NC State basketball opponent scouting report: Duke

NC State basketball will face one of its tallest challengers of the season Saturday afternoon when it makes the short drive to Durham to face No. 8 Duke.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC.

The Wolfpack is 9-8 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, coming off arguably its best performance of the season with a 79-63 victory at Louisville. The victory was the second straight on the road in league play for the Pack, who defeated Virginia Tech, 68-63, on Jan. 4.

Can NC State keep the good times going? It is a 13.5-point underdog against the Blue Devils, highlighting the challenge it has in Durham.

Here is a rundown of what to expect from Duke.

Duke Overview

In a season in which the ACC as a league is struggling, Duke has been the lone wolf playing to its traditional strength. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently has Duke as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils own neutral court wins over Gonzaga and Kentucky on its way to a 13-2 record overall and 3-1 mark in the ACC. The only times it has slipped up was when it blew a 13-point lead at Ohio State on Nov. 30, and then was beaten by Miami by two points, 76-74, at home Jan. 8.

Duke had two ACC games postponed when it suffered a COVID-19 outbreak, and it its most recent contest legendary Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski was not on the bench for a 76-64 win at Wake Forest Wednesday night due to an illness unrelated to the pandemic.

This is Krzyzewski’s final season at Duke. The 74-year old has been in Durham since the 1980-81 season, and he has amassed a historic record of 1,108-303 in that time, winning five national titles and appearing in seven more Final Fours.

Krzyzewski, who is expected to return to the bench for Saturday’s game, is 57-25 all-time against the Wolfpack. He was 9-14 through his first 10 seasons against his Triangle rival before the struggles of NC State basketball in the 1990s allowed Duke to surpass the Pack.

Rankings

NET: Duke is ranked No. 12 (out of 358 teams). NC State basketball is No. 124.

ESPN’s BPI: The Blue Devils checks in at No. 12. The Wolfpack is No. 110.

KenPom.com: Duke is No. 10. The Pack is No. 105.

Three Duke Players To Watch Against NC State Basketball

Freshman forward Paolo Banchero: The potential No. 1 pick in next summer’s NBA Draft is living up to the hype in what will be his lone season at Duke.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder with some guard skills is averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting 49.2 percent from the field and has made 16 of 47 three-pointers.

Banchero has scored in double-figures in every game he has played this year, and in four ACC games he has reached 20 points in three of them. He has a pair of double-doubles.

Freshman guard Trevor Keels: At 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, Keels is on the more physically imposing wing players in the ACC.

Another likely one-and-done player, Keels is averaging 12.1 points per game, but he has struggled with inconsistency in his shot. Overall, he is shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 30.7 percent on threes.

Junior wing Wendell Moore Jr.: Moore was a top NC State basketball recruiting target coming out of high school, and had it not been for a Duke offer it’s possible the Charlotte native would have ended up wearing red and white, instead.

Moore’s career has progressed a bit slower than perhaps anticipated, but he is enjoying a breakout junior year. He is averaging 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game while developing into one of the better all-around players in the ACC.

He is shooting career-bests 54.0 percent from the field and 37.7 percent on threes (20 of 53).

Moore, however, is looking to find his best stride in ACC play. After scoring in double figures in the first 12 games, he has been in single digits two of the last three.

Three Things NC State Basketball Should Expect From Louisville

1. A NBA-looking starting line-up: Duke has been very consistent with its starting five this year: Banchero, Moore, Keels, sophomore guard Jeremy Roach and sophomore Mark Williams.

Here are the sizes of that lineup:

Point guard Roach: 6-foot-1, 172 pounds

Shooting guard Keels: 6-foot-4, 221 pounds

Small forward Moore: 6-foot-5, 213 pounds

Power forward Banchero: 6-foot-10, 250 pounds

Center Williams: 7-foot, 242 pounds.

2. A challenging matchup: Given that amount of size across the court, the smaller NC State basketball team has a disadvantage to overcome.

For instance, Wolfpack star redshirt sophomore wing Dereon Seabron is at his best attacking the rim, but Williams averages over three blocked shots per game despite playing just 19.7 minutes per contest.

3. A hostile environment: This is likely to be the first time that most of NC State’s roster has played in an environment anywhere near Cameron Indoor Stadium. After not playing in front of crowds for most of last season, the Pack’s only true road games this year have been in front of crowds Miami, Virginia Tech and Louisville.

Only the latter-most has a reputation for good crowds, but it was a bit subdued by NC State controlling the game against the Cardinals.

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