Virginia Tech vs NC State: Preview and Prediction

NC State is coming off a dominant home win against Duke. They are hoping to get their conference record up to .500. Jack Clark and Dusan Mahorcic are out indefinitely. Greg Gantt and Ebenezer Dowuona will start at the four and five spots. Virginia Tech is 0-2 on the road this season. They have a good defensive record and good rebound margin. The team's best attribute is their ability to control the boards. It is 4th in the ACC in rebound percentage. This game is a big game for NC State.

Virginia Tech is 11-4 (1-3) and ranked 35th in KenPom. Recent games: 68-65 vs Clemson, 77-75 at Wake Forest, 70- 65 at Boston College.

Virginia Tech is on a three-game losing streak. Hunter Catoor is injured, but he's expected to play. The Hokies have struggled to contain NC State's guards recently. They are better on the offensive end than on defense. They do a good job of not fouling and forcing tough shots inside the arc. Virginia Tech's defense is also better than NC state's. It's the X-Factor for the Hokie's defence. Their defense has been the key to their recent losses.

Virginia Tech is on a losing streak. NC State is coming off a win over Duke. The team is evenly matched. I pick NC state to win. The pick is NCState +5.5, but I think Virginia Tech will win the game.