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Game Day: Wolfpack Opens Season Vs. Jackson St.

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9 years ago

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NC State Wolfpack vs. Jackson St Tigers
7pm – PNC Arena – Raleigh, NC
ESPN3 / WatchESPN App

NC State opens the season against Jackson State tonight at 7pm at the PNC Arena. Jackson State is coming off of an 11-20 season from a year ago in which they really didn’t have any quality wins. Their player to watch is junior guard and Arkensas transfer, Julysses Nobles who averaged 15ppg last season.

For the Pack, this should be your usual early season tune-up, however there is certainly a lot to watch for. Recently in practice Gottfried has been preaching unselfishness and togetherness. I think that is a key early this season. While this team may not have any true elite scorers, they do have a lot of very interesting pieces that could fit together rather nicely if the chemistry works.

Here are 3 things we’ll be watching for today:

1. Rotation- This is something we were watching closely in the scrimmage, but in the first real game tonight I think we’ll get to see a clearer picture of what Gottfried is planning to do. Will Lennard Freeman continue to start or will Anya move into that role. And if Caleb Martin continues to flash the type of talent he did last weekend, who’ s minutes will he be stealing.

2. Defense- I think this team has the chance to be a very special defensive team. They have the depth, they have the quickness at every position and they definitely have the length. The 30 turnovers they forced in the scrimmage was an eye-popping state, but that was against a D2 team. Tonight I really would like to see the same type of intensity and focus on the defensive end. This team is going to have to embrace that identity if they want to be in the ACC picture this season.

3. Barber and Washington– These two guys are our X-factors this season. Sure, Lacey and Turner may lead the team in scoring but if State wants to win they need Cat and Kyle to grow up fast. For Barber it’s just about finding his style of play. He’s played his whole life as a scorer, but if he wants to be a next level player he’ll need to become a floor general and distributor first and a scorer only when his team needs him. This means moving the ball faster and not having so many end of the shot clock situations where he just drives into the trees and forces a shot. I think and hope we’ll see the maturation of Barber early this season. Hopefully it starts tonight.

For Washington it’s not about ‘want-to’, this kid has that by the boatload. What Washington has to work on is shot selection and game flow. He’s the motor that’s going to keep this team going and when he’s hitting he’s going to be able to put up points, but he’ll need to pick and choose when to pull up and when to attack the glass.

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NC State Basketball

Georgetown Transfer Dontrez Styles Commits to NC State!

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7 hours 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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1 day 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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2 days 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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