In the second half aginst Rider, Maverick Rowan showcased how he is starting to expand his game. He is becoming more than just a jump shooter and is contributing beyond scoring points.
Improvements on defense:
On one particular defensive stop, Maverick jumped the passing lane and stole the ball taking it coast to coast. Not only did he anticipate, but he showed excellent ball handling and body control. Overall, the 6’8 wing has shown the ability to stay in front of his man and play good help side defense when needed. This is a big step for Mav who was seen as somewhat of a liability on the defensive end last season. Maybe it’s the conditioning, or maybe it’s just a little bit more want-to. Either way, Rowan’s defense has been much better this year.
Improvements in Versatility:
A missed shot from the perimeter led to a thunderous tip-slam that saw Maverick come out of nowhere to clean up the miss and finish with authority. Known primarily as a shooter, Rowan is slowly but surely showcasing his ability to score in a variety of way. He’s scored in the post, on the drive, off the pull-up, and beyond the arc.
Improvements in Efficiency:
Another area that Rowan is showing improvement is in his patients on the offensive end. Coming off of his freshman season we all know that Maverick can score with the best of them; however, he needed to improve his efficiency. Shot selection has improved this season as he is shooting 46% from the field. Opposing teams must respect Maverick’s shooting which helps everyone have more space to operate.
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Maverick has only played six games thus far as he missed games due to a concussion, but it is apparent that he is looking to affect the game in more ways than scoring. He is starting to use his size to mix it up on the glass as he is much stronger. Rowan is also competing on defense and is leveraging his length to contest shots. As the season marches on Maverick Rowan will get better as he becomes more comfortable coming off the bench and gains more rhythm after missing games due to injury.
Mav is an OK player. Great that he is expanding his game. I see him as the 8th or ninth off the bench this year.
Corey
7 years ago
Great article Tyler. Packinsider has become my #1 source for wolfpack news and opinion. Check for spelling errors though!
Maverick has definitely come into his own and I just pray he plans to graduate from state.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
I like how Mav is not just settling for 3 point shots. As he mixes up his offense the defense will have to either sit back or play tight and I believe Mav has enough bb IQ to make the right decision based on the D he see’s. His defense will never be anything to write home about but his new size and strength should help him bang bodies and grab rebounds.
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) is a priority for NC State, according to a source.
News broke about James entering the Transfer Portal back on March 25th, and NC State was quick to reach out. Kevin Keatts and his staff recruited the former 4-star prospect out of high school heavily, but he ultimately chose the Cardinals.
After redshirting his first year in Louisville due to torn achilles, James has been a starter for the Cardinals the past two years.
This past year, James averaged 12.6 points per game (3rd on the team) and 5 rebounds. He’s extremely physical and aggressive, taking 47% of his field goal attempts at the rim (making 46%). As a result, he draws a lot of fouls, ranking 10th in the ACC in Fouls Drawn, and 4th in Free Throw Rate. James made opponents pay this year when they put him on the line, making 81.8% from the charity stripe, which ranked 15th in the ACC.
James shot the ball better as a Redshirt Freshman, than he did this past season. His Effective Field Goal Percentage in 2022-23 was 55.8%, which ranked 19th in the ACC, and his True Shooting Percentage of 59.6% ranked 14th.
He does have the ability to knock down a three, making 34.8% for his career.
Prior to this season, the record for most games started in a single season in NC State history was 37, with three Wolfpack players doing so: Lorenzo Brown, Richard Howell, CJ Williams.
Morsell now sits atop the list, and a fellow teammate, DJ Burns ranks second, with 40 games started this season.
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.
Mav is an OK player. Great that he is expanding his game. I see him as the 8th or ninth off the bench this year.
Great article Tyler. Packinsider has become my #1 source for wolfpack news and opinion. Check for spelling errors though!
Maverick has definitely come into his own and I just pray he plans to graduate from state.
I like how Mav is not just settling for 3 point shots. As he mixes up his offense the defense will have to either sit back or play tight and I believe Mav has enough bb IQ to make the right decision based on the D he see’s. His defense will never be anything to write home about but his new size and strength should help him bang bodies and grab rebounds.