St. Francis (BKN) @ NC State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 13, 2016 ) St. Francis (NY) 61, NC State 86

After a perceived snub by the NCAA Tournament committee last year despite 24 wins, North Carolina State beefed up its non-conference schedule with games against Auburn, Wisconsin and Memphis to grab the attention of the committee. However, before those games kick in about two weeks, the Wolfpack play the third of five consecutive games against low-level mid-majors when St. Francis Brooklyn visits on Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum.

The Wolfpack suffered a tough 82-81 overtime loss to Georgia Tech in the season- and ACC-opener on Nov. 5 but rebounded with an 84-65 win over Detroit Mercy and an 86-77 triumph over Florida International. Six players scored in double figures for the Wolfpack, led by C.J. Bryce with 16 points and Pat Andree and Devon Daniels with 14 apiece. Trailing by five early in the second half, Bryce and Daniels combined for 22 points the rest of the way and the defense forced 17 second-half turnovers to post the victory. St. Francis, which returns 52 percent of its scoring from last season's 17-16 team, is coming off an 86-77 loss to Longwood after beating Lafayette 73-72 and losing its opener 68-59 at Fordham.

TV: Noon ET, No TV

ABOUT ST FRANCIS (1-2): Junior guard Chauncey Hawkins was one of three players to score 13 points in the loss to the Lancers, and he added four assists and two steals one game after scoring all 24 of his points in the second half against Lafayette. The 5-8 Hawkins has scored in double figures in all three games, averaging team highs of 16.3 points, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals. Unique McLean averages 11.7 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds, while 6-8 Deniz Celen chips in 11.3 points and 4.7 boards.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (2-1): The 6-5 Bryce (11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds last season) is averaging 19.7 points on 61 percent shooting - ranking fifth in the ACC in scoring and fourth in field-goal percentage - and leads the team with 7.7 rebounds. Redshirt 6-11 freshman Manny Bates (6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 blocks) had five blocks in his N.C. State debut against Georgia Tech and added seven more against Detroit, and ranks fourth in the NCAA. Andree (11.7 points, team-high eight 3-pointers) and Braxton Beverly (13.7 points, 3.0 assists) have combined to hit 15 3-pointers in the first three games - tied for the second-most 3-pointers by an ACC duo.

TIP-INS

1. N.C. State beat St Francis 86-61 in 2016 in the only meeting between the schools. The Wolfpack are 11-1 against current members of the Northeast Conference.

2. The Wolfpack are 16-1 in regular-season home games played at Reynolds Coliseum since the team moved to PNC Arena prior to the 1999-2000 season.

3. The Wolfpack's reserves scored 39 points Wednesday with all three players that came off the bench - Andree, Daniels and D.J. Funderburk - scoring in double figures. Last season, N.C. State had the most proficient bench in the ACC, averaging 29 points per game and outscoring the opponent's bench by 469 points.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 84, St. Francis 64