The Pack dropped 100 points in the opener to beat Lynn 100-66.
If you only caught the first few minutes of the game, this may come as a surprise. State started off extremely slow and let Lynn get out to an early 10 point lead. This was due in large part to easy dribble penetration on defense and poor shot selection on offense. Let’s not forget, this was the first time this team has played together in real competition and many of the players that were on the court getting their first taste of college action.. Fortunately, the Pack was able to find their stride at the end of half, finishing with a 17-4 run and 14 point lead.
In the Second half, it looked as if the team was able to find their rhythm on both offense and defense. The Pack held Lynn to just under 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half, while the offense put up 33 points of its own in the same span.
The much hyped Dennis Smith Jr was able to live up to his billing in this one, going for a team-high 22 points. Mav Rowan was a close second with 17 points. Down low, Abu was an absolute beast, putting up 10 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. Overall, the Pack was just too big and too dominant for an undersized and young Lynn squad. The Wolfpack ended up with 5 separate players scoring double digits and out rebounded Lynn 56-37.
Please stay tuned as later today we will have a full in-depth breakdown of last nights exhibition. Once we have a chance to re-watch the film, we will give you a player by player breakdown along with a full analysis of where the Pack looked good and where they can improve.
” src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2/svg/1f6a8.svg”> Now that's how you end the first half! ” src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2/svg/1f6a8.svg”> pic.twitter.com/63C6nQdsIx
Henderson loves that corner. He can hit the open 3 from there and he is really good at dribbling down the baseline and finding the open man in the paint. He’s going to add to our perimeter threat and take pressure off of Mav.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Hicks reminds me of Richard Howell. He doesn’t demand the ball, and he will do all the dirty work… rebound, set screens, defend, fight for loose balls. And he’s a great passer on top of that. BJ is a disappointment. I was really hoping he would come in around 270 lbs. He is just not serious about being great. Spencer has a great stroke but he can’t play D to save his life.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Yurt7 is at least a year away from dominating at the college level. He has great footwork and is infinitely patient with the ball so he has a good base to work with. However, he is lacking in upper body strength. Once he packs on some muscle to his slight frame, he will dominate college centers.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
I wouldn’t be surprised if Torin is the leading scorer on this team. Kid is physical and explosive. He loves slashing to the basket and doesn’t shy away from contact. If he can shoot consistently from mid to long range that will really open up his offense. He doesn’t seem to have high level PG skills but as a SG he can do damage.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Maverick has been hitting the weights. He plays much stronger through contact, rebounds, and plays defense. He won’t be relied in so much for his offense this season so he needs to maximize his possessions.
WolfPack
7 years ago
Wolfer96 have a lot to say. I had no problem with gopack streaming. it might be your computer.
I didn’t have any issue, and I have 200 down. For 1080p you really only need 5-10 Mbps down. Obviously more is better. Stream wasn’t 1080p though. No problems here. Oh, and crashing would be something to do with your computer, like maybe your browser. Also, if you had Ad Block running, there would be your issue.
If I had ad-block running I wouldn’t have been able to watch it at all. And the “I didn’t have any problems so no one else should” is anecdotal. It’s like saying that you never had a problem with your Dodge Neon. That’s good for you but the majority of owners did have problems.
i streamed the game fine. 0 problems with my crappy internet
Wolfer96
7 years ago
BTW, gopack.com stream sucks monkey balls. I mean I must have watched maybe 3 minutes of that game in total because of all the lagging and crashing. If they don’t have the infrastructure to handle 50 people streaming they need to partner up with youtube and give the fans a proper stream.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Would like to see Shaun Kirk get more minutes. Not only for the highlight dunks but this kid brings high energy to his team and crowd. He just needs to work on shot selection, defense, and continue to hit the boards and dunk everything.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
I thought Abu did well statistically but he still seems a bit soft around the rim. He should be trying to rip the rim off the backboard every time he is near the basket. If he can continue to pull 10+ rpg and becomes an above average defender, he definitely has a place in the NBA.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
I am stating it now. I am Markell Johnson’s biggest fan! Kid has starter quality, passes well without turning the ball over, and has explosive athleticism.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
This is the most excited that I’ve been about Wolfpack basketball since the recruiting class of CJL, Zo, Harrow. Hopefully this season will turn out way better.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Dennis was Dennis. He is what he has been advertised as being. Explosive, attitude, winner. Problem is that the guys around him are so unused to getting passes that they are turning the ball over. The last several seasons were all about a one man show of Cat Barber and TJ Warren. Have to reprogram these guys back into a team concept on offense. I think that will come with more playtime together.
Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) is currently on an Official Visit to NC State.
Sources tell me Caitlin Weimar (6’4” Forward transfer from Boston U) is currently on a visit to NC State.
She ranked 44th in D1 (scoring) last season at 18.7 ppg & 15th in rebounding at 10.6 rpg, in addition to 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg & 2.8 bpg. pic.twitter.com/d2y4jACx2K
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.
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.
Ross played in 14 games this year, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest. After playing in 34 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest, Ross saw his participation dip to a career low this season, but that didn’t for a second break his infectious personality. On the sideline, you could count on Ross every single game to be the heart and soul of the Wolfpack on the bench. To watch a player who played as little as he did, care as much as he did, makes me super proud that this young man represented NC State so well.
Ross was a consensus 4-star player in the 2021 recruiting class, with 247Sports ranking him as the #60 overall player nationally. ESPN ranked him as the #5 overall player in the state of Florida.
Henderson loves that corner. He can hit the open 3 from there and he is really good at dribbling down the baseline and finding the open man in the paint. He’s going to add to our perimeter threat and take pressure off of Mav.
Hicks reminds me of Richard Howell. He doesn’t demand the ball, and he will do all the dirty work… rebound, set screens, defend, fight for loose balls. And he’s a great passer on top of that. BJ is a disappointment. I was really hoping he would come in around 270 lbs. He is just not serious about being great. Spencer has a great stroke but he can’t play D to save his life.
Yurt7 is at least a year away from dominating at the college level. He has great footwork and is infinitely patient with the ball so he has a good base to work with. However, he is lacking in upper body strength. Once he packs on some muscle to his slight frame, he will dominate college centers.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Torin is the leading scorer on this team. Kid is physical and explosive. He loves slashing to the basket and doesn’t shy away from contact. If he can shoot consistently from mid to long range that will really open up his offense. He doesn’t seem to have high level PG skills but as a SG he can do damage.
Maverick has been hitting the weights. He plays much stronger through contact, rebounds, and plays defense. He won’t be relied in so much for his offense this season so he needs to maximize his possessions.
Wolfer96 have a lot to say. I had no problem with gopack streaming. it might be your computer.
I have fiber to my home so I don’t think it was me. Plus I don’t seem to have any problems streaming hbogo, netflix, or espn.
I didn’t have any issue, and I have 200 down. For 1080p you really only need 5-10 Mbps down. Obviously more is better. Stream wasn’t 1080p though. No problems here. Oh, and crashing would be something to do with your computer, like maybe your browser. Also, if you had Ad Block running, there would be your issue.
Plain and simple, it was you.
If I had ad-block running I wouldn’t have been able to watch it at all. And the “I didn’t have any problems so no one else should” is anecdotal. It’s like saying that you never had a problem with your Dodge Neon. That’s good for you but the majority of owners did have problems.
i streamed the game fine. 0 problems with my crappy internet
BTW, gopack.com stream sucks monkey balls. I mean I must have watched maybe 3 minutes of that game in total because of all the lagging and crashing. If they don’t have the infrastructure to handle 50 people streaming they need to partner up with youtube and give the fans a proper stream.
Would like to see Shaun Kirk get more minutes. Not only for the highlight dunks but this kid brings high energy to his team and crowd. He just needs to work on shot selection, defense, and continue to hit the boards and dunk everything.
I thought Abu did well statistically but he still seems a bit soft around the rim. He should be trying to rip the rim off the backboard every time he is near the basket. If he can continue to pull 10+ rpg and becomes an above average defender, he definitely has a place in the NBA.
I am stating it now. I am Markell Johnson’s biggest fan! Kid has starter quality, passes well without turning the ball over, and has explosive athleticism.
This is the most excited that I’ve been about Wolfpack basketball since the recruiting class of CJL, Zo, Harrow. Hopefully this season will turn out way better.
Dennis was Dennis. He is what he has been advertised as being. Explosive, attitude, winner. Problem is that the guys around him are so unused to getting passes that they are turning the ball over. The last several seasons were all about a one man show of Cat Barber and TJ Warren. Have to reprogram these guys back into a team concept on offense. I think that will come with more playtime together.