The ACC/SEC Challenge rolls on Wednesday night with a compelling showdown between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Auburn Tigers at Auburn Arena.
NC State enters fresh off a barnburner in the Maui Invitational on November 26, falling 102–97 to Texas in a high-octane thriller. Quadir Copeland went off for 28 points and 6 assists, while Ven-Allen Lubin nearly posted a double-double with 23 points and 9 boards. Still, the Wolfpack just couldn't keep pace with the Longhorns’ red-hot perimeter shooting, as Texas torched the nets with a 16-for-32 clip from deep. That defeat wrapped up a 1–2 showing in Maui and sent NC State back to the mainland at 5-2 ahead of Wednesday's matchup.
Auburn, meanwhile, also played on November 26, capping its Las Vegas trip with an impressive 85–74 win over 14th-ranked St. John’s. Tahaad Pettiford delivered a breakout performance with 27 points, Keyshawn Hall muscled in 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Kevin Overton kept the offense humming with 5 assists. The Tigers flipped the script after trailing 39-30 at halftime, storming out of the locker room and overwhelming the Red Storm 55-35 the rest of the way. It was a strong rebound effort after getting run off the floor by Michigan the previous night, lifting Auburn to 6-2 on the year.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Auburn vs NC State NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Auburn vs NC State: Date and tip-off time
The Tigers will face off against the Wolfpack in an exciting NCAAM game on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 9:15 pm ET or 6:15 pm PT at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL.
| Date | Wednesday, December 3, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 9:15 pm ET or 6:15 pm PT |
| Venue | Neville Arena |
| Location | Auburn, AL |
How to watch Auburn vs NC State on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between Auburn and NC State live on ESPN nationally. Streaming options are available on Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
Streaming the game with a VPN
Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.
When it comes to streaming live sports, NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN service in 2025. You can even try NordVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you aren’t sure how to use a VPN, check out our guide on how to set up and stream sports from any country with a VPN.
Auburn vs NC State team news & key performers
Auburn Tigers team news
Auburn, on the other hand, features an offense that thrives on balance and efficiency. The Tigers are hanging 88.5 points per game on 48.2% shooting, and Keyshawn Hall has been their go-to force, flirting with a double-double nightly at 20.9 points and 9.0 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford has emerged as an electric scoring option (15.1 points per game), KeShawn Murphy chips in nearly 12 points with size and touch in the paint, and Elyjah Freeman is one of those do-a-little-bit-of-everything glue guys, 8.9 points and 5.6 boards. Auburn also lives at the stripe, cashing in around 20 made free throws per game, which lets them control tempo and bully opponents inside.
Defensively, the Tigers give up 74.6 points per game, but they make up for it by wreaking havoc, swiping 9.3 steals per night. Their size up front, particularly with Murphy and freshman Sebastian Williams-Adams, provides rim protection, and they clean the glass well at 39.8 rebounds per game. The one crack in the armor? Opponents are hitting 32.1% from long range, and NC State’s sharpshooters are more than capable of testing that vulnerability. Still, with Neville Arena rocking, Hall’s consistency, and Pettiford playing some of the best basketball of his young career, Auburn will back itself to dictate the pace and lean on its physicality to grind down the Wolfpack in what could be one of the showpiece battles of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
NC State Wolfpack team news
NC State rolls into this matchup with one of the most explosive attacks in college hoops, pouring in 93.6 points per game while knocking down a blistering 51.7% of their field-goal attempts. Darrion Williams has been the heartbeat of the Wolfpack, stuffing the stat sheet with 18.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists a night.
Quadir Copeland's ability to orchestrate the offense (4.7 assists per game) has given them steady balance in the backcourt, while Paul McNeil Jr. and Tre Holloman round out a starting unit where everyone hits double digits. Even freshman Matt Able has become a spark plug off the bench, flirting with 10 points per game. With the Pack drilling 42.2% of their threes, the eighth-best mark in the nation, they're a nightmare for any defense trying to shut down the perimeter.
But for all their offensive fireworks, the other end of the floor has been NC State's Achilles heel. They surrender 76.6 points per game and opposing teams are shooting 42.7% overall and 32.3% from deep. The Texas game shined a spotlight on the biggest problem: fouling. NC State sent the Longhorns to the stripe 33 times, and season-long trends show the Wolfpack giving up nearly 19 free-throw points per night. Ven-Allen Lubin has been their most reliable presence on the glass (7.4 rebounds per game), but the defense as a unit hasn’t matched the offensive pedigree. If NC State wants to spring an upset on the road, they’ll need to defend without hacking and lock into rotations early, because they won’t be able to run away from foul trouble in Auburn Arena.