The NC State basketball team’s non-conference slate is complete, at least in the regular season. And if the Wolfpack (8-4, 1-0 ACC) is to face another such opponent by reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, then Kevin Keatts and his bunch, currently No. 103 overall in the NCAA NET Rankings, must excel against this season’s relatively weak conference — or bank on more ACC Tournament magic.

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Keatts’ eighth group of NC State basketball talents will return from its holiday break on Thursday and begin preparing for a trip to Charlottesville to face the Virginia Cavaliers (7-5, 0-1 ACC) at noon ET Tuesday (ESPN2). It will mark the 2024-25 Wolfpack’s first ACC road test.

During Keatts’ press conference following Sunday’s 89-63 home win over Rider before his players headed their separate ways for a few days, the 52-year-old detailed his expectations this week:

“You know, every coach will tell you this: when you get back, that day you get back is a throwaway day.

“Our guys are going to get back in the gym late on [Thursday]. And I’m going to try and get them in some type of shape.

“But I will say this: we’ve got a bunch of guys that it’s hard to keep them out of the gym. So, they’re gonna probably find some way to work out. But, you know, we’ll get back the 26th, practice the 27th — may take a day or two off somewhere in there — and get ready for the game [against the Cavaliers]…

“You don’t want to lose everything that you put into [the season thus far]. But at the same token, [the break] is very important, and I’m one of the coaches that our guys need to go home and spend some time with family.”

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