Wolfpack Heads To South Florida Aiming For Road Win

NC State (5-3) vs. USF (2-7)
Date	Sunday, Dec. 13
Time	4 p.m. ET
Location	USF Sun Dome – Tampa, Fla.
Tickets	Ticketmaster
Television	ESPNU (Allen Bestwick, Mark Wise)
Radio	Wolfpack Sports Network (Gary Hahn, Tony Haynes)
Game Notes	NC State \| USF
Season Statistics	NC State \| USF
Live Stats	GoUSFBulls.com
Social Media	@PackMensBball \| Facebook

Over the years, Jimmy V Week has brought the college basketball world to a standstill as we acknowledge the impact of the legendary coach Jim Valvano.

Valvano led NC State's resilient 1983 men's basketball team to history as he willed his men to an awe-inspiring 9-game winning streak that brought ACC and NCAA Tournament championships to Raleigh.

Known as a charismatic and charming man, Valvano's strength wasn't only exhibited through his time as the trailblazing leader of a prominent basketball program. It was his metastatic cancer diagnosis that spotlighted the Queens, N.Y., native's enduring spirit.

Utilizing his name and overall influence, Valvano fought his bout and provided a voice for those also fighting cancer.

It was March 3, 1993 at the inaugural ESPY Awards where Jimmy V made a speech that will forever live in our hearts. While accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award, Valvano gave insight into his fight while showcasing the strength that made him the inspirational man he was.

"I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. You have to be willing to work for it," Valvano said. "Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my soul."

The words of the legendary speech rang across the world, inspiring an outpour of empathy and philanthropic involvement for cancer research.

Within the powerful speech, Valvano announced the birth of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Utilizing his powerful name and revered personality, Coach V inspired the world to help fund cancer research in an effort to provide a cure for the disease. Every basketball season for the last nine years, Jimmy V Week has put a spotlight on the importance of cancer research and Valvano's lasting legacy.

The week still holds its place as an important time period for NC State.

"I think coaching at the same school Coach V did is really special. He made a tremendous impact on college basketball and NC State. I remember his speech clearly, it is one of those things we all remember where we were when we heard it," NC State head coach Mark Gottfried said.

Gottfried continued to explain how Valvano's influence on the Wolfpack lives on today. "Dereck [Whittenburg] played for Coach V and we've had Dereck Whittenburg on our staff. So he has been around our players a ton, which helps them understand the tradition here at NC State."

More than 22 years after its creation, the V Foundation has funded more than $150 million in cancer research grants to more than 120 facilities.

At NC State and beyond, Valvano's legendary impact stretches further than the confines of Reynolds Coliseum. His impact is felt in research facilities, hospitals and in the day-to-day spirit of those who fight to laugh, think and cry on the pursuit of a full day.

--Cherif Gueye

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THE STARTING 5 - The Top 5 Storylines For This Game

1. OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
The Wolfpack is averaging nearly 80 points per game this season, and it reached rare heights on the offensive end of the floor in last week's 99-86 victory over Bucknell. The Wolfpack's 99-point output was the team's most under Gottfried and the highest point total in a game since the Pack beat ECU 100-66 in 2004. State shot .544 from the floor, the team's highest mark since shooting .556 last season against West Virginia in Madison Square Garden. Individually, the win featured three Wolfpackers (Cat Barber, Maverick Rowan, Caleb Martin) scoring 20 points or more. It was the first time three NC State players scored 20 or more points in the same game since 1990.

2. CAT GETTING TO THE LINE AT A RECORD RATE
Using his quickness and ballhandling, Cat Barber has found his way to the free throw line at a record rate. He ranks third in the nation with 89 foul shot attempts, and is on pace to break the school record for free throw attempts in a season (355 by Mel Thompson in 1954). Additionally, he draws 8.5 fouls per game, which ranks 15th in the nation and third among players playing in Power 5 conferences. NC State is 5-1 when Barber, who averages 11.1 free throw attempts per game, shoots 10 or more free throws.

3. RETURN GAME
Sunday's contest is the second half of a home-and-home series between the Wolfpack and the Bulls. As part of the Global Sports Invitational last season, NC State downed South Florida 68-65 in Raleigh last November. Cat Barber scored 10 points and BeeJay Anya totaled eight points, nine rebounds and six blocks to lead NC State, which led 65-56 with 2:11 left before the Bulls made a late push.

4. CALEB AND MAVERICK MAKING ALL THE TREYS
Caleb Martin and Maverick Rowan are among this season's most prolific 3-point shooters in the ACC. In fact, the young wing players have been the team's complete attack on the perimeter, combining to make all 46 of the team's 3-point shots. Martin stands second in the ACC with 3.38 made 3-pointers per game and Rowan is tied for seventh in the league with 2.38 per game As a team, NC State takes 27.6 percent of its total shots from 3-point range (315th highest in the nation).

5. POST PLAYER SHUFFLE
Mark Gottfried has said multiple times this season NC State will need more production out of post players, Lennard Freeman, BeeJay Anya and Abdul-Malik Abu. In the Bucknell win, Gottfried inserted Anya into the starting lineup in place of Freeman. Coming off the bench resulted in Freeman's best performance of the season, his first double-double of the season where he tied his career high of 13 rebounds. Abu shook a mini-slump and produced 11 points and nine rebounds against Bucknell.

Wolfpack Heads To South Florida Aiming For Road Win

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Abdul-Malik Abu

BeeJay Anya

Lennard Freeman

Maverick Rowan

Wolfpack Heads To South Florida Aiming For Road Win

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Abdul-Malik Abu

BeeJay Anya

Lennard Freeman

Maverick Rowan

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