South Florida (3-0) at NC State (3-0)
GAME NOTES: The South Florida Bulls will make a visit to ACC country as they travel to face the NC State Wolfpack in a battle of 3-0 programs on Sunday afternoon.
USF, despite sporting the second youngest team in the country in terms of experience, kept its unbeaten start intact with a 73-71 overtime win at UAB on Thursday. The victory came after wins over Flagler (75-61) and Jackson State (73-64).
NC State is also sitting at 3-0 on the season with a trio of double-digit wins over Jackson State (93-58), Hofstra (76-64) and most recently, Jacksonville (79-43).
NC State has won both meetings against the Bulls, including a matchup in the 2010 NIT.
Anthony Collins was held scoreless in the first half of South Florida's matchup with UAB, but made up for it, scoring all 16 of his points after the break to spark the Bulls' overtime victory.
Chris Perry led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds, as the Bulls shot 53.6 percent from the field overall and held a 42-34 edge in rebounding. Troy Holston Jr. contributed 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three point range in the win. South Florida won despite committing a whopping 24 turnovers.
Perry sits second in the AAC with 19.0 ppg and third with 8.3 rpg. Scoring depth comes in the form of Corey Allen Jr. (11.3 ppg), Collins (11.0 ppg) and Nehemias Morillo (10.3 ppg). USF is shooting an impressive .494 from the floor overall, despite a rather bleak .297 from behind the arc.
Also undefeated are the Wolfpack, who trounced Jacksonville, 79-43, on Thursday. The game was essentially over by halftime as NC State built a commanding 35-12 cushion.
Only Caleb Martin (15 points) and Lennard Freeman (10) scored in double figures, but five others scored at least seven points in the balanced attack. BeeJay Anya set a school-record with 10 blocks in the rout.
Anthony "Cat" Barber leads the team with 16.3 ppg, and his backcourt mate, Trevor Lacey, chips in 14.3 ppg. Lennard Freeman leads the team in rebounding with 9.3 per game.
South Florida started lasted season 4-0, but the Wolfpack have not won their first four games since the 2009-10 season. NC State should remedy that on its home floor against an inexperienced Bulls program.
FACTS & STATS: Site: PNC Arena (19,722) -- Raleigh, North Carolina. Television: None. Home Record: South Florida 2-0, NC State 3-0. Away Record: South Florida 1-0, NC State 0-0. Neutral Record: South Florida 0-0, NC State 0-0. Conference Record: South Florida 0-0, NC State 0-0. Series Record: NC State leads, 2-0.
Sunday, November 23, 4 p.m. (ET)
NC State 76, South Florida 66