as one of the nation’s elite teams in valuing the basketball. The Pack finished 12th in NCAA turnovers last season, seventh in 2022-23, and 16th in 2023-24.

 

Saturday Storylines

– From the start of the 2022-23 season (two seasons and counting), NC State holds a record of 36-9 (.800) in

home games, including a 15-8 tally against conference adversaries.

– The Pack has acclimated to close contests in conference play. Five of the Pack’s initial six ACC matches have been tightly contested. NC State began league action with an overtime win over Florida State, its other victory being a one-point decision over Notre Dame, and three of its four defeats have also come down to the final possession. NC State fell to UNC by two and in games at Virginia and Virginia Tech by three.

– NC State needs to prevent Cal from dominating the offensive rebounds. The Golden Bears are ranked second in the ACC, averaging 12.8 offensive boards per contest. In the last two games, NC State has allowed UNC and Virginia Tech to secure a combined 28 offensive rebounds. The Hokies accumulated 22 second-chance points, including the game-winning free throws that gave Virginia Tech a 77-76 advantage with two seconds remaining. The 22 second-chance points represent the most surrendered by the Pack this season.

– Ben  Middlebrooks ranks second in the ACC for blocks at 1.6 per game. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native has tallied 26 blocks this season which already constitutes his highest total in a single season. Prior to this season, Middlebrooks had multiple blocked shots in nine of 101 career matches but has achieved seven multiple block games this season. The more active Middlebrooks is, the more advantageous it is for the Pack. NC State’s record stands at 6-1 this season when the senior notches two or more blocks.

– The Pack’s frontline depth is beginning to manifest: The absence of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield the past two games has afforded opportunities for Ismaël Diouf and Dennis Parker, Jr., both of whom have showcased their potential in greater roles. Parker, Jr., had a career-high three blocks against UNC last Saturday and followed up with eight points at Virginia Tech on Wednesday, marking the second-most points he’s scored in a game this season. Diouf, a junior in his first NCAA season after two years in Canada, scored a career-high seven points against the Hokies on 3-of-4 shooting.

– Michael O’Connell ranks second in the ACC and eighth in the NCAA with a 3.82 assist-to-turnover ratio this season. O’Connell concluded last season ranked third in the ACC for assist-to-turnover ratio (2.54). His career assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.15 is the 13th highest among active players in DI. At NC State, his assist-to-turnover ratio stands at 2.87 (195-to-68), the third highest in program history. O’Connell has recorded one or fewer turnovers in 14 of 17 games this season. In six ACC contests, O’Connell averages one turnover for every 31.8 minutes played.

– A fundamental aspect of NC State’s identity in the Kevin Keatts era involves converting opponents’ turnovers into points. In the Pack’s nine victories this season, it averages 19.3 points per game from opponent turnovers and has outscored rivals by 102 points in this category. Conversely, in the Pack’s eight losses, it registers just 10.4 points from opponent turnovers and has been outscored by its adversaries in this aspect by merely three points (83-to-80).

 

NC State series with California

– Saturday marks the third-ever meeting between NC State and California. Both preceding encounters occurred during NCAA Tournament matches. This is the inaugural regular-season clash between the two institutions.

– Last Meeting (March 17, 2006): Tenth-seeded NC State triumphed over No. 7 seed Cal, 58-52, in an NCAA Tournament opening round in Dallas at American Airlines Center. Cameron Bennerman led the Pack with 18 points, while Cedric Simmons contributed 12. The score was tied at 52 with less than 45 seconds left when Bennerman hit a game-winning three-pointer.