NC State takes on Cal at 6PM | Preview, Betting Line & How to Watch

Series History:
This will be the first meeting between NC State and Cal in basketball since both teams are now part of the expanded ACC.

Preview:
Cal is sitting at 1-5 in conference play, fresh off a 26 pt loss to UNC. They also fell to VT by 3 at home prior to that. This isn’t a good team, but let’s be real, NC State isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. Cal will rely on Andrej Stojakovic who is the son of NBA legend Peja Stojokovic. He’s a 6’7 sophomore averaging 19.5 per game and shooting 45% from the floor and 33% from 3.

UNC held Andrej to just 6 points, and that’s going to be key for NC State. He’s not super physical, and if you really get physical with him you can throw him off his game. That said, the refs have been real loose with their whistle for UNC this season, allowing them to really body up teams and muddy up games. Same happened with the Cal game and Andrej couldn’t adjust. That wont’ be the same for State, obviously. Andrej is a crafty scorer and just a real heady player with good footwork and good touch. This is the kind of guy that usually has big games against NC State, however, its likely NC State’s entire gameplan is going to be around slowing him down.

For the Pack, they’re going to need to get that ‘me against the world’ mentality going pretty soon. They are coming off a devastating loss to V Tech and have lost 4 of their last 5. Between fans and media, there really hasn’t been a more apathetic few days since the late Dennis Smith Jr. year. It’s bad, but when the chips are down, that’s when NC State usually starts kicking.

We’ll save you the rundown on NC State. The fans are bored with this team and frustrated with their output, however, most of the frustration has been with the roster management, minute distribution and coaching. Maybe it’s time to just drop the strategy you came into the season with and start trying something else. Diouf, Trey Parker and Paul McNeill saw time in the last game and Keatts took heat for peppering them in like he did, I think he was starting to do the right thing. I think before you go with the freshman, you put Marcus Hill at the point and rotate Parker Jr and Diour at the 4, with Styles at the 3. If you can’t find success there, then go with the freshmen.

Either way, something has to give and Wolfpack nation either wants to see some winning or see some building for the future because what’s happening right now, isn’t cutting it.