Connect with us

NC State Basketball

Highlights and Recap: NC State takes out Pitt in ACC Tournament, Duke up next

Published

4 years ago

on

NC State came into the game squarely on the bubble (according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi) and needing a win over Pitt in their ACC Tournament opener.

Thanks to one of their best overall team performances of they got it.

Devon Daniels was locked in from start to finish, leading all scorers with 23 points and chipping in 6 rebounds. He shot 9-14 and only turned the ball over once. It’s safe to say that Daniel, who was once a guy that couldn’t really find his role on this team, has become one of their most important pieces. His hustle and physicality has helped give this ballclub an identity and has been a big part of their late-season surge.

Before we move one, I think we need to credit Kevin Keatts here. Keatts took a lot of heat earlier this season with those Carolina losses and the team underperforming at times. But credit where it’s due, people. Devon Daniels on earlier State teams may have never come around. In fact, high confidence players who have struggled to fit into State’s systems in the past have usually been the ones that ended up dividing up the locker room and putting the season in a tailspin. These are the intangibles that people are missing with Keatts. He runs a tight ship and it’s really his way or the highway. Daniels ended up buying in and NC State is now a potential tournament team because of it.

NC State also got great performances from Funderburk who pitched in 10 and 7, Beverly who scored 10 of his own, and Bryce, who started slow but finished strong with 13 points and 10 boards. Oh, and let’s not forget Markell Johnson, who looked very comfortable against Pitt. While I know we all love when Johnson gets hot and starts scoring, its seems he would much rather his teammates take on that role and he finish with a line like yesterday (7 points, 11 assists.

Another great sign was to see NC State really look comfortable against a 2-3 zone. The 3s weren’t falling (25%) so they made a concerted effort to get the ball in the middle and down on the blocks. This led to them shooting an amazing 47.5% from the field.

Next up is Duke who certainly will sprinkle in a good deal of zone (today at 2:30 pm). With a win the Wolfpack are dancing. A loss and they have to wait for the committee to decide.

*Games will be played today with no fans in attendance due to COVID-19.

Related Topics:
Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

NC State Basketball

Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

Published

13 hours ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Michael O’Connell (@michaeloc_12)

Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

Published

1 day ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.

Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.

Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.

Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.

Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)

At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.

Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

Published

1 day ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by SportsCenter NEXT (@sportscenternext)

In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State’s Kevin Keatts and DJ Burns Sounded the Siren at the Canes Game Tonight

Published

1 day ago

on

April 30, 2024

By

NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.

Continue Reading