NC State closes out non-conference slate with Loyola (Md.)
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Game Facts
Loyola (Md.) (4-8) at No. 20 NC State (11-1)
Game time: Friday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m. — PNC Arena in Raleigh
Television: ACC Network Extra
Probable starters
NC State
PG — 11 Markell Johnson (6-1, 175, Jr., 12.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.2 apg)
SG — 13 C.J. Bryce (6-5, 195, R-Jr., 11.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.5 spg)
G — 10 Braxton Beverly (6-0, 180, Soph., 7.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F — 2 Torin Dorn (6-5, 210, 5th-Sr., 14.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.6 spg)
C — 33 Wyatt Walker (6-9, 240, R-Jr., 6.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Loyola (Md.)
PG — 0 Isaiah Hart (5-11, 181, Soph., 6.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.9 apg)
SG — 10 Andrew Kostecka (6-4, 184, Jr., 19.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg)
SF — 14 Chuck Champion (6-4, 187, Jr., 12.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)
PF — 23 Brent Holcombe (6-8, 198, Soph., 11.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
C — 1 KaVaughn Scott (6-8, 223, Jr., 7.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Notes
Loyola (Md.)
Location: Baltimore, Md.
Nickname: Greyhounds
2017-18 record: 9-22 overall, 6-12 Patriot League
2017 postseason: None
Head coach: Tavaras Hardy, first year overall and at Loyola (Md.) (4-8)
Loyola (Md.) overview: Junior wing Andrew Kostecka has emerged as a quality sniper and has led the Greyhounds in scoring in nine out of 12 games this season.
Loyola (Md.) has had a week off since losing 97-79 to UMass-Lowell on Dec. 21. Maryland is its lone Power Five Conference opponent thus far, losing 94-71 on Dec. 11. The Greyhounds also have losses at St. John’s on Nov. 6 and at Temple on Nov. 16.
KenPom.com ranks Loyola (Md.) at No. 294 overall out of 353 teams, with NC State ranked No. 20.
Backcourt: Kostecka is averaging 19.8 points per game and is shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three-point land this season.
He averaged 11.0 points per game a year ago and has improved across the board. Kostecka poured in 30 points in a 85-69 loss at Towson on Nov. 25, and followed up with 29 points and 11 boards in a 75-65 win over Mount St. Mary’s, who NC State has played this season.
Kostecka has reached double figures in all but one game, and is even a sneaky shot-blocker with 10 blocks. He has made 9 of 12 on three-pointers over the last four games.
Hart has watched his numbers drop in his sophomore season. He averaged 10.3 points and 2.9 assists per game last year, and shot 48.6 percent from the field. Hart is down to 6.5 points and 1.9 assists a contest, and is shooting just 39.2 percent from the field. He has been playing better of late, scoring at least 10 points in four of the last seven games. Hart had 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in the win over Mount St. Mary’s.
Freshman point guard Kenny Jones comes off the bench to average 5.7 points and 1.9 assists in 18.2 minutes per game. The 6-0, 171-pounder is shooting an impressive 40.6 percent on three-pointers and 48.1 percent from the field. He is fresh off of scoring 12 points and dishing out three assists against UMass-Lowell. He has cracked double figures in three contests.
Wings Sam Norton, a senior, and freshman Jaylin Andrews average 14-plus minutes off the bench.
The 6-4, 199-pound Norton is averaging 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game, and he’s shooting 6 of 13 on three-pointers.
The 6-4, 171-pound Andrews averages 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.8 minutes a contest, but he’s shooting just 28.6 percent from the field.
Frontcourt: Wing Chuck Champion is second on the team in scoring behind Kostecka. He averaged 11.5 points per game last year, and has improved a tad to 12.8 this season. He is shooting 30.9 percent on three-pointers and has tried a team-high 55 attempts from beyond the arc (making 17). He enters the NC State game reaching double figures in all but one game this season. He tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 82-80 loss to Dartmouth on Nov. 11.
Sophomore forward Brent Holcombe is a stretch four at 6-8 and 198 pounds. He has jumped from 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds a contest last year, to 11.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season. He’s shooting 10 of 29 on three-pointers and has contributed 11 blocks. Holcombe has a pair of double-doubles for points and rebounds, and he had 20 points and seven rebounds in the loss vs. Dartmouth.
KaVaughn Scott shoots around the basket, making 66.0 percent from the field, and is averaging 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He has reached double figures in four contests this season, and had a season-high 14 points and three boards against Dartmouth. He has fouled out of one game and finished with four fouls in four contests.
Senior forward James Fives, who is 6-6 and 196 pounds, comes off the bench to average 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game. He had 14 points, seven boards and shot 3 of 4 on three-pointers in a 91-62 win over Delaware State on Nov. 13.
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