NC State Closes Out Road Trip At Auburn

NC State’s road trip started on December 7th when they headed to Winston Salem where they played their second Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season against Wake Forest and then they went to Greensboro where they took on UNCG.

On Thursday night their three game road trip will conclude in Alabama when they visit 12th ranked Auburn who is a member of the Southeastern Conference.

NC State comes into the game with a record of 8-2 while Auburn comes into the game with a record of 9-0.

As for NC State’s previous game,

They won on the road at UNCG.

The NC State men's basketball team (8-2, 1-1) defeated UNCG (8-3, 1-0) on Sunday afternoon inside Greensboro Coliseum, 80-77, thanks to a clutch last-second shot by senior Markell Johnson. Johnson led NC State in scoring with 19 points and dished out seven assists. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx
 
UNCG tied the game with two seconds remaining of a jumper by Isaiah Miller, but Johnson answered with a midcourt shot that lifted the Pack over the Spartans for its third consecutive win.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx
 
CJ Bryce and (17 points) Pat Andree (15 points) joined Johnson in the double-digit scoring category for NC State.  “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx
 
The Spartans came out strong in the second half, taking their first lead of the game within the first minute of second-half action at 40-38, and extending to a 45-41 lead on a James Dickey lay-up with 18:20 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx

The Pack responded with a 20-6 run over the next six minutes to take a 61-51 lead on a dunk by D.J. Funderburk with 11:58 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx

 NC State's offensive attack proved to be too much for the home squad to overcome. UNCG, the number seven defensive team in the nation in points allowed per game (54.9) coming into Sunday, gave up a season-high 80 points to the Pack. Only one team previously had scored more than 70 points (Kansas) against UNCG this season.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/15/mens-basketball-johnson-comes-up-clutch-to-lift-wolfpack-over-uncg.aspx

Like NC State,

Auburn also won their previos game as they beat Saint Louis.

JVon McCormick scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had six assists to lead No. 12 Auburn to a 67-61 win over Saint Louis Saturday in the Mike Slive Invitational at Legacy Arena, helping the Tigers improve to 9-0. “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Winners of 21 of their last 22 games, Auburn made 10 3-pointers while holding the Billikens to 3-for-18 on 3-point attempts.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

"We did enough of what we needed to do to win," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "Defensively, we were terrific, and J'Von McCormick was the best player on the floor." “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

McCormick made highlight-reel plays throughout the game, including a pair of 3-pointers to beat the shot clock and a floater in the lane for his final field goal and a double-digit lead with 13:17 remaining. “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

"We knew coming into the game I would need to be more aggressive, offensively and defensively," said McCormick, who had only one turnover in 31 minutes. "Knowing that Jared [Harper] left, people thought there was going to be a drop-off. I just wanted to show there's not any drop-off when he leaves.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

"I feel like my identity would be: control the game, control the speed, score when I need to and play defense." “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Devan Cambridge brought the crowd to its feet with a thunderous follow-up dunk after a missed 3-pointer in the second half. “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

McCormick assisted on back-to-back Anfernee McLemore 3-pointers to help Auburn build a 12-point lead down the stretch.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

"He was the difference in the game, plain and simple," Saint Louis coach Travis Ford said of Auburn's senior point guard. "By a wide margin." “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Isaac Okoro's layup off another McCormick assist gave Auburn its largest lead, 62-48 at the 4:38 mark, before Saint Louis narrowed the margin. “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Okoro scored 12 points and had five rebounds. Playing in his hometown, Austin Wiley grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and scored eight points.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

McCormick sparked the Tigers in the first half with a team-high 12 points and six rebounds.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

After spotting Saint Louis a 9-0 lead, Danjel Purifoy's defensive rebound and coast-to-coast drive got Auburn on the board after a scoreless first five minutes.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

McCormick hit a pair of 3-pointers and a free throw to cap a 9-0 run that evened the score.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Okoro's offensive rebound and putback gave Auburn its first lead at 17-15. Samir Doughty's corner 3 extended the lead to five at 22-17. “according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

With the shot clock expiring, McCormick's 3-pointer put the Tigers up 25-19 at the 1:39 mark. McCormick's jumper with 18 seconds left gave Auburn a 28-21 halftime lead.”according to https://auburntigers.com/news/2019/12/14/mens-basketball-no-12-auburn-beats-slu-67-61-in-mike-slive-invitational-improves-to-9-0.aspx

Tip-off is set for 9:00pm from Auburn Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN2.