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NC State Speeds Past Mars Hill 109-66 in Exhibition

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6 years ago

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Sure, this game didn’t count. It was played against Mars Hill, a Division II team who has nowhere near ACC level talent. But that isn’t what tonight was about. Tonight was about observing, about learning what this Wolfpack team has and how they are going to use it.

Regardless of the opponent, what we witnessed tonight was impressive. It wasn’t the 109 points they scored or the fact that they won by 43. No. It was the fine details of tonight’s game that should have Pack fans very excited. The fact that NC State’s defense was constantly in the passing lanes. When they got beat, there was communication in the help and recover. They dove for loose balls, they deflected passes. They played insanely fast and with a true aggression. They drove to dish to create instead of driving to score.  In short, they played as a team who had something to prove.

What we saw tonight was what NC State fans have been asking for over the last 30 years. A group of selfless players who will lay it on the line to come away with the W. A group who takes pride in their performance and are accountable to one another.

Now for the stats.

Torin Dorn (yes, the guy we told you to watch out for) led the scoring with 19 points on 8-12 shooting. Al Freeman was right behind him with 18 points. He also added 8 boards. Then came the point guards. Johnson and Batts both played outstanding and both put up 16 points. However, it was Johnson who had the bigger night. His 16 points went along with 12 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks (all while only committing 2 turnovers). Batts added 3 assists and 2 steals. Omer Yurtseven had 12 and 5, Freeman had 7 and 10, while Sam Hunt had 11 of his own.

Most Impressive player: Markell Johnson. He really looked elite out there. Super quick, improved jumper and great job getting into the lane and finding the open guy. He looked like a leader on the court and even though Keatts has been tough on him in the media, he answered the call and should be one of the Pack’s top producers all season long.

Biggest surprise: Lavar Batts Jr.. I didnt really know what to expect from Batts. He’s new to the college game and I wondered how his jumper would translate. I was wrong to question. Batts ended with 16 pts and he had some really explosive plays down the stretch. His ability to go zero to full throttle is amazing. He is a selfless guard who is going to be a star in this league.

Key Stats: State forced 26 turnovers and scored 35 points off of those, That’s the stat that we think you should focus on. They were focused and aggressive on defense. This is a team that takes pride in that. This is the type of basketball that wins games. If they can continue to improve, this team will be much better than expected.

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NC State Basketball

Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill is on a Visit to NC State

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8 hours ago

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April 22, 2024

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Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) confirmed with me that he is currently on a visit at NC State.

Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons this season. He earned 1st Team All-MAC honors. Even though he was only at Bowling Green one season, he had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 698 points, which ranks 5th all-time in program history for a single season.

For his first two years of collegiate ball, Hill played for Southern Union State College (JUCO) in Alabama. In 2022-23, Hill earned 3rd Team NJCAA All-American honors, and ranked as the #32 overall Junior College prospect.

247Sports ranks Hill as a 4-Star Transfer Prospect, and the #78 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #11 Shooting Guard.

According to a source, the NC State Coaching Staff is extremely high on Hill, and they are recruiting him as a Point Guard.

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four Mean to NC State Legend Dennis Smith Jr.?

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18 hours ago

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April 22, 2024

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend Dennis Smith Jr.? The man who won the ACC Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 gave me a statement.

It means a lot. It means a lot to the university, the state of North Carolina and a lot more to my dad, grandma, and myself. They have been NC State fans since forever, so their excitement level was though the roof when they saw BOTH of our basketball teams shining like that. It was a great feeling!

2017 was Smith Jr.’s only year of College ball, averaging 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He earned 2nd Team All-ACC honors, and obviously, he earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.

DSJ was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 9th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Smith Jr. just wrapped up his 7th season in the NBA. This was his 1st season with Brooklyn, playing in 56 games for the Nets. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, averaging 18.9 minutes per contest.

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NC State’s DJ Horne Named to Portsmouth Invitational All-Tournament Team

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2024

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NC State’s DJ Horne played in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this weekend, and he was named to the All-Tournament Team.

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In 3 games, Horne averaged 14.3 points, shooting 41.5% from the field, and 30% from three.

Horne’s Portsmouth Partnership team made it to the finals, but lost to Jani-King 68-75.

The Portsmouth Invitational is an annual pre-draft camp that has been showcasing College Seniors to professional scouts since 1953.

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NC State Has Shown Interest in Utah Guard Transfer Deivon Smith

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2 days ago

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April 20, 2024

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NC State has reached out to Utah Transfer Guard Deivon Smith (6’0″/173).

Smith filled up the stat sheet every game this year, averaging 13.3 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds, shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.8% from three for Utah. He earned All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention this season. Smith had 8 double-doubles and 1 triple-double this year.

Wherever Smith lands, this will be his 4th college. He started at Mississippi St., starting in 8 of the 33 games he played in, averaging 22.5 minutes per game. Smith went on to spend his next two seasons at Georgia Tech. Year 1 in Atlanta, Smith started in 5 of the 24 games he played in, averaging 19.7 minutes per game. In Year 2, he carved out more of a role, starting in 13 of the 24 games he played in for the Yellow Jackets, averaging a career high 24.8 minutes per game.

At Utah this year, Smith broke out and had a career year in every possible way.

NC State is familiar with Smith, offering him back when he was a 4-Star prospect out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. Rivals ranked Smith as the #53 overall player nationally in the 2020 recruiting class. ESPN ranked him as the #5 player in the state of Georgia. 247Sports ranked him as the #11 Point Guard in his class.

 

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