#23 NC State set to take on Boise State today at 2:30PM | Preview, Keys to the Game, How to Watch

#23 NC State Wolfpack vs Boise State Broncos
Time: 2:30PM
Location: Maui, HI (Maui Invitational)
TV: ESPN2

NC State looks to right the ship after a surprising upset loss to a scrappy Seton Hall team, while Boise State lost to USC on a missed buzzer-beating 3 that would have tied the game.

Obviously, NC State would love to have won yesterday, setting them up to play a USC team that KenPom has ranked just above the Pack at 28. But such is life. The Pack lost and now takes on a Boise State team that is 56th according to KenPom.

Let’s take a closer look at Boise State:
The Brocos are 4-2. They lost their first game to Hawaii Pacific by 1 (DII team – yikes), but then reeled off 4 in a row, one of which was a 3-point win over Wichita State. And last night they came within 3 of upsetting a pretty good USC team.

They are led by Javan Buchanon and Andrew Meadow.

Buchanon is, for all intents and purposes, a Darrion Williams clone. He’s a physical 6’7 forward who can do it all. He’ll take you down on the blocks or pop and knock down a 3 (shooting 35% from deep.) Meanwhile, Andrew Meadow is another 6’7 guy who will pop out and shoot it. I mean, honestly, if you want a simple overview of Boise State, they are a bunch of 6’7 guys who can shoot and are capable inside. They have 6’11 Drew Fielder, who is huge, but not really an offensive threat. They aren’t super fast-twitch or athletic; they don’t have a bunch of guys who will blow by you, but they have a team of crafty, disciplined players who aren’t afraid to mix it up inside or out.

Defensively, Boise State is solid. In fact, KenPom has them ranked as the #24 defense, but they’ll give you a much different look than Seton Hall’s stout defense did. They don’t allow many chances on the offensive glass, and they 17th in non-steal TO%. So they aren’t going to turn you over a ton, but they do not give up many good looks. NC State needs to really focus on shot selection against Boise State. They are going to bait you into quick shots by cutting off drives and frustrating the flow of your offense, while limiting 3s.

Key for NC State…
This is a good matchup for NC State. Right now, State’s biggest concern is stopping dribble penetration. Seton Hall was filled with fast-twitch guards who love getting into the paint. Boise State isn’t built like that. That said, NC State has been getting really sucked in with guys gapping and coming over in help, leaving 3-point shooters open. I hope you’d see less of that in this game as you really have solid matchups all around, and you don’t want to give up good looks to Boise State.

On the season as a team, the Broncos are shooting 34% from long range, but that’s factoring in the atrocious 5-25 (20%) game yesterday. USC really did a good job of making it hard on the perimeter for Boise State and not letting them get going from 3pt range. NC State will need to replicate that in this game.

This is kind of a must-win for the Pack. Not that they can’t make up ground during the upcoming game or conference play, but just for belief and morale purposes. With all the hype, dropping 2 straight in Maui wouldn’t be a great first impression.