Every weekday, a panel of our college hoops experts discusses the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
Andy Katz: Not really. The Wolfpack did lose to Wofford. NC State scheduled well early. Coach Mark Gottfried knew this would be a year in transition. If the Wolfpack can be in play again late in February, then that's a victory.
John Gasaway: Though NC State's schedule has not been particularly arduous, Mark Gottfried's team is just eight points away from being undefeated. Clearly it's been a strong and even somewhat surprising start for the Wolfpack. Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey's been effective from both sides of the arc in his first season in Raleigh, and Beejay Anya has proven to be a disruptive presence on D since Gottfried put him into the starting lineup. The one-point loss to Wofford was a heartbreaker, but NC State has a shot at finishing above .500 in the rugged ACC.
C.L. Brown: Not surprising at all. Some of that, as John noted, is based on the schedule. Aside from that, I thought all along Lacey and Anthony Barber could be one of the ACC's better backcourts. State isn't without talent; it just has a lot of young pieces.
Katz: Cincinnati and the American need this win badly. There hasn't been much to show lately. San Diego State isn't healthy yet. Once the Aztecs are back to being whole, they will be a tough out yet again.
Gasaway: More like first to 50 -- the Aztecs and the Bearcats are two of the slower-paced teams you'll find. But if you're a fan of good or even great defense, this is the matchup for you. Coach Mick Cronin has two excellent defenders in the paint in Octavius Ellis and Gary Clark. Meanwhile, coach Steve Fisher's group at San Diego State gets the job done with outstanding team defense, and that most certainly includes the ball-hawking of Dwayne Polee II and the shot-blocking of Skylar Spencer. Points will definitely be at a premium when these two collide.
Brown: Let's hope it gets to 60. Cincinnati is averaging just 61.3 points per game and the Aztecs 62.3 points. And while both teams pride themselves on defense, that could be because neither possess a gifted individual scorer who can get buckets when the offense breaks down.
Katz: Yes. Robert Upshaw is blocking more shots than anyone in the country. Nigel Williams-Goss and Andrew Andrews are veteran players who are making key plays. This team has been together -- sans Upshaw, a transfer from Fresno State -- for a few years. They will be in the mix in the top third of the Pac-12.
Gasaway: This might be a case where the question itself holds the answer. Here it is late December and we're talking about Washington. What are the chances, right? And any team that can beat San Diego State by 13 deserves the "for real" tag. Williams-Goss is a polished scoring point guard and Upshaw's line against Eastern Washington suggests that UW fans can expect both heroics (21 points, 9 rebounds, 6 blocks) and heartbreak (5 of 14 at the line) in the very near future.
Brown: I'm not willing to say yes just yet. Sure, beating San Diego State was impressive, but Washington will go its entire nonconference slate without playing a true road game. A win over Oklahoma in the MGM Showcase on Saturday will make me a believer.
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NC State could be considered the surprise of the ACC so far this season. The Pack are successful because of defense and rebounding. But they spread the scoring out, too, between Trevor Lacey, Ralston Turner and Anthony Barber.
Like defense? This is the game for you. Both teams pride themselves on defense as San Diego State ranks 14th in points allowed per game (55) while Cincinnati ranks ninth (52.8). The ball will have to go in the basket at some point for a winner to emerge.
FINAL: No. 11 Shockers 53, Crimson Tide 52. #WATCHUS
— Wichita St. Gameday (@GoShockersLIVE) Dec. 16 2014Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg check in with newsmakers from around college basketball.