Can NC State continue its momentum against Wake basketball? How to watch, betting lines.
N.C. State is looking to build off a road win when the team travels to Winston-Salem for a showdown with longtime rival Wake Forest.
The Wolfpack (9-9, 5-8 ACC) edged Pittsburgh by one (74-73) last Wednesday to snap the Panthers’ two-game winning streak, and it hopes to complete a season sweep of the Demon Deacons (6-10, 3-10) on Saturday. N.C. State defeated Wake Forest, 72-67, at PNC Arena on Jan. 27.
It’s been a bumpy road since for Kevin Keatts and company. The Wolfpack dropped three of its last five games before defeating Pittsburgh Wednesday.
N.C. State’s key now to saving its season is replicating the success it had against Pitt, where it had strong performances from seniors D.J. Funderburk (16 points) and Braxton Beverly (12 points). Beverly explained that it’s not as simple as bottling it up and doing it again the next time they hit the court, but it starts the day after a win.
“The biggest thing is tomorrow is a new day,” Beverly said after the win over the Panthers. “We have another chance when we play Wake, we have to keep the same energy, but don’t keep living through (one) win. We have to move on, correct mistakes and get better.”
N.C. State currently has a four-game win streak over Wake Forest but has gone 2-2 in its last four trips to Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
Big boost for the freshman
Against Pittsburgh, Wolfpack rookies Cam Hayes, Shakeel Moore and Dereon Seabron combined for 21 points. Hayes and Moore had 15 of the 19 team assists. Collectively, Keatts felt like it was the best performance of the year by the trio.
“Together, I think it (was),” Keatts said. “We’ve fought through so much adversity, those guys stepped up in a big way for us.”
If the Pack hopes to go on a miraculous run to end the season, the team will continue to expect a lot from the younger players. Against Wake Forest, Hayes and Moore will be returning to the Triad area where they grew up, perhaps adding to the pressure to perform — or perhaps giving them a spark.
Hayes found himself at the foul line in the closing seconds versus the Panthers and sealed the win with two free throws. He told the media that the freshmen class took a step in the right direction after Wednesday’s win.
“We’ve been trying to stay consistent,” Hayes said. “I feel like we are trying to take the necessary steps in practice and lead us into the game to be better.”
Even the smallest positives, Keatts explained, go a long way for the confidence of the entire team, a good sign down the stretch.
“Any positive sign that you see of this team is a sign of growth,” Keatts said. “We are getting some guys who are completely learning on the job and they are getting better. I do think our guys took a big step forward.”
Wolfpack remains shorthanded
The last time N.C. State and Wake Forest met was the final game of the season for Devon Daniels, who tore his ACL against the Deacons in Raleigh.
N.C. State took on Pittsburgh without Thomas Allen, who suffered an injury to his leg on Monday. Allen was in a walking boot on the sidelines against the Panthers. Then there’s Beverly, who continues to deal with nagging injuries to his hip and back.
The senior combo guard didn’t practice at all leading up to the game against Pittsburgh and that formula might continue the rest of the season. It didn’t seem to bother Beverly — he scored 12 points in 21 minutes.
“It’s not easy, I’ve been doing what I can,” Beverly said. “Been doing some rehab and stuff a lot.
It helps that I have my teammates staying positive for me. It plays a bigger role than you might think, them just telling me to give it all I’ve got. They know that I’m going to and they believe in me. That helps a lot.”
Betting lines
N.C. State opened as a 1-point favorite, but as of Friday evening, Wake Forest was favored by 1 point. The over-under is 140.5 points, according to Vegas Insider.
How to watch NC State at Wake Forest
When: 2 p.m., Saturday
Where: Lawrence Joel Coliseum, Winston-Salem
Watch: RSN
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 5:59 PM.
