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Gameday: NC State’s Keys To Beating #25 Mizzou

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10 years ago

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NC State Wolfpack vs. Missouri Tigers
8pm | ESPN2 | Raleigh, NC

In what will be the toughest test so far this season, NC State is readying for their matchup with #25 Missouri.

State is riding an impressive 7 game winning streak and has not dropped a game since Cat Barber and Jordan Vandenberg have been inserted into the starting lineup. Today’s matchup, however, is going to be a true challenge. #25 Missouri comes into Raleigh having only lost one game all season.

As we broke down in our Missouri scouting article, the Tigers have two very dangerous guards. Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown. Both are bigger than anyone the Pack has in their backcourt, and both will require constant attention all night.

If you want to know more about Missouri as a team, click over to our ‘Scouting the Competition’ piece on them from Thursday. In a nutshell, they are a Frank Haith coached team that likes to push the pace. They take a lot of quick shots, but they’re usually open shot in transition. They have a lot of good shooters and they’re mostly all pretty good athletes. They play solid D and they really hustle. This is not going to be a walk in the park for the Wolfpack by any means.

Let’s take a look at the keys for NC State:

– TJ Warren needs to get going. He’s coming in averaging 24 points per game and they’re going to need him to hit that mark if they want to keep up. This Missouri team can put up points in a hurry if they’re on, but so can the Wolfpack. Missouri will likely guard Warren with Earnest Ross, a big, strong wing player who is a good defender. The problem with Ross, however, is his mental lapses. Warren is crafty and will need to find ways to frustrate Ross and throw him off his game. There are only a few defenders in college basketball  that can outright stop TJ Warren. As good as he is, Earnest Ross is not one of them.

– Protect the basketball. This is going to be key. Both teams like to run and gun, but Missouri sometimes gets going a little too fast. They have a tendency to turn it over quite a bit. This is an area that the Wolfpack can really have an advantage. They need to capitalize on Missouri’s mistakes. On the other hand, and really more importantly, is that State doesn’t follow suit. Barber, Lewis and Lee will really need to be smart on the break and make strong passes when rotating the ball. Missouri likes to jump the lanes and cause havoc, but if State can limit turnovers they can win this game.

– Use your advantage inside. Missouri is thin in the middle. They’re relying on underclassmen Jonathan Williams III, a freshman, and Ryan Rosberg, a sophomore, for their paint points. While they aren’t that bad, they aren’t game-changing players. State has recently looked extremely impressive inside thanks to the play of Jordan Vandenberg, Lennard Freeman, Kyle Washington and Beejay Anya. I think this will be key for NC State. They need to continue to dominate inside and rule the boards against smaller, weaker Missouri front line.

– Transition defense is key. Missouri spends most of their games in transition and they’re at their worst when they’re setting up in the half court. State needs to slow them down if possible. One way to do that is to make shots, but when shots don’t fall they need to get back and find their men. Missouri let’s guys leak out to get an advantage on the break. They also like their shooters to flair to the corners for transition 3s. The Wolfpack needs to be aware of this at all times. They also need to respect the 3 ball. When the Tigers are knocking it down from beyond the arc, they are hard to beat. Closing out on guys like Jabari Brown and Earnest Ross is vital. Both guys are certainly more dangerous shooting the basketball than they are driving.

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NC State Basketball

Georgetown Transfer Dontrez Styles Commits to NC State!

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8 mins ago

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April 18, 2024

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Georgetown Forward Transfer Dontrez Styles (6’6″/212) has committed to NC State!

Styles was the 2nd leading scorer for Georgetown this season, averaging 12.8 points per game, while grabbing 5.8 boards. He shot 36.8% from three.

Originally, Sytles was a consensus 4-Star prospect in UNC’s 2021 recruiting class. 247Sports ranked him as the #62 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina, playing for Kinston High School.

After two seasons with the Tar Heels, Styles entered the Portal, and took an Official Visit to NC State and Georgetown, and ultimately chose the Hoyas.

ON3 ranks Styles as the #104 overall player in the Portal.

With his final year of eligibility, Styles’ made the right choice this time.

NC State now has 2 scholarships remaining after Styles’ commitment.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Forward Katie Peneueta Enters the Transfer Portal

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22 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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NC State Forward Katie Peneueta is entering the Transfer Portal.

Peneueta transferred to NC State last offseason from Sacramento State, where she averaged 8.4 points, shooting 45.5% from three.

In her one year at NC State, Peneueta only played 8 games for the Wolfpack, battling injuries throughout the year. Peneueta has 1 year of eligibility.

With Peneueta entering the Portal, NC State now has 3 scholarships available heading into the 2024-25 season.

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NC State Basketball

Boston Center Caitlin Weimar is on an Official Visit to NC State

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2024

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Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) is currently on an Official Visit to NC State.

Weimar is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, and has been named Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. She has earned 1st Team Patriot League Honors the past two seasons.

This year, Weimar averaged 18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a Junior, she averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. She shot 55.5% this year, and 59.7% last year.

With NC State not having River Baldwin at Center next year, adding Weimar is an extremely exciting possibility.

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NC State Basketball

What did an ACC Title & Final Four Mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren?

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2024

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren? I caught up with the man who won the ACC Player of the Year Award in 2014 to get his take.

What was it like for you watching NC State go from the #10 seed in the ACC Tournament, to winning the Championship, to going to the Final Four?

I’m a second generation Wolfpack basketball player. Wolf blood runs through my veins, so to be able to witness a ride like that was truly amazing.

What did this run say about Kevin Keatts and these players? In what ways did you see them adapt, change or persevere?

I think that is speaks to the heart that the players have. As a 10th seed in the ACC tournament, it’s easy to pack it in and look towards the offseason, but they did the opposite. They bonded together over adversity and that’s what made them so endearing. Hard work in the face of adversity, that’s something that Wolfpack fans can relate to.

As one of the best players to ever wear the Red & White, what did this run mean to you personally?

As I mentioned earlier, NCSU hoops has been in my family for a long time, so it meant a whole lot personally. This run definitely took me back to some of the fond memories I have of putting on the Red & White and playing in front of a packed house at the PNC.

What was the most memorable moment for you?

I think Mike’s shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. It just felt like destiny at that point. Anytime you get to beat UNC and Duke days apart is special too.

How do you think this run can change things for the NC State Basketball program going forward?

I think that it puts us back on the national radar where we belong. After a magical run like that, I think it makes players want to be a part of that. A run like that reinvigorates a program definitely.

_______

Warren is 1 of only 6 NC State players to ever be named the ACC Player of the Year. In his Sophomore season, Warren was named a 2nd Team All-American by Sporting News and the AP. He averaged 24.9 points per game, which is the 5th best mark in a single season in NC State history. Warren scored 871 points that year, which is the most points ever scored in a single season by a Wolfpack player.

TJ was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

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