NC State likely needs at least 1 ACC Tournament win to make NCAA tournament
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Technically it's called the ACC Tournament, but it might as well be the beginning of the NCAA tournament for NC State.
The Wolfpack have played just bad enough (or good enough depending on your perspective) to toe the line when it comes time for the NCAA selection committee to decide who's in and who's out.
The bracketologists believe State is one of the first four out.
Translation: If they lose to Clemson, you can start planning that NIT party.
I don't know how anyone can possibly predict the outcome of Wednesday's noon game.
Which Wolfpack team will show up? Which Braxton Beverly, to be more specific.
If he goes 0-fer again, as he did in the loss to Georgia Tech, they don't stand much of a chance.
Can Markell Johnson play a good first half too?
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Charlotte native Torin Dorn will have lots of folks rooting for him, so perhaps he'll play at an elevated level.
The problem is NC State (21-10, 9-9 ACC) was all but beaten by the Tigers the first time that they played.
Clemson (19-12, 9-9 ACC) gagged its way to a two-point loss in that one, blowing a six-point lead over the final 26 seconds in their only meeting of the regular season, with the Pack winning 69-67 on Beverly's 3-point buzzer-beater.
That was back in January.
One would expect Clemson to shoot better than the 0-7 they put up from deep at PNC in January.
So will it come down to "who wants it more?"
Probably not.
Each side wants it. It will come down to who shoots better. Plain and simple.
The game tips off at 12 p.m. on ESPN.
