NC State basketball opponent scouting report: Vanderbilt

NC State basketball 9-3 overall after an impressive home win over Furman on Tuesday evening. Now the Wolfpack is set to conclude the non-conference slate for the 2022-23 season. NC State is in Chicago for a late tipoff at 10:30 p.m. against Vanderbilt.

The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.

Here is a rundown of what to expect from Vanderbilt.

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Vanderbilt overview

Veteran fans of NC State basketball will be familiar with the coach on the sidelines for Vanderbilt, former North Carolina star Jerry Stackhouse. Legend has it that Stackhouse was close to picking NC State before signing with the Heels, where he played for two seasons and helped UNC reach the 1995 Final Four.

After 19 seasons in the NBA, Stackhouse jumped into coaching, working in the NBA as an assistant for Toronto and Memphis and also coaching the Raptors affiliate in the D-League.

In 2019, Stackhouse was hired as head coach at Vanderbilt. Last year represented a breakthrough, as the Commodores went 19-17 and reached the quarterfinals of the NIT. That team, however, was led by star Scotty Pippen Jr., who left for the NBA after averaging 20.4 points per game.

Without Pippen, Vanderbilt is off to a 5-5 start this season, but Stackhouse also scheduled aggressively. According to KenPom.com, Vanderbilt’s strength of schedule (SOS) ranks 97th out of 363 teams. For some perspective, NC State’s SOS is 204.

The Commodores have struggled to get results however. A last-second home win over Pittsburgh is the highlight of their season thus far. Four of the five defeats have been against teams ranked in the top 40 of the NCAA’s NET rankings, and the fifth was a 2-point home loss to Grambling eight days ago. Grambling is No. 106 in the NET.

Rankings

NCAA’s NET rankings: Vanderbilt checks in at No. 133 (out of 362 teams). NC State basketball is No. 54.

ESPN’s BPI: The Commodores are No. 95. The Pack is No. 45.

KenPom.com: Vandy is No. 96. The Wolfpack is No. 53.

Three Vanderbilt players to watch against NC State basketball

Super senior center Liam Robbins: The 7-foot, 250-pounder has blossomed in year two with the Vanderbilt program, looking more like the promising post player he was with Minnesota during the 2020-21 season.

Robbins leads four players averaging double figures for Vanderbilt at 12.3 points per game despite playing just 22.7 minutes per game. He is also a shot-blocking presence around the rim that NC State will have to contend against, averaging 2.9 rejections per contest.

Junior forward Myles Stute: If there is someone that NC State cannot let get open on the perimeter, that player is Stute. The 6-foot-7, 215-pounder is shooting 33 of 64 on three-pointers this season, or 51.6 percent.

Overall, Stute is Vandy’s second-leading scorer at 12.1 points per contest.

Senior wing Jordan Wright: The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Wright was Pippen’s sidekick a season ago, averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and making 46 three-pointers. He has been battling injuries this season, missing a win over Wofford with back spasms and sitting out the loss to Grambling with a hip pointer.

There is no word on Wright’s status for Saturday vs. NC State. He is averaging 10.1 points and 4.3 boards, but his shooting percentages are down from a year ago. Wright is just 6 of 24 on threes.

Three things NC State basketball should expect from Vanderbilt

1. Constant subbing: NC State may feel like it is playing a game against Florida State in the ACC. The Seminoles under head coach Leonard Hamilton are noted for playing the full bench for double-digit minutes.

If fully healthy, Stackhouse is likely to use 10 players in the game, all of whom average at least 8.3 minutes and none more than 29.2 minutes.

2. An uneven offense: Vanderbilt has scored more than 70 points in a game just three times this year. Other than Stute, the Commodores have not shot threes well, and the team free throw percentage is just 65.4 percent.

Vandy also averages 13.6 turnovers per game and has more TOs than assists on the season. This could be a game where the NC State press is effective.

3. A tough team to score against: While Vanderbilt may not be a prolific offense, the Commodores can be tough defensively. In half of the games Vandy has played, they have limited opponents to less than 65 points (although their record in those contests is just 3-2).

Opponents are shooting just 41.9 percent overall and 31.1 percent on threes vs. Vanderbilt, and the Commodores outrebound opponents by 2.0 boards per contest.