NC State basketball learns bracket for Vegas Showdown

NC State basketball is part of the four-team 2023 Vegas Showdown in Las Vegas on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23) and the next day. The Pack previously was announced with other participants Arizona State, BYU and Vanderbilt. NC State basketball fans now know the bracket, times and television for the tourney.

The Wolfpack will start with Vanderbilt for a 10 p.m. tipoff (Eastern Standard Time) on Thanksgiving. BYU and Arizona State will follow in Game 2. The losers will meet at 7:30 on Friday, Nov. 24, and after the conclusion of that contest comes the title contest. All games will be televised on ESPN2.

NC State defeated Vanderbilt on a neutral court site in Chicago last season, prevailing 70-66. The Commodores caught fire late in the year and finished 11-7 in the SEC, earning a bid to the NIT where Vandy beat Michigan and reached the semifinals before losing to UAB and closing the campaign at 22-15 overall. They finished the regular season at No. 81 in the NET rankings.

Vanderbilt has been hit hard by attrition. Leading scorer Liam Robbins exhausted his eligibility, and two of the next four leading scorers all transferred out. However, Vandy was boosted by the return of guard and second-leading scorer Tyrin Lawrence, who withdrew from the portal.

Coincidentally, Arizona State grad transfer DJ Horne transferred to NC State and could play his former team. He averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game for a Sun Devils squad that went 23-13 and was one of the last four at-large teams selected to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed.

Coached by former Duke legend Bobby Hurley, ASU routed Nevada in Dayton, Ohio, to open the Big Dance and nearly upset sixth-seeded TCU two days later. ASU, however, lost its four top scorers from that team, including Horne.

ASU has added six players via the portal, including one-time NC State basketball signee Shawn Phillips, a center who was a freshman at LSU last year.

In the final NET rankings before the NCAA Tournament was announced, Arizona State was No. 61, which on a neutral court would count as a Quad 2 contest for NC State.

BYU was NET No. 84, which also would be a Quad 2 game for NC State on a neutral court. The Cougars finished the season 19-15 while competing for the last time in the West Coast Conference. Next season will bring a move to the Big 12.

BYU landed Charlotte post transfer Aly Khalifa, a skilled 6-foot-11 post player who averaged 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Khalifa is one of a trio of solid transfers BYU has added to join a squad that returns two of its top three scorers from last season.

Other NC State basketball schedule tidbits

NC State had previously confirmed that the men’s team will travel to San Antonio on Dec. 16 to face Tennessee. The Vols reached the Sweet 16 last season and finished 25-11 overall. ESPN.com’s way-too-early top 25 has the Vols ranked No. 6 nationally and noted that head coach Rick Barnes was “one of the biggest portal winners.”

The inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge basketball matchups have been set. NC State basketball men’s team will travel to Ole Miss on Tuesday, Nov. 28 for a 9 p.m. tipoff.

Ole Miss is in a rebuilding mode after firing head coach Kermit Davis during a 12-21 season in 2022-23. The Rebels made a high-profile hire to replace Davis, landing former Texas Tech and Texas head coach Chris Beard.

In 2019, Beard helped Texas Tech reach the national title game. Two years later, after five seasons with the Red Raiders, he took the job at Texas. Beard went 22-12 in his first season and was 7-1 last fall before being fired following being charged with third-degree felony assault against his fiancée. The charges were dismissed two months later, and Beard was hired by Ole Miss less than a month after.

NC State is also expected to host Saint Louis for a home game. The Billikens went 21-12 this past season and finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Atlantic 10. Their final NET ranking was No. 97, which would be a Quad 3 contest at home. Star point guard Yuri Collins, who averaged a double-double of 11.2 points and 10.1 assists per game, turned pro, and fourth-leading scorer Javon Pickett exhausted his eligibility.