After hanging banners, NC State shifts focus to Presbyterian

With a Final Four rematch set for later this month, NC State will continue its five-game homestand to begin the season when it takes on Presbyterian on Friday in Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack (1-0) earned a 97-66 victory over South Carolina Upstate on Monday. Marcus Hill and Breon Pass each scored 14 points, while Ben Middlebrooks added 10 points with 10 rebounds and four blocked shots in the win.

Hill is a transfer from Bowling Green, while Pass and Middlebrooks contributed off the NC State bench last season as four of the team's top five scorers have departed. The lone returning starter, Jayden Taylor, scored eight points on 3-of-8 shooting Monday.

Most notable of all Monday was NC State's ceremony to hang banners for its 2024 ACC tournament championship as a No. 10 seed, and the program's first Final Four appearance since 1983.

"Those banners represent everything about NC State and represent everything about me," NC State head coach Kevin Keatts said. "... The game was great. I'm glad the game went the way it went because I didn't want to have a banner hanging to just have an OK game."

After facing Presbyterian, NC State will play host to Coastal Carolina, Colgate and William & Mary before a neutral-court matchup against Purdue on Thanksgiving Day in San Diego. Purdue knocked off NC State 63-50 in a national semifinal game last season.

Presbyterian (1-1) opened its season with an 88-79 road loss to Charlotte on Monday then rebounded Wednesday to earn a 120-45 home victory over Carolina Christian, an NCCAA program.

Six Blue Hose players scored in double figures, including Kobe Stewart with 19 points and Jonah Pierce with 17. In two games this season, the 6-foot-10 Pierce is 16 of 16 from the floor and leads the team with 19.5 points per game. He's second in rebounds with 6.5 per game.

"We didn't feel we played to our standards defensively against Charlotte so (Wednesday), that was a big focus, just like it will be on Friday," Presbyterian head coach Quinton Ferrell said. "I thought the guys stepped up to the challenge and did a nice job, especially in the second half."

--Field Level Media