NC State needs to get back on track
NC State never expected to be 5-5 in the ACC at this point in this season.
The Wolfpack have lost five of their last seven games, including four on the road. NCSU plays at 1 p.m. today at Clemson, in the rematch of the Wolfpack's 66-62 win in Raleigh on Jan. 20.
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NC State fell behind by 21 points at halftime against Duke, 58-37, on Thursday before trying to make a game of it during certain points in the second half. Duke ended up winning 98-85 behind 30 points from senior center Mason Plumlee.
Clemson also fell behind Thursday at Virginia, but ended up suffering an embarrassing 78-41 loss to the Cavaliers. UVa led 38-10 at halftime.
Plumlee's 30 points were three more than what Clemson senior center Devin Booker achieved in Raleigh. Booker went 13 of 18 from the field for 27 points in 39 minutes played against the Wolfpack. Clemson struggled from three-point land, shooting 5 of 19 against NC State. The Tigers were even worse against the Cavaliers on Thursday, shooting 1 of 17 from beyond the arc.
NC State could also be getting the return of junior point guard Lorenzo Brown today. The 6-foot-5 point guard injured his ankle in NCSU's game against Virginia on Jan. 29, and missed eventual losses to Miami and Duke.
Brown will be a game-time decision today, but with 11 full days of treatment, he could be back on the court. Brown is averaging 12.7 points, 6.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for the Wolfpack.
If Brown can't go, freshman point guard Tyler Lewis has filled in well. Lewis has accumulated 29 points, 11 assists and just one turnover in 75 minutes against Miami and Duke.
Clemson preview
Game facts
NC State (16-7, 5-5 ACC) at Clemson (12-10, 4-6 ACC)
Game time: Sunday, Feb. 10, 1 p.m. — Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, S.C.
Television: ACC Network
Probable starters
NC State
PG — 12 Tyler Lewis (5-11, 157, Fr., 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
SG — 0 Rodney Purvis (6-3, 195, Fr., 9.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.7 apg)
SF — 15 Scott Wood (6-6, 169, Sr., 11.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg)
PF — 5 C.J. Leslie (6-9, 200, Jr., 15.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.3 apg)
C — 1 Richard Howell (6-8, 257, Sr., 13.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg)
Clemson
PG — 12 Rod Hall (6-1, 210, Soph., 6.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg)
SG — 21 Damarcus Harrison (6-4, 200, Soph., 5.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.0 spg)
SG — 32 K.J. McDaniels (6-6, 200, Soph., 11.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 2.0 bpg)
PF — 24 Milton Jennings (6-9, 225, Sr., 10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.1 bpg)
C — 31 Devin Booker (6-8, 250, Sr., 12.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Clemson
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Nickname: Tigers
2011-12 record: 16-15 overall, 8-8 ACC
2012 postseason: None
Coach: Brad Brownell 11th season overall (217-121) and third season at Clemson (50-36)
Series: NC State leads 98-48
Last meeting: NC State won 66-62 on Jan. 20, 2013, in Raleigh
Notes
Clemson: Senior center Devin Booker went 13 of 18 from the field for a game-high 27 points, and sophomore point guard Rod Hall added 16 points in the Tigers' 66-62 loss to NC State Jan. 20 … Booker has been held to eight points or less in three of his last four games. He had three points and 10 boards in a 77-70 win over Virginia Tech Jan. 27, and eight points and six rebounds in a 63-60 win vs. Georgia Tech Jan. 29. However, he responded with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season Feb. 2 in a 75-68 loss at Boston College. Booker only got five field-goal attempts in the 78-41 loss at Virginia on Thursday, finishing with seven points and nine rebounds … Senior power forward Milton Jennings exploded for 28 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the win over Virginia Tech. He also had 12 points and 11 boards in a 59-44 win over Virginia Jan. 12. Jennings is shooting 40 percent from three-point land … McDaniels is shooting 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and was the lone Tigers' player in double figures against UVa with 10 points. McDaniels has scored in double figures in 13 games, including five of the last seve contests. He tied his season-high with 17 points and 5 of 7 from three-point land against Virginia Tech. He also had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks in the 60-44 win vs. Wake Forest Jan. 15 … The 6-1, 210-pound Hall has scored 19 points over his last five games since scoring 16 against NC State. He has only tried five three-pointers all season (making two) … BYU transfer Damarcus Harrison has started nine of the last 11 games, including seven straight. The athletic wing from Arden (N.C.) Christ School is shooting just 23.2 percent on three-pointers. However, he went 3 of 7 from beyond the arc en route to 19 points against Virginia Tech. He has gone 6 of 17 from 3-point range the last four contests … Freshman guard Adonis Filer is averaging 7.3 points and 1.6 assists per game, and is shooting 33.3 percent from beyond the arc this season off the bench. Filer had 10 points, four assists and three rebounds against Boston College. Filer has tallied at least 10 points in seven games this season … Freshman point guard Jordan Roper also came off the bench for 11 points against the Eagles. He has four starts under his belt, but his last start was against The Citadel Jan. 1. He has scored in double figures in six games, including a career-high 16 against Florida A&M. Roper, who is shooting 36.2 percent from 3-point land, has made at least two three-pointers in six games, including going 4 of 5 in the previously mentioned Florida A&M game … Freshman 6-10, 245-pound center Landry Nnoko will likely start next year, but hasn't played more than eight minutes in an ACC game this season off the bench … Sophomore power forward Bernard Sullivan and freshman center Josh Smith are both North Carolina natives. The 6-7, 230-pound Sullivan is originally from Gastonia and went to Huntersville North Meck High for three years, and then Davidson Day his senior season. The 6-8, 260-pound Smith played for Charlotte Olympic High … Sophomore guard Devin Coleman is redshirting after suffering a torn Achilles' tendon during the offseason. Freshman power forward Jaron Blossomgame suffered a broken leg last April and hasn't played this season … Sophomore wing T.J. Sapp started the first seven games, but left the program and transferred to Murray State. Sapp averaged 3.6 points and shot 22.2 percent from three-point land.