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NC State’s Kevin Keatts’ Weekly Teleconference: BULLETED

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NC State head coach Kevin Keatts met with the media for the ACC’s teleconference yesterday. You can watch it here, or check out a bulleted breakdown below.

  • Greg Gantt has been tremendous.
    • I never anticipated playing him 30 and then 38 minutes. What he’s done for our team is he’s played a great role, been a solid defender, and is rebounding the basketball.
    • He’s the poster child for any guy that’s sitting on the bench who hasn’t played, who’s been a little bit injured, and obviously, when your opportunity is in front of you, to take advantage of it.
    • Without him, we wouldn’t have had our two wins that we had last week.
  • He’s getting better [Dusan Mahorcic], but I have no idea when he’s going to be able to play in a game.
  • We’ve been able to put together 3 really good halves of basketball on the defensive end. I thought we were really solid.
    • We’re getting better. That’s one of the things that we’ve really put a lot of work into.
    • We were a better offensive team earlier in the year than we were defensively, and I think our guys have taken on some identity and actually fallen in love with playing some defense.
    • It’s helped us out a lot, and it’s actually one of the main reasons why we had a really good week last week…because our guys bought in on the defensive end.
  • They’re [Miami] really good. Talented. Obviously, the backcourt is really solid.
    • If you look at the 1st game, we had a really, really good 1st half where we scored the basketball, and late in the game, I thought they hunkered down and played some great defense on us.
      • I thought the 2 guys that really played well against us were Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller.
      • He [Miller] stepped up and made a lot of big plays against us, and we didn’t do a good job of guarding those guys late in the game.
    • It’s a good team. Every game that you play, even though it’s the 2nd time around, takes its own identity. It’ll be a completely different game than it was the first time around.
  • He’s [Isaiah Miranda] getting better. It’s tough.
    • I want you to think about this for young guys in the this league to come in as freshmen, but I’d like for you to think about a young guy who just came in second semester and joined a team who had already been playing several games and had been around for a while.
    • I don’t know when he’s going to play. I couldn’t even promise you that he is going to play.
    • I will say that I do feel like he’s getting better.
    • He came in the door with a couple of nagging injuries, nothing major. We’ve addressed those and then tried to get him in practice to get him as many reps as we can.
    • Hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to see him play this year, but there’s a possibility that he won’t play until next year.
  • To his [Casey Morsell] credit, he’s worked extremely hard on his shot. He’s working really hard.
    • He had to adjust to the way we play compared to when he left UVA, which is obviously a good program, but we play a lot differently.
    • When you look back at his stats, I think he had decent stats from the three-point line as a Freshman, and then he kind of fell off a little bit.
    • He’s put a lot of work into it. When you look at it, he’s running the floor. He’s getting shots in transition. He’s making threes in transition. I have to give him all of the credit.
    • Our assistant coaches have done a great job, but he’s one of those guys who stays in the gym and really works on his game. When you look back at the Virginia Tech game, even though he’s made shots from the three-point line, I thought one of his most important plays was that he was able to drive in there when, at the start of the half, they went on a little run, and he gave us a little more of a comfortable lead.
      • Credit to him to adjusting to playing fast and making shots and also working on his game.
  • He [Morsell] really guards the basketball.
    • I would say two of the best on-the-ball defenders that we have on our team would be him and Jarkel Joiner.
    • Casey doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does defensively.
      • He guards the three. He guards the four. He can guard all positions.
      • He’s been a huge part of our success on the defensive end, especially in the last couple of weeks.
  • Well, what I’ve learned is that he’s [DJ Burns] a tremendous fan favorite here at NC State.
    • I told him in the Duke game, the guards did all of the work early, and they scored, and then he came in, and everybody was yelling, “DJ, DJ”
    • Scoring transfers to every level. You saw what he did in the Big South, and he could score the basketball.
    • He’s proven that he can score the basketball at the Power 5 level and in the ACC.
    • He’s getting better. He’s a tremendous kid. His teammates and everybody loves him.
    • One of the things we’re working with him is to continue to get better on the defensive end.
    • He’s had some big moments for us. We finally have a guy that we can throw the ball in and get us some baskets.
      • That’s no knock on our former guys, but he gives us a different dimension, especially on the offensive end.
  • First of all, he [Terquavion Smith] committed to me when he was 15 years old.
    • He’s probably one of the most loyal guys that I’ve ever recruited.
    • At that time, he was probably 140 lbs.
    • He was a guy who finished his high school career with 3 state championships in basketball and very competitive.
    • He barely made anyone’s top 100, and now he’s put himself in a situation where he may be able to provide for his family.
      • I say that because he’s one of the stories where a lot of people said he wasn’t big enough or strong enough.
      • He didn’t have to be a 5-star guy at the time, but his hard work and his winning attitude put himself in this position.

Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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Papajohn
Papajohn
8 months ago

I’m convinced the secret to beating Miami is rotating the bench in early so that T & JJ aren’t playing 79 of 80 minutes and DJ isn’t trying to play 30 or more. Miami’s shooting percentage skyrocketed in the 2nd half when our legs got tired. Last time Clark fouled out trying to guard Omier, maybe Gantt will do better. He played 14 mins, so has faced him. LJ didn’t play last game, hopefully he’ll contribute some solid minutes. It would be nice if Ross could find his game Saturday as well. At least give up on the 3PT shot.… Read more »

Dof87
Dof87
8 months ago
Reply to  Papajohn

LJ played 10m and Pass played 7, in part to spell JJ who had some fouls early, so that was mostly first half. That seemed to work out well in the end.

Papajohn
Papajohn
8 months ago
Reply to  Dof87

You are confusing me talking about the “last game” against Miami (in which LJ did not play) and how we might do better this Saturday when we play them again – with the Pack’s “last game” against VT
I should have been clearer.

Last edited 8 months ago by Papajohn
Dof87
Dof87
8 months ago

Sounds like Dusan still has a way to go. The longer he’s out, the more out of shape he’ll be. We may be lucky if he’s full speed by ACCT.

thenewclass13
thenewclass13
8 months ago
Reply to  Dof87

I would… just don’t be shocked if you see him sooner rather than later.

Dof87
Dof87
8 months ago
Reply to  thenewclass13

Wazzup Newclass!

I hope you are right.

NC State Basketball

NC State’s 2023-23 Men’s Basketball Schedule Has Arrived

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NC State’s 2023-24 Men’s Basketball schedule has arrived!

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NC State Basketball

NC State to Honor David Thompson with Statue Outside Reynolds Coliseum

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RALEIGH – NC State University will pay tribute to three-time All-American David Thompson with a statue sculpted in his honor that will be placed outside of Reynolds Coliseum.

The unveiling will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, the day of the Wolfpack men’s basketball team’s annual Heritage Game at Reynolds Coliseum, and will be open to the public.

“This is such a deserved honor for the greatest basketball player to ever wear an NC State jersey,” NC State Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan said. “He is one of the most iconic players to ever play in the ACC and our hope is that this statue will ensure that generations of NC State students and fans will always remember the legacy and contributions of David Thompson.”

Thompson is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in college basketball history. A 2008 ESPN story ranked him as one of the ten best college basketball players of all-time, and he is regarded as one of greatest athletes in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

The Boiling Spring, N.C., native played three seasons at NC State from 1972-75 and was a unanimous first-team All-American at the conclusion of all three seasons. He was also named the ACC Player of the Year all three seasons.

He was named the Associated Press National Player of the Year in 1974 and 1975 and remains one of just five players in college basketball history to win multiple AP National Player of the Year honors.

Thompson immediately made his mark on the Pack, helping lead NC State to an undefeated season (27-0) in 1973. The Pack dominated the 1972-73 season and was at the top or near the top of the polls all season as Thompson averaged 24.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Thompson returned in the 1973-74 season and led the Wolfpack to a 30-1 record and the school’s first NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball National Title.

In the Final Four, Thompson and the Wolfpack met up with UCLA, the seven-time reigning National Champions and the only team to have defeated NC State that season. The Pack trailed 74-67 in the second overtime when Thompson’s heroics helped lead NC State back. Thompson pulled down a defensive rebound and made the go-ahead basket with under one minute remaining and then made two free throws with 38 seconds to go to give the Pack a 78-75 double overtime win in a game that is still considered one of the greatest Final Four games ever played.

Thompson finished the game with 28 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Bill Walton and the Bruins.
Two nights later, the Pack won the National Title over Marquette, 76-64, behind 21 points from Thompson. Thompson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

To make it into the NCAA Tournament, the Pack defeated fourth-ranked Maryland, 103-100, in overtime in the 1974 ACC Championship, in a game that is routinely considered one of the best games in college basketball history.

As a senior, Thompson averaged 29.9 points, still the highest single season average in NC State history. He scored an NC State and ACC record 57 points in an early season win over Buffalo State. The Pack started the season ranked No. 1 in the nation and never fell out of the top-10, but lost in the ACC Championship game to end its season. The Pack finished the season ranked seventh in the nation but because the NCAA Tournament at that time only allowed the conference champion into the tournament its season was over.

Thompson closed his career with 2,309 points in 86 career games. He led the ACC in scoring all three seasons and was NC State and the ACC’s career scoring leader when he graduated.

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NC State Basketball

Former NC State Basketball Player Torin Dorn Joins Coaching Staff of G-League SLC Stars

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Former NC State basketball player Torin Dorn has joined the staff of the Salt Lake City Stars, the G-League team for the Utah Jazz. Dorn’s title is Player Development Associate/Assistant Coach.

After playing 3 seasons at NC State, Dorn went on to play professionally overseas in Poland and Czech Republic, before joining the Wolfpack coaching staff last season as a Graduate Manager.

Dorn will be working under newly appointed head coach Steve Wojciechowski (former Duke PG), who was the head coach at Marquette the past 7 seasons.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Guard MJ Rice Will Be Returning Soon After Stepping Away for a Period of Time

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NC State Guard MJ Rice (6’5″/215) announced yesterday that due to personal reasons, he had to step away from the basketball program, but was excited to be back with his teammates soon. He was clear that his commitment to NC State hasn’t wavered.

(Tweet)

Life is much bigger than sports. These young men are human beings first and foremost, and as we all know, this life is never simple and easy.

Rice transferred to NC State this offseason from Kansas with three years of eligibility remaining. The former High School McDonald’s All-American didn’t get a lot of playing time in his Freshman season at Kansas, averaging 7.6 minutes per game in only 23 games played.

Coming out of Prolific Prep in California, Rice averaged 20.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a Senior. Rivals ranked him as a 5-star prospect, ON3 ranked him 24th nationally, and ESPN ranked him as the #1 player in the state of North Carolina.

Whatever Rice is working through, we value him as a person more than we do a player.

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