Big win behind them, big game ahead, NC State wary of Georgia Tech
Under the traditional definition of “trap game,” there is a picture of N.C. State’s trip to Georgia Tech on Saturday.
After an emotional win at Virginia this past Monday, and a home game with North Carolina coming up this Monday, the Wolfpack (14-5, 5-3 ACC) has to go on the road to face the feisty Yellow Jackets (8-11, 3-6).
But with the current generation of players, N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said the traditional rules don’t apply.
“I’ll really be honest with you: our guys just know we are playing next because we tell them and that’s it,” Keatts said. “So they’ll be focused with that.”
It would be easy for the Wolfpack, on a three-game ACC winning streak, to look ahead. North Carolina has lost six straight ACC games for the first time in school history.
Tar Heels coach Roy Williams has been stuck on career win No. 879 since Dec. 30. His next win will push him past his mentor, Dean Smith, on the NCAA career wins list.
Even with all of UNC’s problems, Williams’ mastery of the Wolfpack (30-4 with UNC) looms in the background, as does the return of injured star Cole Anthony.
But the UNC game is not until Monday.
It would also be easy for the Wolfpack to look back. It is coming off of its first road win over Virginia since 2005 and its first win of any kind over the Wahoos since the 2013 ACC tournament.
It’s also only the fourth time in six seasons that N.C. State has won three straight ACC games. Keatts did it twice in his first season in 2017-18.
It was the fifth ACC game (out of eight) that Keatts did not have his complete lineup. Forwards Manny Bates (concussion protocol) and Pat Andree (ankle) missed the 53-51 win at Virginia and are unlikely to play against the Yellow Jackets.
But there’s little to be accomplished by looking in either direction. The only game that matters, Keatts said, is the next one.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off of a 68-64 loss at Louisville on Wednesday. They have a postseason ban for NCAA recruiting violations which means they have little to play for except to be the spoiler. They already have road wins over UNC and N.C. State.
N.C. State lost the season-opener to the Jackets 82-81 in overtime but it didn’t have guard Markell Johnson or forward D.J. Funderburk. Josh Pastner’s team didn’t have guard Jordan Usher, a mid-year transfer from Southern California and now a starter, either.
“Each game in the ACC is totally different,” Keatts said. “I know people always say ‘revenge’ game or this game, it doesn’t matter. Their team has changed. Our team has changed.”
Bates, who leads the ACC in blocks (2.9 per game) held his own in the opener against Georgia Tech star James Banks. It might have been an unintentional bonus to not have Bates against Virginia’s trapping defense but his post defense will be missed against Banks.
“James Banks is about as good as you can be,” Keatts said.
With the win over Virginia, there are only two ACC teams Keatts hasn’t beaten: Virginia Tech (0-3) and Georgia Tech (0-3). Banks is a big reason why.
The 6-10 Texas transfer had 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in Georgia Tech’s win in Raleigh last season. He had 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks in the first meeting this season.
NC State at Georgia Tech
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: McAmish Pavilion, Atlanta
Watch: Fox Sports South
Listen: WRAL-101.5, WXRC -95.7
NC State (14-5, 5-3 ACC)
G Markell Johnson 12.8 ppg, 6.6 apg
G C.J. Bryce 14.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg
G Devon Daniels 11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg
F Jericole Hellems 9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
F D.J. Funderburk 13. ppg, 5.9 rpg
Georgia Tech (8-11, 3-6 ACC)
G Jose Alvarado 11.4 ppg, 4.8 apg
G Jordan Usher 8.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg
G Michael Devoe 16.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg
F Moses Wright 13.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg
F James Banks 10.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 1:23 PM.
