Gameday: Pack Hits the Road to Take on Noles

NC State @ Florida State
1:10pm | ESPN3 | Tallahassee, Fl

NC State is finally finished with their connective ranked opponent streak. After going a respectable 1-2 in those games, State now travels to Florida to take on the 1-3 (in the ACC)  FSU Seminoles.

Take Care of Business: 
State needs to be careful here. They’ve been getting hyped up for big time teams here for the last two weeks and now they’re playing a game where they’ll be favored. Sometimes these are the type of games that can make or break a team. State needs to come out strong and make a statement here. Taking their foot off the gas and allowing FSU to stay close could be deadly. No ACC road game is a gimme.

Stop the Guards
NC State really has the advantage inside against FSU. The Noles are led by their guards and rely heavily on them. Aaron Thomas (junior, G) averages a team high 14ppg, followed by Montay Brandon (junior, G) 13ppg, and then Xavier Rathan-Mayes (freshman, G) 12ppg. Slow down this group and Florida State doesn’t have much else to fall back on.

Get Lacey Going
UNC showed that if you can slow down Lacey, you can slow down NC State. Turner and Washington can pick up the slack, but State really needs the ability to have Lacey create when they go on their droughts. If he can’t get his shots, the Pack at times looks lost.