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After a fourth ACC loss, NC State has their backs against the wall and head coach Mark Gottfried knows what the problem is.

“It is real simple. We scored enough points to win the game tonight. You get 76 points at home in an ACC game you ought to win the game, but this group right here, they better figure it out real fast because right now we have got to figure out how to get a little tougher. We have got to decide if we want to play some defense.” said Gottfried.

At the end of the day, when you get hit in the mouth, there are two types of people. One type lays on the ground, pouts, makes excuses why he got hit and then walks away. The other one gets up with blood on his lip and fights harder than he ever has before.

Right now, NC State is on the ground pouting because they got hit in the face. They have gone limp. They are letting other teams do whatever they want to them with no repercussion. That’s basically the unadulterated breakdown of what you’ve been watching.

Playing defense is about having pride. When your man scores on you, it should sting. Every single possession is a battle, and every time you give up a bucket, you lose. Players should be held accountable for each and every defensive breakdown. This takes team accountability. Right now, you see none because this team has no on-court leadership, thus no one is providing accountability.

With the defense we’ve seen, it should pain you that there is not more on-court bickering. Players should be yelling at teammates if they take a play off or are out of position defensively. Instead, it’s become a culture where no one wants to point a finger or get in somebody’s face. That is a major problem.

We could come on here and talk about specific plays, and how guys didn’t fight over a screen or failed to communicate on a switch. Or how someone was out of position, or late on a help and recover, but at the end of the day it comes down to desire. It comes down to pride. It comes down to someone taking leadership and demanding accountability.

Part of this falls on Gottfried. While he can’t be out there on the floor playing defense or diving for loose balls, he obviously hasn’t made it clear that stopping your man is mandatory for getting court time. Until that happens, until players understand that they can score 30 points per game, but if they can’t stop anyone they sit, then you will continue to have guys that don’t play with grit and passion on that end of the floor.

When they don’t feel hurt or embarrassed when their man scores there is a problem. When they are not in each other’s faces barking at each other about missed assignments or lack of effort on the defensive end, then the coach has not gotten his point across.

Gottfried will never be a defensive coach. He never has been and he never was supposed to be, but he can control effort. He can control minutes, and with the depth he has, that’s what he has to do. Take a bad shot. Sit down. Miss a defensive assignment. Take a seat. The season, at it’s current trajectory, is going to be a loss, so taking drastic measures and a hard line on discipline and teamwork might be your only shot.

Gottfried is pissed off right now. The question is, can he get his guys to channel him against Pitt on Tuesday night? We’ll have to wait and see.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago

“Gottfried will never be a defensive coach. He never has been and he never was supposed to be”

If this is true then we got half a coach. We should pay him half his salary. If he does like defense, then why did he not hire an assistant that did? There has always been two parts to the game. We got suckered.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago
Reply to  wolfpack74

Sorry, doesn’t like defense.

Ian
Ian
7 years ago

Well said. Good write up. I only hope Gott and leadership above him is thinking the same thing because this year feels like a broken record.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago

Time to get a new coach.

packbackr04
packbackr04
7 years ago

too little too late. this discussion should have happened after Creighton, or Illinois not 5 games into conference play.

wornoutstatefan
wornoutstatefan
7 years ago
Reply to  packbackr04

And definitely after UNC….

Ian
Ian
7 years ago

Yes. I mentioned in a post, my inability as fan to see the world around me and make “decisions” based on everything in all directions, not just what’s in front. It’s hard, in season, not to become myopic a feel a sense of doom after a loss or or several. But it’s nice to see level headed responses to our situation. Like you said, “I guess we’ll see.”

NC State Basketball

What did the Wolfpack’s Incredible Run to the Final Four Mean to NC State Legend Chris Corchiani?

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What did NC State’s miraculous run to the ACC Championship and Final Four mean to Wolfpack legend Chris Corchiani? I caught up with the man who is still NC State’s all-time leader in Assists and Steals 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?

Man, it was unreal. They caught lightning in a bottle and it was an absolute amazing run. They were a mediocre team all year that turned into a feared team that nobody wanted to play! To win the ACC championship in 5 days and to get to Final Four…..Wow!!

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

Keatts received a lot of criticism for 7 years and after this run is deserving of great praise. I think shortening the lineup to 7-8 guys and doing away with the full court press and playing solid half court defense was a great move that obviously paid huge dividends. He also kept this team together which was not easy as they lost last 7-9 going into the. postseason. The guys also grew confident in their roles and played possessed!

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

This run was something I have dreamed about happening and the fact it was so unexpected made it so much sweeter! To see the students, alums, boosters, and fans get what we all have been waiting for was the best!

What was the most memorable moment for you?

Most memorable for me was going to Final Four with my family and enjoying catching up with old friends, boosters, friends and teammates!

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

This run gives us momentum in so many ways. Listen, this was good not only for our hoops team but for our University! Hopefully our recruiting will take a big step forward with kids wanting to run with the Pack! A month of free advertising should be Huge for the future of our Men’s and Women’s basketball programs!

_______

When NC State legend Chris Corchiani left NC State, he not only held the school’s record for career Assists and Steals, but he also was career leader in ACC conference history. His 40.8% career Three-Point Percentage ranks 7th in school history. Corchiani was the first player in NCAA history to have 1,000+ career assists.

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NC State Basketball

ON3’s Jamie Shaw Puts in a Prediction Georgetown SF Transfer Dontrez Styles will Land at NC State

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ON3’s Jamie Shaw put in an RPM earlier today for Georgetown Small Forward Transfer Dontrez Styles to land at NC State. All-time, Shaw’s prediction accuracy is 87%.

I spoke with a source, and it seems like this prediction has some merit.

ON3 ranks Styles as the #66 overall prospect in the Portal.

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.

With his final year of eligibility, maybe he’ll make the right choice this time.

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NC State Basketball

Tennessee Guard Freddie Dilione V is Visiting NC State Tomorrow

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Tennessee Transfer Guard Freddie Dilone V (6’5″/195) is visiting NC State tomorrow.

Dilone V just wrapped up his Redshirt Freshman season with the Volunteers, averaging 1.7 points in 5.2 minutes of play per game (18 games).

In 2022, Dilone V was a consensus 4-Star prospect, and the #33 overall prospect nationally according to Rivals. ON3 and 247Sports both ranked Dilone V as the #1 player in the state of North Carolina, playing right down the road at Word of God Academy in Raleigh.

Currently, 247Sports ranks Dilone V as the #71 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #10 Combo Guard. He played his first three seasons of high school ball down in Fayetteville at Trinity Christian.

Dilone V has 3 more years of eligibility.

 

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NC State Basketball

PI EXCLUSIVE: 2024 4-Star Signee Paul McNeil Breaks Down His Thoughts On NC State’s Miraculous Run

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The run the NC State Men’s Basketball team went on in March had the whole country watching, but what was it like to watch through the eyes of an incoming Freshman who will be joining the team next year? 4-Star 2024 Shooting Guard Paul McNeil shared his thoughts with me on the Wolfpack’s unforgettable run.

What was it like for you to watch NC State as the #10 seed in the ACC Tournament win 5 games in 5 days to win the Title?

What we did this year shows seeding doesn’t matter. What our guys did was just another level, and when you get between those lines, it’s a different type of static. I believe it took a lot of discipline and focus to win five games in five days. I also feel like the fan base played a huge part to the team by bringing extra energy and not making them feel alone.

What do you think happened to turn this team around?

You have to give God all the glory because without Him guiding us, we wouldn’t have made it how we made it. Also, it’s about the jersey you put on and the pride of it all. It’s like there’s no way we go out this way and they clicked at the right time. The team was just rolling and I also think the mentality of all the players changed.

As a player signed with NC State, how proud were you to see NC State go on this run, from the ACC Championship, to the Final Four?

I’m very proud of the guys. They deserved to win it all, but it just didn’t happen that way. I’ve been saying they were the best team in the ACC and I always knew we had the right pieces to be the best.

What does it mean for you to see Coach Keatts get the recognition he’s getting?

Oh man, he deserves it, especially coming from where he comes from and all the things he dealt with. With all the media attention, he still stayed focused and locked in towards the team. Coach Keatts is very blessed and very humble.

How do you think this run will help the future of NC State basketball?

It will put more eyes on us and teams know now to not overlook us and underestimate us ever again. It was never a Cinderella story — it was never ‘oh they just got lucky.’ This run will definitely help us a lot and I’m forever grateful for what the boys did.

_______

McNeil (6’7″/185) led Richmond to the semifinals of the NCHSAA 4A State Playoffs this season, before losing to #1 Hanover 55-53.

As a Senior at Richmond (Rockingham, NC), McNeil averaged 31.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.6 assists per game.

ON3 ranks McNeil as the #49 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class, the #15 Small Forward, and the #6 player on the state of NC.

McNeil is a part of a 2-man 2024 Freshman Class that includes 4-Star Guard Trey Parker.

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