Lorenzo Brown "doubtful" for UM-NC State battle.

One of the biggest story lines heading into Miami's top 20 battle against NC State tomorrow, is the health of State's terrific PG Lorenzo Brown.

Asked about Brown's status, NC State Coach Mark Gottfried did not sound optimistic.

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow," Gottfried said Friday. "The probability in my mind for him to be recovered enough to cut and move and sprint and jump is pretty slim. I think we'll have to prepare as if he's not going to play and then we'll see and go from there."

Brown was hurt when he stepped on a defender's foot in the first half of Tuesday's loss at Virginia. He didn't return to the game, hasn't practiced since and has been wearing a walking boot.

Brown, a 6-foot-5 junior, is a preseason all-ACC pick averaging 13 points and an ACC-best 6.9 assists per game in his second season as the Wolfpack's full-time point guard.

Our take: With Brown, NCSU is one of the best transition teams in the country, especially at home. With out they really struggled with turnovers against Virginia. They already aren't particularly deep. Freshman Tyler Lewis is not a good match-up for Shane Larkin and Co. Look for Brown to give it a go, as his team's odds drop significantly against a very good Miami team if he can not play. This is a huge potential advantage for the Hurricanes, who have dealt with more then a few injuries of their own the past two years.