NC State Basketball
Men’s Basketball: NC State 76 Butler 61: BOX SCORE
The NC State Men’s Basketball team defeated Butler 76-61 tonight in the Bahamas, improving to 6-1. Below is the BOX SCORE.
The Wolfpack had 5 players score in double figures.
Once again, Point Guard Jarkel Joiner led the Pack in scoring, with 15 (4-11 FG).
Big fella DJ Burns was the player of the game for the Wolfpack, with 14 points, on 6 of 11 shooting from the field.
NC State’s other big man, Dusan Mahorcic, had 13 points (6-10 FG) and 6 rebounds.
What’s impressive about what Burns and Mahorcic did, is the fact they put up that kind of production against former Wolfpack Center Manny Bates.
Jack Clark chipped in 10 points (4-9 FG/2-4 3PT), and led the team with 8 rebounds and 3 steals.
Terquavion Smith had 10 points on yet another poor shooting night (4-14 FG), but he did lead the team with 5 assists (1 TO), and also snagged 5 rebounds.
The betting line was EVEN on this game, so it’s extremely impressive that NC State took the game by 15 points.
NC State out-rebounded Butler by 1, out shot the Bulldogs (44.6%/41.9%), had more assists (13/10), and scored 21 points off 14 Butler turnovers.
What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren? I caught up with the man who won the ACC Player of the Year Award in 2014 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?
I’m a second generation Wolfpack basketball player. Wolf blood runs through my veins, so to be able to witness a ride like that was truly amazing.
What did this run say about Kevin Keatts and these players? In what ways did you see them adapt, change or persevere?
I think that is speaks to the heart that the players have. As a 10th seed in the ACC tournament, it’s easy to pack it in and look towards the offseason, but they did the opposite. They bonded together over adversity and that’s what made them so endearing. Hard work in the face of adversity, that’s something that Wolfpack fans can relate to.
As one of the best players to ever wear the Red & White, what did this run mean to you personally?
As I mentioned earlier, NCSU hoops has been in my family for a long time, so it meant a whole lot personally. This run definitely took me back to some of the fond memories I have of putting on the Red & White and playing in front of a packed house at the PNC.
What was the most memorable moment for you?
I think Mike’s shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. It just felt like destiny at that point. Anytime you get to beat UNC and Duke days apart is special too.
How do you think this run can change things for the NC State Basketball program going forward?
I think that it puts us back on the national radar where we belong. After a magical run like that, I think it makes players want to be a part of that. A run like that reinvigorates a program definitely.
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Warren is 1 of only 6 NC State players to ever be named the ACC Player of the Year. In his Sophomore season, Warren was named a 2nd Team All-American by Sporting News and the AP. He averaged 24.9 points per game, which is the 5th best mark in a single season in NC State history. Warren scored 871 points that year, which is the most points ever scored in a single season by a Wolfpack player.
TJ was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
NC State Forward Ernest Ross announced today that he is entering the Transfer Portal.
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Ross played in 14 games this year, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest. After playing in 34 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest, Ross saw his participation dip to a career low this season, but that didn’t for a second break his infectious personality. On the sideline, you could count on Ross every single game to be the heart and soul of the Wolfpack on the bench. To watch a player who played as little as he did, care as much as he did, makes me super proud that this young man represented NC State so well.
Ross was a consensus 4-star player in the 2021 recruiting class, with 247Sports ranking him as the #60 overall player nationally. ESPN ranked him as the #5 overall player in the state of Florida.
Ross has one more year of eligibility remaining.
NC State has 3 scholarships available now.
Best of luck Ernest!
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So what did I learn from these three games NCSU can play with anyone. NCSU can win without hitting tons of 3’s and w/o Smith scoring 20+ points. Jarkel Joiner in the MAN. First Coach on the Floor we’ve had in years. Dusan and Mahoric are a great two headed monster in the middle. Morsell and Clark are both intense, undersized over achievers. Thomas is going to be a contributor. Ross and Pass are both works in progress, but progressing. This team is really in Keatts’ shape. Three games in three days proved that. If we can make it through… Read more »
That’s a really good summary of where we are. Gonna be fun to watch this team continue to grow.
I really hated to see Manny transfer. Dusan and DJ have healed that wound.
We won without raining 3PT shots.
The bigs finally looked like what we needed.
Decent bench support.
Great game.
WHAT A DAY!!
A good win, dominated the entire game. Nice to see Pass play well. Ross still a work in progress.
Burns and Dusan took it to Manny.
Another kind of off kilter night for Smith, but he continues to rack up assists and brings so much energy. If we can win when he’s off, that’s a good sign.
Going from 8 turnovers to 1 is also a good sign. Lots for the young man to learn.