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The NC State men’s basketball team used the springboard of defeating No. 7-ranked Auburn on Dec. 19 to enter The Associated Press top 25 poll for the first time since Feb. 2013.

The Wolfpack were ranked No. 20 in the country and are one of six ACC programs in the top 25. NCSU will play as a ranked team against Loyola (Mary.) tonight for the first time since playing Miami (Fla.) on Feb. 2, 2013. The Wolfpack were No. 19 in the country at the time, but lost on a Reggie Johnson basket with 0.8 seconds remaining.

NC State improved to 11- 1 overall after defeating South Carolina-Upstate last Saturday, before earning the ranking last Monday. Auburn fell five spots to No. 12.

This is the 52nd week since the 1999-2000 season that NC State has been in the AP poll, including four times in the preseason poll.

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