NC State gears up for round two against Wake Forest

NC State comes in 11-18 overall, and 4-14 in the conference. The Wolfpack dropped their 16th loss over the last 20 games against North Carolina. In their first matchup, NC State allowed 100 points. In the rematch, they allowed 84 points while giving up 20 of them in the first 6:09 of the game. The three leading scorers coming into the game was Terquavion Smith, Jericole Hellems, and Dereon Seabron. They combined for 42 points while shooting the ball 46 times, going five for 19 from 3pt range. For NC State to make any type of run in the ACC tournament, they need those three to be elite. In their first matchup against Wake Forest they were held to 51 points, their lowest scoring output of the season.

Wake Forest comes in 22-8 overall, and 12-7 in the conference. The Demon Deacons picked up a crucial win against Louisville as they continue to build their resume for an at-large NCAA tournament bid. They have lost three out of their last five games, but are still hopeful for a postseason. One big thing that Wake Forest has going for them, is Senior Night, and possibly the last game for the players who are looking to leave for the NBA. Senior Night’s drive a lot of emotion and pent up energy. Combining the last home game with solidifying their NCAA tournament berth, it is essential for NC State to come out matching that same energy or they can easily find themselves in another blow out situation.

NC State vs Wake Forest Statistical Overview

Pace: Wake Forest averages 73 possessions per game, ranking 55th nationally.

Short Clock Efficiency: When shooting with four seconds or less on the shot clock, Wake Forest is ranked 3rd nationally. They score 0.975 points per possession (PPP) in these situations.

Offense vs Man Defense: Wake Forest scores 0.988 PPP against man defense, ranking 14th in the country. They only face man defense in 71.4% of their possessions, which is one of the lowest percentages nationally.

Team Offensive Efficiency: Wake Forest scores on 1.080 PPP, ranking 30th in the country.

Team Defensive Efficiency: Wake Forest allows 0.954 PPP which ranks 74th in the country.

Wake Forest Main Personnel

#31 Alondes Williams: Williams is a 6’5″ 210 pound guard out of Milwaukee. He is averaging 19.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 51.9% shooting from the floor and 31.2% shooting from 3pt range. Williams is one of the leaders for ACC player of the year and a lock for 1st team All ACC. His 19.4 points per game rank 30th in the country. In his last two games, he has been less aggressive. Williams is averaging just 12 points while going 10/23 from the floor and 2/11 from 3pt range in that span. He is the most dangerous player on the court and must be contained early. (Last Game vs NC State: 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists)

#0 Jake LaRavia: LaRavia is a 6’8″ 235 pound forward out of Indianapolis. He is averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Williams and LaRavia provide one of the better one-two punches you will see in the country. LaRavia is an inside out, tough player. He is efficient, shooting 56.7% from the floor and 41% from long range. In the last four games, he has shown well, putting up 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals during that stretch. (Last Game vs NC State: Six points, seven rebounds, and eight assists)

Supporting Personnel

#4 Daivien Williamson: Williamson is a 6’1 180 pound guard out of Winston-Salem. He is averaging 12 points on 46% shooting from the floor and 40.3% from the 3pt line. Williamson shoots about five 3’s per game, and he’s in the game to space the floor and play off of Williams and LaRavia. (Last Game vs NC State: 11 points and two rebounds)

#1 Isaiah Mucius: Mucius is a 6’8″ 205 pound wing out of New York. He is averaging 9.7 points and 3.4 rebounds. Mucius also brings floor spacing, with over 75% of his shot attempts coming from 3pt range while shooting about six 3’s per game. He shoots about 37.2% from long distance and offers some good size as a combo forward. (Last Game vs NC State: 13 points, two rebounds, and three steals)

#13 Dallas Walton: Walton is a 7’0″ 230 pound forward/center transfer out of Colorado. He is averaging 8.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 51.9% shooting from the floor and 36.2% from the 3pt line. Despite being a seven footer, he offers floor spacing and is able to be an inside/outside threat. He had one of his better performances on the season last game against Louisville, scoring 22 points and six rebounds while going 4-4 from the 3pt line. (Last Game vs NC State: Nine points, five rebounds, and two blocks)