NC State Wolfpack basketball started its 2020-21 season with three wins but hasn't played since Dec. 3 after two confirmed positive COVID cases within the program's "traveling party."

Since defeating UMass Lowell 90-59 on Dec. 3, the Pack had four games either canceled or postponed, including non-conference matchups with Michigan and UConn.

The most recent impacted game was NC State's scheduled ACC opener at Lousiville that was set to be played Wednesday night, but the contest was postponed due to positive tests within the Cardinals program.

Because the Wolfpack have now had four non-conference games impacted by the pandemic, it scheduled a replacement contest against Saint Louis earlier this week.

NC State will now take on the Billikens in Chaifetz Arena at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Here is the scouting report on Saint Louis:

Saint Louis is 5-0 in 2020-21 under fifth-year head coach Travis Ford.

The Billikens have one win over a Power Five opponent, an 85-81 home victory over LSU.

Saint Louis also has double-digit home wins over Indiana State, Central Arkansas, Arkansas Pine Bluff and SIU Edwardsville.

The Billikens were picked to finish second in the preseason Atlantic 10 media poll and have three all-conference selections on the roster.

Saint Louis returns all five of its starters and nine of its top 10 scorers from last season. The Billikens finished 2019-20 with a 23-8 overall record, including a 12-6 record in the Atlantic 10 which was good for a fourth-place finish in the regular season.

Saint Louis finished the 2019-20 season ranked No. 49 in the NET rankings, which would make tonight's road contest a quad one game for tournament resume purposes.

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) has the Billikens ranked No. 48, and KenPom.com has SLU ranked No. 32.

Saint Louis is ranked No. 110 in the old RPI formula used by the NCAA — according to RealTimeRPI.com.

Saint Louis has been one of the most efficient shooting teams in the country through five games this season.

The Billikens are shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 45 percent on three-point attempts, good for ninth and fourth nationally among Division I teams, respectively.

SLU has five perimeter shooting threats that are averaging at least 38.9 percent from beyond the arc with at least one attempt per game.

Saint Louis is averaging 36.4 rebounds per game and holding opponents to just 27.2 per contest. The Billikens currently rank tied for 39th nationally with an average rebound margin of nine per game.

SLU also averages 10.8 offensive rebounds per game and ranks No. 17 in the country with an offensive rebounding percentage of 38 according to KenPom.

Saint Louis has held opponents to 62.2 points per game and a 40.9 percent shooting average from the field.

The Billikens have defended the two better than they have the three, however. SLU's opponents have shot just 45.3 percent on two-point attempts but 33.7 percent from the perimeter.

Saint Louis has 11 players that have averaged double-digit minutes through five contests and 13 that have played at least 6.5 minutes per game. However, four of its five contests thus far have been lopsided wins.

The Billikens only went eight deep in their only close call of the season, the 85-81 win over LSU. Three of SLU's starters played at least 35 minutes in that game, four players played 17-25 minutes and one played nine minutes.

Senior guard Jordan Goodwin is the star player on Saint Louis and is one of three double-figure scorers on the Billikens, including senior guard Javonte Perkins and freshman guard Gibson Jimerson.

Goodwin is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15 points and 3.7 assists per game. He also leads the team with 10.2 rebounds per contest.

The 6-3 guard is tied for third nationally with four double-doubles through five games.

NC State

G — 10 Braxton Beverly (6-0, 180, Sr., 8.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 spg)

G — 5 Thomas Allen (6-1, 180, Sr., 6.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 spg)

G — 24 Devon Daniels (6-5, 205, 5th-Sr., 18.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg)

F — 4 Jericole Hellems (6-7, 205, Jr., 14.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg)

C — 15 Manny Bates (6-11, 230, R-So., 7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 bpg)

Saint Louis

G – 1 Yuri Collins (6-0, 175, So., 5.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 7.8 apg)

G – 0 Jordan Goodwin (6-3, 200, Sr. 15.0 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)

G – 24 Gibson Jimmerson (6-5, 200, Fr., 13.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)

G – 3 Javonte Perkins (6-6, 195, Sr., 19.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.6 apg)

F – 11 Hasahn French (6-7, 245, Sr., 9.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.0 apg)

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