Auburn is facing a tough non-conference test on the road against NC State. Here are the three biggest storylines going into the game.
One of the most underrated non-conference games of the season will take place on Wednesday when the NC State Wolfpack play host to the Auburn Tigers.
Auburn has solidified their place as one of the country’s best teams early in the season thanks to a dominant win over Washington and a solid showing at the Maui Invitational. Head coach Bruce Pearl’s squad returned most of their major contributors from last year’s co-SEC championship squad, so it’s not exactly a surprise to see them playing at a high level.
For NC State, however, things are a little bit different. They’re coming off an NCAA Tournament berth in head coach Kevin Keatts’ first season in Raleigh (and Keatts just got an extension and a raise) but have a mix of new pieces and key returners. That group has meshed well together through this point – the Pack are 9-1 with the lone loss coming at Wisconsin – but have yet to face anyone of Auburn’s caliber.
The stakes are certainly there. For Auburn, this is one more test before they enter SEC play in January. For NC State, this is a chance to make a #STATEment on the national stage.
Here are the biggest storylines for Wednesday’s showdown.