Wolfpack Ready For In-State Showdown vs. ECU

NC State Wolfpack  vs. ECU Pirates
Sat. Dec. 21 | Noon | Raleigh, NC | ESPN3

NC State is riding a 6 game winning streak that has Wolfpack fans riding high and the media questioning their projected preseason standings. Next up, however, is a tough test against an in-state foe.

ECU comes in on a nice little run of their own. The Pirates are on a 4 game winning streak and sitting on top of the Conference USA standings. While they really don’t have any signature wins to hang their hat on quite yet, they do have a 9 point loss to Duke, the #6 team in the nation. This isn’t going to be a walk in the park for the Wolfpack, but it certainly is a game they should win.

Let’s get to know the Pirates:

Player to Know:
Akeem Richmond. Does that name sound familiar? It should. This is a guy that State was high on as a freshman in high school. This kid is, and always has been an elite scorer. He’s listed at 6’0 but he’s closer to 5’10. He’s a guy that was overlooked because of his height and if State isn’t careful he could be a big problem. He’s currently averaging 18 points per game.

Team Notes:
– ECU can score it. This is a team that is averaging 86ppg, ranking 18th in the nation in that category.

– They also aren’t too shabby on the boards. Led by Brandan Stith (10 rebound per game), the Pirates are collecting 39 boards per contest. That’s good for 52nd in the nation.

– This is a team that really relies on their guards for scoring. Their top 4 scorers are all guards. State will really have to play a small lineup to keep up with the quick, scoring guards of ECU.

What State needs to do to win…
State is going to need to get big games defensively from their guards. ECU is going to be hyped up and their guards are going to be trying to take over. It’s going to be up to Barber, Lee, Turner and Lewis to stop these guys. On offense State is going to have a huge advantage inside. Vandy, Freeman, Anya, and Washington have another chance to show that they are ready for the big time after shutting down a very talented Tennessee frontcourt. But let’s be real. The real advantage NC State has here is TJ Warren. ECU is going to have a real tough time stopping the Pack’s scoring machine.