North Carolina State has cruised in its first three games while Vanderbilt has been playing its opponents close as the teams head into Thursday night’s opening-round meeting of the Vegas Showdown in Las Vegas.
NC State (3-0) has started the campaign with three straight victories for the sixth time in seven seasons.
“It’s something we can build on,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said.
Vanderbilt (3-1) has won three straight games since a season-opening loss to Presbyterian. The Commodores’ victories against USC Upstate, UNC Greensboro and Central Arkansas came by a combined 15 points.
“We got the win,” Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse said after his team beat Central Arkansas 75-71 last Friday. “That’s ultimately what matters.”
This will be the first game away from home for both teams.
“Scout them up and prepare for them the same we would for any team,” NC State forward DJ Burns Jr. said of preparing for the Commodores. “We treat our practices like games, so we’ll get after it.”
Keatts said the Wolfpack made good use of time off prior to the team’s third game of the season. The result was forcing 22 Charleston Southern turnovers in an 87-53 win. The defensive pressure has helped NC State find a rhythm early on.
“Nothing’s going to change as far as (the defense),” Wolfpack guard DJ Horne said. “I think that’s going to continue to be our identity as we move forward.”
Vanderbilt could have extra personnel available if Tyrin Lawrence, Lee Dort and Ven-Allen Lubin are back from injuries.
“I’m not looking in Tyrin’s eyes or Lee’s eyes or Ven’s eyes saying, ‘Are you ready?’ ” Stackhouse said. “Their long-term future is more important than one early season game or two early season games that we might drop.”
NC State and Vanderbilt met last December in Chicago, with the Wolfpack winning 70-66. Five of the six meetings between the teams have been at neutral sites.
The winner of Thursday’s game will go on to the championship and face the winner of a contest between BYU and Arizona State, while the two losers will face off in a third-place game.
–Field Level Media
