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NC State gets first real test tonight vs. Oklahoma State | Game Preview & How to Watch

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NC State Wolfpack vs Oklahoma State
Hall of Fame Showcase Tournament
Time: 8:00pm
Location: Mohegan Sun | Uncasville, CT
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line: OK State -3

This young NC State team will get it’s first real test of the season against a high major opponent when they take on OK State at 8pm tonight.

Preview of The OK State Cowboys
Oklahoma State comes into this game 3-1, with wins over UT Arlington, Praire-View, and UMass-Lowell. They did lose to Oakland by 1. They were picked by ESPN to finish 4th in the BIG-12.

The team is currently being led by sophomore guard Bryce Thompson, who is averaging just over 10ppg, but really isn’t shooting it all that great. He’s a 6’5 kid who is going to do his damage attacking the basket. So far this season, teams have found it hard to match up with him. But NC State certainly has the size to do just that.

They also have 6’10 sophomore Moussa Cissa, who is their 6’10 big. He’s going to be a big problem for NC State. He’s averaging 10 points and 7 boards per game this season. If State had Manny Bates, we wouldn’t be worried about Cissa, but with what we’ve seen from the young bigs manning State’s frontcourt, there is certainly reason to worry.

Oklahoma State is a lot like NC State. They are a team that is younger but full of talent. This is a winnable game for the Pack, but without Bates it’s going to be tough to win the battle inside (which is where OK State is going to want to take this one.)

Key Notes for NC State coming into this game

  1. Thomas Allen is back and got 22 minutes last night. He seems to have eaten into Cam Hayes’ minutes. Keatts said Hayes was cramping, but Breon Pass also had positive minutes. Hayes sat at the end of the Colgate game too. Keatts wants more from Hayes and needs more from him. He’s not turning the ball over which is great, but Keatts needs playmakers and floor leaders and right now he’s waiting on Cam to show he can be that. Otherwise, he might be looking at a minute share at the point.
  2. Gibson and Dowuona are now splitting minutes down the middle. Ernest Ross is getting some run. Keatts is looking for anyone who can provide anything in the post. Right now, no one is standing out.
  3. Speaking of Ross, he had 6 rebounds in 6 minutes of play. Those 6 minutes were not pretty and he missed 3 shots, looked a little lost on offense, and drifted to the corner when they need his size in the middle. Defensively he looked not a little unsure of himself and lost on certain possessions. He’s still a work in progress, but 6 boards in 6 minutes is a good start and Keatts has no option but to bring him along fast.
  4. NC State must shoot well in this game and must rebound with OK State. If NC State can keep the Cowboys off the offensive glass and they can shoot it well from outside, then this game can be won. If they allow Cissa to beast in the middle and get easy put-backs, it’s going to be a loss.

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Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago

Fouls – Watch the foul count in this one, I expect things are going to get bleak inside. We’ve got 10 fouls to give, and we’ll need them. Hope that outside shooting will continue from last night, we’ll need that too.
In our pre season convos I think we all thought Cole & Cam would be solid, we worried about the rest. They need to get it together quickly or things could get rough.

NC State Basketball

Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James Commits to NC State!

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Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) has announced his commitment to NC State!

 

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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.

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.

He does have the ability to knock down a three, making 34.8% for his career.

James has 2 years of eligibility remaining. With James’ commitment, NC State currently has 1 scholarship available for next season.

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

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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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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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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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