Indiana at North Carolina State men's basketball preview

Event: Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tipoff: 7:15 p.m.TV: ESPN2.Radio: WIBC-93.1 FM.The Hoosiers (6-0) PlayerHt.PPGKey statChristian Watford6-99.74.5 rpgCody Zeller6-1114.87.7 rpgVictor Oladipo6-512.355.3 FG%Jordan Hulls6-09.752.6 3FG%Verdell Jones III6-59.34.0 apgThe Wolfpack (5-1) PlayerHt.PPGKey statRichard Howell6-813.78.8 rpgScott Wood6-611.457.8 FG%DeShawn Painter6-911.06.2 rpgC.J. Williams6-510.255.3 FG%Lorenzo Brown6-513.26.5 apgIndiana All-Star reunion: North Carolina State junior forward Scott Wood played at Marion High School and was a member of the 2009 Indianapolis Star Indiana All-Star team, where he was teammates with current Hoosiers Jordan Hulls and Derek Elston. Wood has started 70 of a possible 72 games and has an 8.8-point career scoring average. He missed two early games this season with an ankle injury but has been on target as a 3-point shooter, making 15-of-26 (57.8 percent).Three-game Challenge skids: Both IU and North Carolina State have lost their past three games in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and all six defeats were by double digits. IU lost 88-76 at Boston College last year. In '09, Indiana lost to Maryland by 12 and in '08 dropped a game at Wake Forest by 25. North Carolina State lost by 39 last season at Wisconsin, 87-48. In '09, the Wolfpack lost to Northwestern by 12 and in '08 fell to Michigan State by 23.The Wolfpack are one of four ACC teams with a losing record in the Challenge at 5-6. Indiana is 3-7 all-time with the seven losses coming in the past eight games. This is the first time these teams have met in this event. The ACC won the Challenge the first 10 times the event was played, but the Big Ten has won the past two.- Terry Hutchens