South Raleigh News

The NC State men's basketball team, currently holding a 5-0 record, is set to face Purdue in the opening round of the Rady Children's Invitational. This match marks their first game away from Raleigh this season and will take place on Thanksgiving Day at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcasted on FS1, with commentary available from Matt Chazanow on the Wolfpack Sports Network.

Following this game, NC State will play again on Friday against either BYU or Ole Miss.

NC State's recent performance includes an 84-61 victory over William & Mary, where they forced 21 turnovers and achieved a significant lead in fast break points. Marcus Hill was the top scorer with 19 points, supported by contributions from Dontrez Styles, Jayden Taylor, Ben Middlebrooks, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield.

The team has demonstrated strong bench performances throughout the season, averaging 29 points per game from non-starters. Five of their top seven scorers maintain a shooting accuracy of at least 50 percent.

In terms of assists, Michael O'Connell leads with 23 assists and a notable assist-to-turnover ratio. The team collectively averages 15.6 assists per game.

Thursday's matchup against Purdue represents NC State's first encounter with a ranked opponent this season under coach Kevin Keatts. Historically, NC State has secured victories against ranked teams during his tenure.

NC State has been efficient in two-point field goals and has consistently forced opponents into turnovers while limiting their three-point shooting success. Their upcoming opponent Purdue ranks high in three-point shooting percentage but contrasts sharply with NC State in fast break points.

Ben Middlebrooks has emerged as a defensive asset for NC State this season, leading the ACC in blocks per game.

This will be the eighth meeting between NC State and Purdue, with Purdue winning the last three encounters. Their most recent meeting was during last season's Final Four where Purdue ended NC State's postseason run with a victory.