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Notes on NC State’s Best Start Under Kevin Keatts, and the Wolfpack’s Best Start in Nearly 20 Years

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2 months ago

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Last night, NC State improved to 18-5 overall and 8-4 in the ACC after defeating FSU 94-66 in PNC Arena. The Wolfpack are off to their best start under Kevin Keatts. Here are a few notes on last night, and the historic start for Kevin Keatts.

  • NC State snapped a 5-game losing streak to FSU.
    • This was the largest margin of victory (28 points) ever against the Seminoles, surpassing 25-point victories in 2001 and 1955.
  • This is NC State’s best record through 23 games (18-5) since 2005-06 (19-4).
    • This is the Wolfpack’s best ACC record through 12 games (8-4) since 2005-06 (8-4).
  • This is the first time NC State has scored 90+ points in an ACC game since December 7th, 2019 against Wake Forest (91-82).
  • Terquavion Smith scored 32 points, which was 1 point away from tying his career high of 33, which he scored against Coppin State in December.
  • The Wolfpack have won 7 of their last 8 games.
  • This is the best start Kevin Keatts has had at NC State through the first 23 games.
    • They started 16-7 his first two seasons.
  • This is also the Wolfpack’s best start in ACC play under Kevin Keatts through 12 games (8-4).
    • His best start prior to this year was 6-6.
  • NC State went 6-1 in January, which was the best record in the month of January since 1988-89 when the Wolfpack went 8-1.
  • The Wolfpack entered February with 17 wins, which is the most wins entering the month in program history.

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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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Rev
Rev
1 month ago

Looks like Clark will play again this season. Does he have another year of eligibility? I sure hope Dusan gets back in but no indication he is even working out or practicing yet. His defense and intensity would be extremely valuable in March.

2
Papajohn
Papajohn
1 month ago
Reply to  Rev

Yes, he has another year. Only Mahorcic and Joiner have no remaining eligibility.
In this transfer crazy world, that really doesn’t tell us enough to know who’ll be here next season.

1
Rev
Rev
1 month ago

Before the season started, I asked if anyone would be unhappy with 10-10 in the ACC. I now agree with Dof87. 12-8 is realistic and there are several ways to get there. Wining whoever is up next is always important. So beat GaTech. Too bad we have to play BC and Cuse on the road, but we really can’t afford to lose those games. NOONE thought Duke and UNC would need to beat the Wolfpack to solidify their post season aspirations, but there it is. NCSU now has the target on our backs and everyone except Clemson and UVA is… Read more »

1
Papajohn
Papajohn
1 month ago
Reply to  Rev

10-10 sounded pretty great compared to last season.
I worry about those final 4 games. We don’t need to head into post season on a losing streak.

1
Dof87
Dof87
1 month ago

I see a realistic path to a 12-8 finish if we continue to perform. Give or take a win and we are in good shape. We need one more road win, then we can take one home loss if needed

Our team is not only winning, we keep improving.

1
Papajohn
Papajohn
1 month ago

I think we’re all struggling to be believers. Meaning, ‘believing this isn’t all going to fall apart’, ‘believing that we are really a good team for a change.’
8 regular season games left, 5 of them very difficult games that will have an impact on what we think of this team’s chances in the post season.

Last edited 1 month ago by Papajohn
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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Terquavion Smith Will Forgo His Remaining College Eligibility & Declare for NBA Draft

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10 hours ago

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March 28, 2023

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Well, it’s official. NC State Sophomore Terquavion Smith will forgo his remaining two years of college eligibility and officially declare for the 2023 NBA Draft.

Here’s what Smith had to say to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony regarding his decision.

“I’m forgoing my college eligibility and going all the way in,” Smith said. “I’m thankful for everything the NC State coaching staff and fans have done for me. This is the right decision for me to take care of my family.”

“I showed a lot of different things this year,” Smith said. “Teams wanted to see me be more of a point guard, making the right play, making the right decisions. They wanted to see me improve my finishing, and I increased that. I showed I can be a leader.”

“I improved my grades. I’m a year closer to getting my degree now. You only get one chance to be a college student and get that college vibe. There was no rush for me. I’m ready to contribute to an NBA team now.”

“I’m feeling good about everything now,” Smith said. “I came back to do what I needed to do. I feel like I did everything the right way. I know what’s coming now in the pre-draft process because I’ve been there already and know what to expect. I’ll be a lot more confident in myself now. It’s going to be a straight grind.” (ESPN)

Smith earned 2nd Team All-ACC honors this year, averaging 17.9 points and 4.1 assists per game.

He currently ranks 30th on ESPN’s Top-100 2023 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings. In most NBA Mock Drafts, Smith is projected as a late first round pick.

Smith’s career scoring average of 17.1 ranks 8th in school history. He made 187 three point shots in two seasons, ranking 8th all-time in NC State history. His 96 made three-pointers last year are the most ever by a Freshman in school history, and his 91 made three-pointers made this year are the most ever by a Sophomore.

If Smith goes on to be taken in the 1st round of the 2023 NBA Draft, it will be the first person to do so from NC State since Dennis Smith Jr. was taken 9th overall in 2017. If Smith is taken in the first round, the would become the 17th player in school history to do so.

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2022-23 Season: BY THE NUMBERS

Published

15 hours ago

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March 28, 2023

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NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2022-23 season has come and gone, and I thought we should take a moment to look back on this season BY THE NUMBERS.

  • NC State finished the season with a 23-11 overall record.
    • The 23 wins are the 2nd most of the Kevin Keatts era.
      • In 2018-19, the Wolfpack had 24 wins (2 in the NIT)
  • The Wolfpack had 22 regular season wins.
    • This was the most regular season wins since 2012-13.
  • NC State had 12 ACC regular season wins.
    • This is the most conference wins since they increased the slate of conference games to 20 in 2019-20.
    • It’s the most conference wins since 1973-74, when the Wolfpack was 12-0 in ACC play. Obviously this stat is not representative of the best conference performance by NC State since 1973-74, because they played significantly more conference games than years past.
  • The Wolfpack’s winning percentage in ACC play was 60%, which is the 2nd highest winning percentage in conference play under Kevin Keatts.
    • In his first season in 2017-18, the Wolfpack’s ACC winning percentage was 61.1%.
  • NC State shot 45% from the field this season;.
    • This is the 2nd to worst shooting season under Kevin Keatts, trailing only 41.3% last year.
  • The Wolfpack shot 34.7% from three-point range.
    • That number is the 4th best in 6 seasons under Kevin Keatts.
  • NC State shot 72.2% from the free-throw line.
    • This is the 2nd best number under Kevin Keatts (72.5% last year was the best year).
  • For the first time since 2018-19, NC State won the rebounding margin over their opponents on the year.
    • It was the 2nd highest rebounding margin under Kevin Keatts, with +1.7 margin. (In 2018-19, the margin was +4.3)
  • NC State averaged 77.7 points per game, which is the third highest number under Kevin Keatts, but the highest since 2018-19.
  • The Wolfpack forced 477 turnovers, which is the 3rd highest total under Kevin Keatts, and the most since 2018-19.
    • NC State only committed 320 turnovers, which is the lowest total under Keatts (328 in 2020-21, which was a shortened season, was the lowest before.)
  • NC State held opponents to a 44.5% field goal percentage, which is the lowest since 2019-20, and the third lowest under Keatts.
  • The Wolfpack held opponents to 31.6% from three, which is tied for the 2nd lowest percentage under Keatts.
  • NC State had 434 assists, which is tied for the 3rd most in a season under Keatts.
  • The Wolfpack had 152 blocks, which is the most in a single season under Keatts.
  • NC State finished ranked 51 in KenPom’s

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NC State Basketball

UNC Transfer Dontrez Styles Expected to Visit NC State Soon

Published

4 days ago

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March 24, 2023

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UNC Guard/Forward Transfer Dontrez Styles (6’6″/210) is expected to be visiting NC State soon. According to a source, he was expected to take an unofficial visit tomorrow, but it has been rescheduled to Monday.

Styles entered the Transfer Portal on March 17th.

Over the past two seasons, Styles has seen limited action for the Tar Heels, averaging 5.9 minutes in 45 total games (15 this season).

Styles is no stranger to NC State. He played high school for Kinston (Kinston, NC), and was offered by Kevin Keatts. Styles was a consensus 4-Star prospect coming out of High School. 247Sports ranked him as the #62 overall player nationally in the 2021 recruiting class, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

ON3 ranks Styles as the #21 player currently in the Transfer Portal.

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NC State Basketball

All-AAC Temple Transfer Damian Dunn Visiting NC State this Weekend

Published

4 days ago

on

March 24, 2023

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According to a source, Temple All-AAC Transfer Shooting Guard Damian Dunn (6’5″/195) was expected to be at NC State today on an unofficial visit.

Dunn entered the Transfer Portal on March 20th.

Dunn averaged 15.3 points per game this season, earning 3rd Team All-AAC honors. He shot 41.1% from the field this season, and 34.8% from three-point land.

In 2021-22, he led the Owls in scoring (14.9), and earned 2nd Team All-AAC honors.

Dunn originally is from Kinston, North Carolina, but played his Senior season of High School for Meadowcreek in Georgia, finishing his high school career as a 3-star prospect.

With the almost guaranteed loss of Terquavion Smith, NC State will be in need for a dynamic scorer, and Dunn has proven that he can do just that at the collegiate level.

Currently, Dunn is the 16th ranked player in the Transfer Portal according to ON3.

Dunn is a Redshirt Sophomore this season, with 2 years of eligibility remaining.

 

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