NC State @ Clemson preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 13, 2019 ) Clemson 58, NC State 59

North Carolina State could be without C.J. Bryce when it heads to Clemson on Saturday for the first of two ACC matchups in the next two weeks with its neighbors to the South. The Wolfpack, who have won three straight games over the Tigers by a total of four points, handled Appalachian State on Sunday without Bryce to close their non-conference slate on a high note.

Bryce, the leading scorer and rebounder and the top 3-point shooter for the Wolfpack, sat out the last game because of a head injury suffered during the morning shootaround. Devon Daniels and Markell Johnson helped to make up the difference with double-doubles and DJ Funderburk fell one rebound short of another while scoring 22 points, but beating Appalachian State without Bryce is different than beating Clemson. "I never had anyone that this happened to on game day," N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts told the media. " It's tough. You have to make adjustments on the fly. I like the way we responded without C.J." Despite some big games from Aamir Sims, the Tigers have dropped six of their last seven games while opening 0-3 in ACC play for the second straight season under coach Brad Brownell, who is in this 10th season with the Tigers and has endured only one losing season in the previous nine.

TIME: Noon ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT N.C. STATE (10-3, 1-1 ACC): Daniels hasn't been known as a player that puts big games together, but the junior from Michigan has done a better job of it this season. The 6-5 guard has scored 36 total points in the last two games, the second time this season and second in his career he has done that, and his best three-game total (50 points) also occurred earlier this season. Johnson posted the fourth triple-double in Wolfpack history two games ago with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists versus The Citadel, joining Dennis Smith, Jr. (twice) and Julius Hodge as the only players to achieve the feat.

ABOUT CLEMSON (6-7, 0-3 ACC): The Tigers haven't scored more than 68 points in a game since prior to Thanksgiving and in three of their four most-recent losses failed to crack 55 points. Simms has been the only consistent scoring threat, averaging 16 points in the last seven games while Tevin Mack, who put up 16.2 points per game in the season's first six contests, has hit double figures once in the last six, including zero points in a 54-45 loss to Yale. "We're not making enough plays, basketball-wise, to win," Brownell told the media. "In crunch time you've got to execute your stuff. We have to continue to execute and grind."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. N.C. State freshman F Manny Bates, who had five blocks against Appalachian State, leads the ACC and was sixth nationally with 3.31 blocks per game.

2. Johnson, who needs 78 points for 1,000 in his career, totaled 39 points and seven 3-pointers in the two wins over Clemson last season.

3. The Wolfpack are averaging 28 bench points this season and its reserves have outscored its opponents by 124 points in that capacity this season.

PREDICTION: N.C. State 83, Clemson 68