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NC State will have their final non-conference game on Wednesday as they host Rider. Energy and focus will be front and center coming off the holiday break as State cannot overlook the Broncs before Miami. The game can be watched on ACC Sports Extra at 7 PM. What must NC State do to gain more momentum and close out non-conference play?
NC State must keep the defensive pressure cranked up…
Guards have been much more active pressuring the ball and causing turnovers in the past couple of games. Dennis Smith is averaging 2.7 SPG in his last three games and has been a catalyst for getting everyone else to play better defense. It is their defense that will determine how good of a season they will have and they need to have a clean sheet Wednesday. NC State big men have also benefited from the added pressure on the perimeter. Opposing teams have not been able to catch the ball as deep in the paint. Rider does not stand a chance if State can smother their guard play.
The Wolfpack needs to exploit mismatches as Rider lacks size…
Coach Baggett has four senior starters; however, his forward positions are only 6 feet 7 inches tall. In addition to small big men they also start a freshman guard Stevie Jordan who is only 5 feet 10 inches tall. Dennis Smith, Terry Henderson, and Torin Dorn must recognize who Jordan is guarding and use their size and athletic ability to score over him. Another area where NC State should find success is on the block. Malik Abu, BeeJay Anya, Ted Kapita, and Omer Yurtseven should be able to score over the top of the smaller Broncs as well as draw fouls.  If State takes advantage of these mismatches they will win easily.
Offensively NC State needs to continue getting everyone involved…
Since the arrival of Omer, NC State has recorded their three highest assist outputs of the season. The 25 assists versus Fairfield were the most since 2011. Shooting at a 50% clip from three has helped State rack up the assists as well. Mark Gottfried’s group has done a better job at controlling turnovers also. State has recorded more assists than turnovers in all but two games this season.  Wednesday should also give Rowan the opportunity to find his groove. Rowan should get plenty of clean looks from outside on the break. NC State’s bench has produced by scoring over 29 points in each of the last three games. With Rowan, Yurtseven, Kapita, and Johnson the Pack have options off the bench capable of producing. NC State’s depth will prove to be too much for the Broncs.
NC State has got to be ready to play as Rider will be hungry and desperate to beat an ACC foe. Rider will not stand a chance if State comes out with energy and executes their game plan. What are your thoughts on the final non-conference game?

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Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

19 pts and 16 assists. That’s what’s going to make Dennis a great player. Not scoring 30 ppg. I like it when he takes between 12-15 shots and looks to get his team involved. That’s when he’s at his best. Lots of guys can score points but few guys can get double digit assists.

Anthony
Anthony
7 years ago
Reply to  Wolfer96

sometime we are gonna need him to take over and score 30 tho. that versatility makes him dangerous.

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

Was Markell injured? Doesn’t look like he played.

mc991
mc991
7 years ago
Reply to  Wolfer96

Gottfried said Markell Johnson not playing was his decision, but he expects him to play Saturday. “Sometimes young people need to learn”. Not sure what he did, left for speculation. Grades maybe?

Anthony
Anthony
7 years ago
Reply to  Wolfer96

i all i have is second hand info.. but he needs to stop going to ohio over the break and stay in NC that’s all. Nothing serious but Gott is nipping it in the bud right now. Markell is a good kid he’ll respond well tot his and bounce back.

NC State Basketball

NC State Women’s Basketball Releases Their 2024-25 Non-Conference Schedule

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NC State Women’s Basketball team released their 2024-25 Non-Conference Schedule yesterday.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State women’s basketball program has announced its non-conference slate for the 2024-25 season, as revealed on Thursday.

The Pack will play eight of its 11 games, in addition to a preseason exhibition, at Reynolds Coliseum. Coming off a historical 2023-24 season that was highlighted by the program’s first Final Four since 1998, second in program history, head coach Wes Moore is entering his 12th season at the helm. With a strong home court advantage, the Pack has accumulated a 117-15 (.886) record at home since the renovation of Reynolds Coliseum was completed in August 2016.

NC State will participate in the Pink Flamingo Championship at Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas on Monday, Nov. 25 and Wednesday, Nov. 27 against opponents that will be announced at a later date. As previously announced, NC State will play the defending NCAA Champion South Carolina at the Ally Tipoff at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Sunday, Nov. 10, as well as host Ole Miss for the SEC/ACC Challenge on Thursday, Dec. 5.

The Wolfpack will host Anderson (S.C.) for an exhibition on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before officially starting the season at home vs. ETSU on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Following the Ally Tipoff, NC State will return home to host Kent State on Thursday, Nov. 14.

NC State’s first true road game of the season is at TCU on Sunday, Nov. 17. The Pack will then play Coastal Carolina at home on Thursday, Nov. 21 before its trip to the Bahamas for two games (Nov. 25-27).

The Pack will close out the non-conference slate with four straight games at Reynolds Coliseum, starting with the SEC/ACC Challenge game vs. Ole Miss (Thursday, Dec. 5). NC State will then host Old Dominion (Sunday, Dec. 8), Davidson (Wednesday, Dec. 11) and James Madison (Thursday, Dec. 19) to wrap up non-conference play.

With NC State’s known non-conference opponents, six are coming off postseason tournament appearances. Three received NCAA Tournament bids (Kent State, Ole Miss and NCAA Champion South Carolina), two were invited to play in the WBIT (TCU and James Madison) and one played in the WNIT (Old Dominion).

NC State’s Atlantic Coast Conference schedule will be announced by the league office at a later date. NC State will play Wake Forest, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Miami, Notre Dame, Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech at home. The Pack will take on Wake Forest, Cal, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina, SMU, Stanford and Syracuse on the road.

Season tickets are sold out for the 2024-25 season. Tip-off times and television designations will also be released at a later date.

2024-25 Non-Conference Schedule

Tuesday, Oct. 29 – Anderson (Exh.)

Tuesday, Nov. 5 – ETSU

Sunday, Nov. 10 – South Carolina $

Thursday, Nov. 14 – Kent State

Sunday, Nov. 17 – at TCU

Thursday, Nov. 21 – Coastal Carolina

Monday, Nov. 25 – Opponent TBD &

Wednesday, Nov. 27 – Opponent TBD &

Thursday, Dec. 5 – Ole Miss +

Sunday, Dec. 8 – Old Dominion

Wednesday, Dec. 11 – Davidson

Thursday, Dec. 19 – James Madison

$ – Ally Tipoff (Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.)

& – Pink Flamingo Championship (Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas)

+ – SEC/ACC Challenge (Raleigh, N.C.)

 

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NC State Basketball

NC State Legend Julius Hodge Named Head Coach at Lincoln University

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NC State Legend Julius Hodge has been named the Head Coach at Lincoln University.

This marks Hodge’s first stint as a Head Coach.

Hodge has been in the Coaching world since 2015, when he served as Director of Player Development at the University of Buffalo under Bobby Hurley. Then, he spent 2016 and 2017 as an Assistant Coach under Herb Sendek at Santa Clara. From 2018-20, Hodge served as an Assistant Coach at San Jose State. Hodge has spent the past three seasons as an Assistant Coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

At NC State, Hodge earned 1st Team All-ACC honors in 2003 & 2004, and 2nd Team honors in 2005. Hodge was named the ACC Player of the Year in ’04. He earned the All-Freshman Team in 2002.

Hodge is 1 of 11 players in NC State history to earn 1st Team All-ACC honors more than once.

His 2,040 career points scored rank 3rd in NC State history. Hodge also ranks 1st in Free Throws Made, 14th in Rebounds, 7th in Offensive Rebounds, 6th in Assists and 7th in Steals.

Congrats Julius! You deserve this!

 

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NC State Basketball

WATCH: Getting to Know NC State’s Trey Parker

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NC State Men’s Basketball is releasing videos helping fans get to know the new players on the 2024-25 roster.

Below is the video of Freshman Trey Parker (6’1″/178), with a transcript underneath.

“My name is Trey Parker. I’m an incoming Freshman from Fayetteville, North Carolina.” 

“I was recently playing at Overtime Elite. It was a great experience. A whole lot of development and great energy.” 

“Coach Levi (Watkins) recruited me. As soon as I got to the campus, it was a great experience. They just gave me that big inspiration to feel like I’m home, and feel like a great student outside of basketball.”

“I knew I wanted to be a part of the Pack back in November of 2022. I just felt like it was a great fit for me.”

“Living in North Carolina, and now playing in North Carolina, is a big opportunity. There’s a lot of people from North Carolina looking up to me, and I want to give them what they want to see.” 

“Being close, allows for them to bring the whole city out. It just feels like I’m already at home.” 

“Y’all stay tuned. Showtime is coming this year.”

_______

Parker originally signed with NC State in November of 2022, as a member of the 2023 recruiting class. He decided to reclassify, making him a member of the 2024 class.

Parker is a consensus 3-Star prospect, though 247Sports’ Composite Rankings have him as a 4-Star prospect. 247 ranks him as the #135 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class, the #26 Shooting Guard, and the #13 player in the state of Georgia.

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NC State Basketball

Jersey Numbers for 2024-25 NC State Men’s Basketball Team Revealed

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The NC State Men’s Basketball team revealed the Jersey Numbers for their 2024-25 team yesterday.

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Numbers that are Staying the Same

Michael O’Connell – #12

Ben Middlebrooks – #34

Dennis Parker Jr. – #11

KJ Keatts – #13

Jordan Snell – #22

Numbers that have Changed

Jayden Taylor – #1 –> #8

Breon Pass – #10 –> #4

Numbers of New Players

Mike James – #0 (He wore #0 at Louisville last year)

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield – #1 (He wore #5 at Louisville last year)

Paul McNeil – #2 (He wore #2 in High School last year)

Dontrez Styles – #3 (He wore #0 at Georgetown last year)

Trey Parker – #5 (He wore #5 in High School last year)

Marcus Hill – #10 (He wore #0 at Bowling Green last year)

We don’t know what number Ismael Diouf will be wearing at NC State next year yet. 

 

 

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