NC State Basketball: Keys to Sweet 16 Matchup vs. Louisville

The NC State basketball team tips off its Sweet 16 matchup against Louisville at 7:37 p.m. tonight on TBS. The Wolfpack are coming off a stunning upset over top-seeded Villanova, and the Cardinals easily took care of Northern Iowa. 

This game will be the second time these two teams square off, and Louisville will have revenge on its mind after a 64-55 home loss to the Pack back in February. This matchup has all kinds of intrigue. Between a Hall of Fame coach in Rick Pitino and a team that just won't quit in the Wolfpack, this game should be nothing short of entertaining.  

NC State will be tested—Pitino is 11-1 in Sweet 16 games, and this is the team's fourth straight appearance in the regional semifinal. Not to mention, both teams have had almost a week to prepare. The game plans are in place, and now it's all about execution.

Let's take a look at keys to the game for the Wolfpack, as they look to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time since 1986. 

Containing Terry Rozier

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Louisville's Terry Rozier, who is the team's leading scorer (17.2 points per game) and best player, is an absolute stud. He was monumental in the Cardinals' Round of 32 win against Northern Iowa, pouring in 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting. 

While Louisville is certainly not flashy on offense, it can be more than competent when Rozier is on his game. And he has been of late—Rozier's scored at least 20 points in two of the last three games and hasn't scored less than 10 points since February 21. 

In their first matchup with the Cardinals, the Wolfpack did an outstanding job on Rozier, limiting him to just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting. That game was one of only three in which he did not notch double digits. If NC State is going to have success, they'll have to limit him like they did in that first game.

Now, it's the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, and Rozier is going to show up because that's what big-time players do. It's not at all about stopping him—he's going to get his. But if the Pack can do enough to contain him, they have a great shot at advancing to the Elite 8.  

Keeping Louisville's Bigs off the Boards

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Louisville's Montrezl Harrell is an intimidating force down low. He nearly averages a double-double (15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game) and has the ability to shoot the ball from outside the lane. Harrell is another player the Pack did a great job of defending last time around—he was limited to just seven points on 1-of-5 shooting, and that bucket didn't come until the second half. 

Surprisingly, this is a matchup the Wolfpack can win. NC State out-rebounded Louisville on both ends of the floor the first time around. Forward Lennard Freeman has been a revelation down the stretch after being inserted into the starting lineup. His ability to defend and rebound is paramount to NC State's success. He pulled down 12 boards against Villanova and did a fantastic job shutting down the Wildcats' frontcourt. 

Pack forward BeeJay Anya is another key element to this matchup—his ability to alter and block shots in the lane is crucial. He grabbed 10 rebounds in the first matchup against the Cardinals and should be able to post a similar stat line in this one. 

Louisville shot just 32 percent from the field last game, so limiting their second chance points will be absolutely critical. If the Pack can keep the Cardinals off the offensive glass, they should feel good about their chances. 

Coaching

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NC State head coach Mark Gottfried knows what it takes to get to the Elite 8—he did it with Alabama back in 2004. This type of big-game atmosphere won't intimidate this young team. It hasn't played nervous or scared all year long. That's a testament to great coaching—instilling the confidence in your players that makes them believe they can win, no matter the opponent.

The key to this game, however, will be how the Wolfpack react to certain in-game situations. This isn't Pitino's first go-round either. He's a Hall of Fame coach for a reason, and this team did win a national championship just two years ago.

On top of all that, he's had time to prepare for this game. That's a scary thought, especially considering that a home loss to the Wolfpack back in February likely left a sour taste in his mouth.

Great coaches will make certain changes to take advantage of matchups. Look no further then Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski—after absorbing a nearly 20-point loss to the Wolfpack earlier in the season, the Blue Devils came out in a matchup zone in the ACC tournament, and it worked to perfection.

NC State looked completely unprepared and out of its element. And that's exactly why Coach K is one of the best to ever do it. He recognized the strength of the Pack's guards and came up with the perfect solution to neutralize them.

Now, back to Louisville and Pitino. Last time around, NC State point guard Cat Barber absolutely dominated the game. He looked so effortless penetrating the lane and getting to the free throw line. It will be very interesting to see how Pitino decides to defend Barber.  Will he change up who defends him? Will the Cardinals play more zone?

Whatever the case, the Wolfpack will have to adjust. It's likely they will not have the type of easy success they did last time around, and this game figures to be a much closer affair.

Louisville's offense isn't great, and they often go long stretches without any baskets. Can the Wolfpack be the aggressor and close out the game? These small moments will be crucial. It's all going to come down to in-game coaching adjustments and who can take advantage of matchups down the stretch.

No matter the outcome, this is going to be one heck of a chess match.