Arena #128: PNC Arena - North Carolina St. vs. #7 Auburn

After spending the day with about 400 people at USC Upstate it was off to Raleigh for a nightcap at the PNC Arena that North Carolina St. shares with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and a crowd of probably 15,000+ who were there to cheer on their Wolfpack to an upset of the 7^th ranked Auburn Tigers.  PNC Arena is located a bit off by itself right off the interstate in the western city limits of Raleigh, which makes for a bit of a subpar external atmosphere with all the parking lots that surround the building.  However, the inside of the building is pretty nice as expected given it houses a pro hockey team as well as Wolfpack sports.  The biggest disappointment for sure though was no souvenir cups in a power 5 conference venue!  As for the game itself, for as high octane of an offense that Auburn showed during the early part of their non-conference season in moving into the top 10 of the national rankings, they simply could not get anything going on this night in Raleigh.  NC State held the Auburn three-point shooters in check most of the night and hit some timely threes of their own to pull off the upset in this matchup.

Inside the expansive PNC Arena - home of the NC State Wolfpack

Opening tip between the Wolfpack and the #7 Tigers

Auburn coach, Bruce Pearl, getting fired up (and T'd up) on the sideline in the first half 

Auburn taking it to the rack for a slam