NC State basketball opponent scouting report: Furman

NC State basketball 8-3 overall after fading late during an 80-73 loss at Miami. Now the Wolfpack begins a two-game stretch that will conclude the non-conference slate. NC State is hosting Furman for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

The game can be seen on ACC Network.

Here is a rundown of what to expect from Furman.

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Furman overview

When the NC State basketball schedule was released, Furman may not have been the most recognizable name, but amongst college basketball enthusiasts the Palladins immediately jumped out among the non-conference home contests for the Wolfpack.

Furman was the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference by both the media and the league’s coaches.

Under head coach Bob Richey, Furman has become a power in the SoCon. In the past five years, Furman has won double-digit league contests every season and has piled up a 63-24 conference record. The team has won at least 22 games overall in four of those years.

Three starters returned, including the top two scorers, on a team that went 22-12 overall and 12-6 in the Southern Conference a season ago. Along the way, Furman upset NC State’s ACC rival Louisville on the road and lost by just three points at Mississippi State. The Palladins looked headed to the NCAA Tournament until Chattanooga stunned Furman with a three-pointer at the buzzer in overtime to prevail 64-63 in the Southern Conference Tournament title game.

Furman is 7-3 to start this season, including a neutral court win over South Carolina. The three losses (to Penn State and Old Dominion, both in Charleston, and home vs. High Point) were by a combined 13 points.

Rankings

NCAA’s NET rankings: Furman checks in at No. 148 (out of 362 teams). NC State basketball is No. 60.

ESPN’s BPI: The Palladins are No. 115. The Pack is No. 49.

KenPom.com: Furman is No. 83. The Wolfpack is No. 56.

Three Furman players to watch against NC State basketball

Super senior guard Mike Bothwell: Bothwell is a two-time all-conference selection and considered one of the top guards at the mid-major level. Bothwell would likely have been in high demand from major colleges, perhaps even NC State, had he used his extra year of eligibility elsewhere, but he chose to stay for a fifth season at Furman.

He is averaging 20.3 points per contest while shooting 54.3 percent from the field overall and leading Furman with 19 made three-pointers. He also contributes 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per contest.

Sophomore guard JP Pegues: One of the questions facing Furman this season was who would step up to complement their strong 1-2 duo of Bothwell and Jalen Swanson. Pegues has helped. He is averaging 8.4 points per game, up from 3.3 as a rookie.

However, his shooting is what makes him a threat against NC State. He has connected on 40.0 percent of three-point shot attempts, making 18 of 45. He was 5 of 8 from beyond the arc against Winthrop in his last outing, marking the third time this year he has connected on at least a trio of treys in a game.

Super senior forward Jalen Slawson: Like Bothwell, Slawson bypassed trying to move up the ranks via the portal and instead play a fifth year at Furman.

A year ago, Slawson was the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-league choice after averaging 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and blocking 58 shots in 34 games. Thus far this season, Slawson is contributing 15.5 points, 6.7 boards, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks a contest.

Three things NC State basketball should expect from Furman

1. A competitive game: Odds are good that a win Tuesday night for NC State will look pretty good on the NCAA Tournament resume if the Pack is battling for a spot in the Big Dance in March. The Palladins have been competitive in every game this season.

A mid-major with a one-two punch like Bothwell and Slawson is dangerous.

2. A motivated team: The Furman win over South Carolina is nice for bragging rights, but the reality is that the Gamecocks are ranked No. 291 in the NET rankings. The close loss to Penn State was a bigger missed opportunity for the Palladins.

Furman had the profile of a team that could sneak into a mid-major bubble talk if they didn’t win the Southern Conference. If that is to remain the case, they need to beat NC State.

3. An efficient offense: Furman shoots 50.4 percent from the field this season and does not rely on three-pointers. The Palladins have attempted 623 shots overall, with 262 being threes. They have impressively assisted on 61.5 percent of made shots.

Furman, who is averaging 82.3 points per game, will force the NC State defense work hard to get stops.