Pack Returns to ACC Play to Host Louisville

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Pack Tracks
- NC State battled back from an eight-point second half deficit to beat, Vanderbilt, 70-66, Saturday night at the United Center in Chicago. DJ Burns and Casey Morsell combined to score 26 of NC State's 36 points in the second half. Burns finished with a season-high 18 points (14 in the second half) and added nine rebounds and a season-best three assists. Morsell finished with 15 points (12 in the second half).
- Terquavion Smith also reached double figures with 16 points and added a team-leading five assists and three steals. Jarkel Joiner chipped in 12 points.
- NC State won despite tying a season-low for fastbreak points (9) and scoring its second-fewest points off turnovers (5) of the season.
- The victory was the 100th win for Kevin Keatts as head coach of the Pack. Coincidentally, Keatts 100th career victory as a collegiate head coach also came against the Vanderbilt program. He won his 100th career game on Dec. 1, 2018 when the Pack defeated the Commodores, 80-65, in Miami.
- One of the top guard duos in the country: Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner and sophomore guard Terquavion Smith form one of the top guard duos in the country. They are the highest scoring guard tandem in the ACC combining to average 34.8 points per game while also combine to have the most assists (115) of any two players in the ACC and they also have the most combined steals (43) of any two-guard tandem in the ACC.

Thursday Storylines
- Terquavion Smith had it going vs. Louisville last season: In two games against the Cardinals last season, Smith averaged 20.5 points per game while shooting 69.6 percent from the field, including 64.3 percent from three-point range. Smith made his first collegiate start in the Pack's 73-68 loss to Louisville on Dec. 4. He scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-5 from long-range. In the Pack's 79-63 win at Louisville on Jan. 12, Smith scored 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-9 from three.
- Thursday is matchup of two of only five guards in the ACC to rank in the top-10 in both scoring and assists. The Pack's Terquavion Smith leads the ACC in assists (5.5 per game) and is second in the conference in scoring (18.2). Louisville's El Ellis is fifth (17.3) in the ACC in scoring and seventh in assists (4.5)
- DJ Burns stepping in Mahorcic's absence: In the three games since Dusan Mahorcic was injured, graduate forward DJ Burns is averaging 14.3 points per game, 7.3 rebounds (including 3.7 offensive rebounds) per game and 2.3 assists per game. Burns is shooting 60.7 percent from the field (17-of-28) and is 100 percent (7-of-7) from the foul line.
- Pack still looking for more bench production: The loss of Dusan Mahorcic has hurt the Pack's depth. The Pack has played three games since Mahorcic - who started nine of the first 10 games of the season - dislocated his patella against Coppin State on Dec. 6. In two of the three games, NC State's bench has scored just two points (at Miami and vs. Vanderbilt). Overall, the Pack is averaging 7.7 bench points in its last three games. In the first 10 games of the season, NC State's bench was averaging 17.1 points per game.
- Pack has held its own on the boards: NC State has outrebounded its opponent in 10 of 13 games this season (NC State only outrebounded its opponent in 10 of 32 games last season). In the three games it has been outrebounded, Kansas and Coppin State only edged NC State by one rebound and Miami finished +4 in rebounding in its win. The Pack ranks fourth in the ACC in rebounding margin at +4.5. It finished 14th in the ACC last season in rebounding margin at -2.8.
- Different styles: NC State enters the game, second in the ACC in scoring at 81.0 points per game. Louisville ranks 15th in the ACC, averaging to score just 61.2 points per game. NC State has only scored under 70 points in one of 13 games this season. Louisville has only scored 70 or more points in two of 12 games this season. NC State is 7-1 this season when it holds its opponent under 70 points.
- NC State leads the ACC in turnover margin (+3.3), steals (9.5 per game) and forcing turnovers (14.5 per game). Louisville enters the game, 15th in the ACC in turnover margin (-3.8) and last in turnovers per game (16.5). The Pack is 6-0 this season when it forces its opponent into 15 or more turnovers, but in its two ACC games this year, the Pack is only averaging to force its opponents into 10 turnovers per game and is averaging just six steals per outing.

NC State - Louisville Series
- Thursday will be the 26th meeting between the two programs. Louisville leads the all-time series, 14-11.
n Louisville has won six of the nine meetings between the teams since it joined the ACC, and NC State is 1-3 against the Cardinals inside PNC Arena since UL joined the conference.
- The teams split their two meetings last season with Louisville winning in Raleigh, 73-68, on Dec. 4, and the Pack winning at Louisville, 79-63, on Jan. 12.

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Players Mentioned

Jarkel Joiner

Dusan Mahorcic

Casey Morsell

Terquavion Smith