NC State @ Virginia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 2, 2019 ) Virginia Tech 47, NC State 24

Virginia Tech and visiting North Carolina State look to score a little more than they did when they last faced each other in a game that set basketball back a few years. The Hokies won 47-24 in their lone meeting last season, holding a ranked opponent to their fewest points scored in the shot-clock era.

NC State trailed by 11 in the second half Wednesday against Notre Dame, but senior Markell Johnson and junior DJ Funderburk soon took over, combining to score 21 of the Pack's final 24 points to lead a comeback in a 73-68 home victory. Johnson tied his career high with 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while Funderburk added 16 points and a career high-tying nine rebounds. The Hokies managed just 39 points in a 26-point loss to Virginia last Saturday but rebounded for a 67-63 victory at Syracuse on Tuesday behind a career-high 19 points and five 3-pointers from Jared Cone. The 5-10 freshman sparked a 17-2 run by hitting multiple clutch triples to help Virginia Tech win in the Carrier Dome for the first time.

TIME: 2 p.m. ET TV: RSN

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (11-4, 2-2 ACC): Johnson (13.9 points, 6.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds) has averaged 15.7 points while reaching double figures in 11 consecutive games - the longest double-digit scoring streak of his career. Manny Bates (6.0 points, 4.4 rebounds), who continues to pace the ACC and rank seventh in the NCAA in blocks per game (3.2), broke the freshman record Wednesday and is on pace to set the school mark (Thurl Bailey had 95 during the Wolfpack's 1982-83 National Championship season). Funderburk (12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 66.3 field-goal percentage) is averaging 16.5 points and seven rebounds per game over his last four outings while shooting 72.7 percent from the field.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (11-4, 2-2): Cone (6.5 points, 56 percent beyond the arc), who is second on the team in percentage of shots taken when on the court (23.9), was 5-of-7 from 3-point range to tie his season high, and drained all four of his free throws. "I knew that Cone, if we were going to win, was going to have to get a couple of shots down. I don't know that I expected him to get five of them down from long range, but that's what he does. He is a dynamic scorer." Hokies coach Mike Young said. Redshirt freshman Landers Nolley II (17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds) added 13 points, while junior P.J. Horne (8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds) finished with 12.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. NC State leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech 40-17, including a 12-8 record against the Hokies since Virginia Tech joined the ACC prior to the 2004-05 season. The Wolfpack has lost their last two games at Cassell Coliseum and last defeated the Hokies on their home floor on Feb. 22, 2014 (71-64).

2. Virginia Tech averages the fewest turnovers in the nation with 9.8, ranks second in fouls committed with 12.3 and is third in assist/turnover ratio at 1.61.

3. NC State is led by C.J. Bryce, who averages a team-high 16.1 points per game but has missed the last three games due to injury.

PREDICTION: NC State 73, Virginia Tech 70