Missouri to take on North Carolina State

The Missouri Tigers will play their first true road game of the men's basketball season tonight.

And it figures to be a true test.

Missouri (10-1, No. 25 AP and USA Today) will take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack (9-2) at 7 p.m. today (ESPN2-TV) in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack will bring a seven-game winning streak into the contest, including a 90-79 victory Dec. 21 against East Carolina.

T.J. Warren of North Carolina State is one of the hottest players in the country heading into the contest. The 6-8 sophomore currently leads the Atlantic Coast Conference and is sixth in the nation in scoring at 23.9 points per game, including a career-high 32 (25 in the first half) against East Carolina. He has scored 30 or more points in three games this season.

The Wolfpack are hitting 49.7 percent of their shots this season, good for 19th in the country. No team in the NCAA scores a higher percentage of its points on 2-point field goals than North Carolina State's 65.4 percent.

North Carolina State is 8-1 in home games this season and has won 25 of its last 28 at home against non-conference opponents.

Missouri is coming off its first loss of the season, a 65-64 decision Saturday against Illinois in St. Louis. Jordan Clarkson, who leads the Southeastern Conference in scoring at 19.9 points per game, had 25 for the Tigers in the loss.

North Carolina State leads the all-time series 2-1 with Missouri. The Tigers' lone win against the Wolfpack came in Columbia on Jan. 9, 1983, a 49-42 victory. North Carolina State won the NCAA title that season under coach Jim Valvano.