NC State at Virginia Tech: 3 thoughts, a bold prediction and more

By Noah Fleischman

NC State is back on the road after a two-game homestand in search of its first win away from the Lenovo Center this season. In its way? Virginia Tech inside Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday  night. 

Here are three thoughts, a bold prediction and more ahead of the Hokies and Wolfpack. 

3 thoughts going into the game

– NC State’s defense has definitely taken a step forward. The Wolfpack struggled on both ends of the floor, at times, in January, which allowed Texas, Kansas and Virginia to down NC State in games it eventually played well in — but gave the momentum away to its opponent. Now, the Pack has been able to limit both Notre Dame and North Carolina to under 70 points, including 63 to the Tar Heels, which was well under their season average of 84.4 points a night (the ACC’s best at the time). 

Defense travels, and that will be important against Virginia Tech. The Hokies have the third-worst scoring offense in the league at just 70.38 points a game. NC State, meanwhile, is just ahead at 71.71  points, but has the third-best scoring defense, allowing 66.69 points a contest. If the Pack can score above 70 against the Hokies, it should be in good shape. NC State is 7-0 when it does that this season.

– A quality start will be needed. NC State has struggled with slow beginnings to games for much of the season (see the 9-0 run by Texas and the 15-0 spurt by Kansas). If the Pack wants to claim its first true road game victory of the season, it will need to establish itself on both ends of the court early and often. NC State only scored a combined 46 points in the first half over its past two games against Notre Dame and UNC.

The Wolfpack was a second-half team with 40 points on 51.7 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes against the Irish before it logged a 60 percent mark with 41 points in the second half during its 2-point loss to the Tar Heels. If NC State can find a way to play like that for the entire game, the Wolfpack could become a dangerous team in the ACC. Doing so at Virginia Tech would show the team’s growth and progress moving deeper into its league schedule. 

– Senior forward Ben Middlebrooks has been the glue to NC State’s team this season. He’s averaging a career-best 9.1 points a game, but his biggest impact has come with his defensive intensity. Middlebrooks leads the ACC with 1.7 blocks per game and has 17 steals (the second-most on the team). The former Clemson transfer is one of just two players in the conference with at least 25 blocks and 15 steals (Clemson’s Viktor Lakhin is the other).

Middlebrooks has already set a single-season career high with 26 blocks through the team’s first 15 games. He surpassed the 24 he had in 41 games last season, which was his previous best. If he continues to excel as a rim protector, it will take some of the defensive stress off the Wolfpack’s small forwards — senior Dontrez Styles and sophomore Dennis Parker Jr. — around the basket. 

Bold prediction

– Middlebrooks will rack up more than two blocks against the Hokies, who will look to go inside, at times, to generate offense.

Last game’s bold prediction: I’ll say Styles sets a season high in points against UNC, topping his 21 against Florida State. He scored just 7 points against UNC.

Broadcast details

TV: ESPNU
Tipoff: 7:00 p.m.
Broadcasters: Jay Alter (play-by-play) and Randolph Childress (analyst)

Radio: WRAL-FM
Air time: 6:00 p.m.
Broadcasters: Matt Chazanow (play-by-play) and Tony Haynes (analyst)

NC State game notes

– Senior guard Marcus Hill has led the Wolfpack in scoring over the last three games and reached double-figures in each of the last nine. The former Bowling Green transfer is averaging 13.3 points per game with a 50.9 percent shooting mark from the field (fourth in the ACC), 35 assists and a near 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio in his first season of high-major basketball. His scoring average is 16.8 points in ACC play alone. 

– NC State leads the league and is 15th in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game at 9.8. Graduate guard Michael O’Connell is second in the ACC and eighth in the NCAA with his 3.75 assist-to-turnover ratio to pace the Wolfpack’s efforts in keeping the ball out of its opponents hands. 

– The Wolfpack is 8-1 this season when it outscores its opponent in the paint, but it is just 1-6 when it either ties or loses that battle. NC State is averaging 39.8 points in the paint in its wins, but that falls to just 25.1 in the six losses. 

Virginia Tech outlook

– This will be the 64th all-time meeting between NC State and Virginia Tech. The Wolfpack leads the series 43-20, but the Hokies won the previous meeting 84-78 on Jan. 20, 2024. NC State allowed Virginia Tech to explode for 51 second-half points on 62.5 percent shooting in the second half of its victory. 

– Virginia Tech (7-9, 2-3 ACC) enters Wednesday’s game off a 71-68 win at Cal on Saturday. The Hokies split their west coast trip after they lost 70-59 at Stanford last Wednesday. Virginia Tech is led by VCU transfer Tobi Lawal, who’s averaging 12.0 points with 5.9 rebounds this season.