Pack Closes Mako Medical Wolfpack Invitational Against North Florida

Friday, November 27

Raleigh, NC

5:30 PM

NC State

North Florida

Pack Closes Mako Medical Wolfpack Invitational Against North Florida

11/26/2020 6:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball

NC State Game Notes (PDF)

Friday’s Matchup is the first meeting between the two programs

RSN
Game Notes
Live Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men's basketball team concludes play at the Mako Medical Wolfpack Invitational Friday evening when it hosts North Florida.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on Fox Sports South in North Carolina (Complete List of Affiliates). Evan Lepler and Mike Gminski will be on the call. NC State fans can also listen to Gary Hahn and Tony Haynes call the action on the Wolfpack Sports Network.

Due to health and safety recommendations and current state guidelines, home NC State men's basketball games are closed to the public.

Pack Tracks
- NC State opens its 111th season of basketball Wednesday with a 95-61 win over Charleston Southern in the Mako Medical Wolfpack Invitational held at Reynolds Coliseum.
- Devon Daniels led the Pack to victory with a career-high 29 points. The senior guard shot 11-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Daniels also added 10 rebounds for his fifth career double-double. He is only the third NC State player in the last 10 seasons to record a 25-point, 10-rebound outing, joining T.J. Warren (accomplished four times) and Dennis Smith Jr.
- Braxton Beverly (13) and D.J. Funderburk (10) were the only other NC State players to reach double figures on Wednesday night. The Pack scored 95 points, but played 13 players and had 12 of them score in the win.
- The Pack's defense was swarming against Charleston Southern. NC State finished with 18 steals and forced 32 Buccaneer turnovers. The 18 steals are the most of the Kevin Keatts era and were just two short of tying the school record. The 32 forced turnovers are the second-most for an NC State opponent since Keatts became head coach.
- The Pack is 32-6 (.842) against non-conference opponents in regular season play under Keatts, including a 28-1 (.966) record at home. NC State enters Friday's contest having won its last 21 regular season home games against non-conference opponents.

Friday Storylines
- The Pack is 21-2 since the 1999-2000 season when playing at Reynolds Coliseum. (1999-2000 season was the first for the program at PNC Arena).
- On the opening day of the Mako Medical Wolfpack Invitational, the Pack had 18 steals and forced Charleston Southern into 32 turnovers as the Pack outscored the Buccaneers, 40-13, in points off turnovers. Earlier in the day, North Florida coughed the ball up 21 times and was outscored 27-10 in points off turnovers by Eastern Kentucky. EKU is coached by Kevin Keatts protege - and former NC State assistant coach - A.W. Hamilton and runs a similar up-tempo pressing system to the Pack.
- A combined 12 players (7 for North Florida and 5 for NC State) made their collegiate debuts on Wednesday.
- Senior guard Braxton Beverly hit three three-pointers in Wednesday night's victory. It's the 32nd time in 99 career games that Beverly has hit three or more three-pointers in a game. NC State is 23-9 (.719) when Beverly hits three or more from long range in a game and has won 10 straight when Beverly hits three-plus.
- For the fourth consecutive season, head coach Kevin Keatts will have to replace his leading scorer from the previous season. This is the first time at NC State that he doesn't return the leading scorer, rebounder or assist man from last season. Last year, senior C.J. Bryce led the team in scoring and rebounding (13.3 and 6.3) and senior Markell Johnson led the team (and ACC) in assists (6.8).

NC State – North Florida Series
- Friday marks the first meeting between the two programs.
- The Pack has a 13-1 record all-time against teams in the Atlantic Sun.

Noting North Florida
- North Florida went 21-12 last season, including a 13-3 mark in the Atlantic Sun for a share of the regular season title.
- UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll was named the 2019-20 Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year.
- As a team last season, UNF led the nation with 391 made three-pointers and shot an Atlantic Sun-best 37.9 percent from long range.
- The only returning starter for the Ospreys is junior Carter Hendricksen. Hendricksen averaged 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last season and unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Conference team.