NC State
The Citadel
Pack Returns to PNC Arena to Host The Citadel
12/21/2019 2:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sunday’s game marks first home game in 18 days
ACC Network | Online | Tickets
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men's basketball team (8-3, 1-1 ACC) returns home to PNC Arena on Sunday to host The Citadel (6-5).
Tipoff at PNC Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be televised on the ACC Network with Sam Ravech and Jordan Cornette calling the action. NC State fans can also listen to Gary Hahn and Tony Haynes on the Wolfpack Sports Network.
Winter Wonderland Game
Fans are encouraged to wear their favorite 'ugly sweater' to celebrate the Holidays. Fans can take pictures with Santa Wuf and Ms. Wuf on the concourse.
Pack Tracks
- NC State fell to No. 12 Auburn, 79-73, on Thursday night. C.J. Bryce (21 points/11 rebounds) and Markell Johnson (17 points/10 assists) both recorded double-doubles to lead the Pack's efforts.
- The Pack has a balanced offensive attack. NC State has five players averaging in double figures and a sixth player averages 8.9 points per game. Overall, the top eight scorers for NC State all average at least 6.4 points per game and all eight players have scored in double figures in at least two games this season.
- Markell Johnson started this season slowly after suffering an ankle injury a week prior to the start of the regular season. He missed the season-opener and then averaged 7.3 points on 22.9% shooting in the first three games he played this season. In the last seven games, Johnson has averaged 16 points per game and is shooting 49.4% from the field.
- After registering only 10 steals in the first two games of the season (5.0 per game), the Pack has had at least seven steals in every game since and is averaging 9.5 steals per game over the last nine outings. The Pack currently ranks fourth in the ACC in steals at 8.64 per game. NC State is the only team in the ACC to have three players (2nd - Markell Johnson 2.0; 3rd - C.J. Bryce - 1.91; 10th - Devon Daniels 1.64) rank in the top-10 of the conference in steals per game.
Sunday Storylines
- NC State has won 36 of its last 37 non-conference games at PNC Arena. The Pack is 21-1 in non-conference home games at PNC Arena under head coach Kevin Keatts.
- For the second consecutive game, NC State will face a potent offensive attack. The Pack faced Auburn and its 13th ranked scoring offense (83.0 points per game) on Thursday night, falling to the Tigers, 79-73. The Citadel enters Sunday's game averaging 87.0 points per game, which ranks third in the NCAA. NC State averages 81.6 points per game, which is second in the ACC and 23rd in the NCAA.
- Only Georgia Tech (in the season-opener) has finished with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio this season. NC State enters Sunday having forced 10 consecutive opponents into committing more turnovers than passing out assists. NC State opponents this season have a .71 assist-to-turnover ratio. (127 assists-to-179 turnover)
- In year three of Kevin Keatts, the Pack continues to turn up the pressure on opponents. Keatts' first team averaged to force opponents into 14.8 turnovers per game. Last year's team forced opponents into 15.6 turnovers per game. Through 11 games this season, Keatts' third team at NC State is forcing opponents into 16.3 turnovers per game.
- Hitting his stride: Graduate transfer Pat Andree has hit eight three-pointers in the last two games. The Lehigh transfer hit five three-pointers in the win over UNCG on Dec. 15 and connected on three treys at Auburn on Thursday. Overall, he is 8-for-15 from three-point range in the last two games and is now shooting 46.9% from three-point range on the season.
- Efficient Offense for Funderburk: Junior forward D.J. Funderburk has shot 50 percent and better from the field in seven of the nine games he's played in this season. He has hit 8-of-11 field goals in the last two games and is shooting 62.5% on the season. Last season, the Cleveland, Ohio native shot 55.2 percent from the field.
- Sunday marks the 100th career game in an NC State uniform for senior guard Markell Johnson. The Cleveland, Ohio native currently has 899 career points, 463 career assists (5th in program history) and 125 career steals. He is on pace to become just the fourth player in NC State history to score 1,000 points, pass out 500 assists and record 150 steals.
NC State - The Citadel Series
- NC State leads the all-time series with the Bulldogs, 16-1.
- The two teams last met on Nov. 19, 2005 with the Pack winning, 91-59.
- NC State has an all-time record of 98-20 against current members of the Southern Conference.
