NC State

No. 2 NC State basketball to face first true road test in rematch with No. 6 Indiana

N.C. State’s Elissa Cunane (33) looks for room as South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston (4) defends during the first half of N.C. States game against South Carolina at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, November 9, 2021.
N.C. State’s Elissa Cunane (33) looks for room as South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston (4) defends during the first half of N.C. States game against South Carolina at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, November 9, 2021. ehyman@newsobserver.com

Did someone say rematch?

And a top 10 rematch to boot. That’s what college basketball fans will get tonight when No. 2 N.C. State takes on No. 6 Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

It’s the first true road test of the year for the Wolfpack (6-1), fresh off two wins in the Bahamas. N.C. State defeated then-No. 2 Maryland and Washington State by an average of 23 points per game. In six wins this season, the Wolfpack averaged a 30.1 margin of victory.

The Hoosiers (5-1) should provide a tough test. If nothing else, Indiana should feel confident at home. The Hoosiers also ended N.C. State’s season a year ago.

In the Sweet 16 in San Antonio, the Hoosiers knocked off the Pack, 73-70. It was the first win in the series for Indiana, which led by double digits heading into the fourth quarter of last year’s game.

The 2021-22 version of N.C. State has been on a mission. The Pack’s overall (48 percent) and three-point shooting (41 percent) leads the ACC and ranks 7th and 8th in the nation, respectively.

Three players — Elissa Cuane (14.4), Diamond Johnson (13.3), Jakia Brown-Turner (10.3) — average double figures. Six players average at least seven points.

N.C. State has defeated 25 nationally-ranked teams under Wes Moore and is 4-7 on the road against top 10 opponents. Thursday’s game will be just the second time the Pack and Hoosiers have met with both teams ranked in the Top 25.

The contest between N.C. State and Indiana will air on ESPN2.

ARE YOU A CORD-CUTTER?

If your preferred method of watching games involves streaming, there are options for that, too.

ESPN is available on Hulu, SlingTV, YouTubeTV, DirectTV Stream or FuboTV.

WHEN IS THE N.C. STATE-INDIANA GAME TIPOFF?

Teams: NC State vs. Indiana

Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.

Date: Thursday, Dec. 2

Time: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN2

Series history: N.C. State leads the all-time series with Indiana at 4-1.

This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 1:49 PM.

Jonas E. Pope IV
The News & Observer
Sports reporter Jonas Pope IV has covered college recruiting, high school sports, NC Central, NC State and the ACC for The Herald-Sun and The News & Observer.
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