NC State Basketball
#23 NC State 77 UNC 69: BOX SCORE
NC State got revenge, beating their rival UNC 77-69 at home this afternoon. Below is the Box Score.
Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) has committed to NC State!
Hill took an Official Visit to NC State this past weekend.
This past season, Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons. 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 #81 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #11 Shooting Guard.
Even though 247Sports and ON3 consider Hill a Shooting Guard, NC State is recruiting him as a Point Guard.
Hill is the 4th player to transfer to NC State this offseason, joining Louisville’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield & Mike James, and Georgetown’s Dontrez Styles.
With the addition of Hill, NC State now has 1 scholarship remaining for next season.
NC State Forward Mohamed Diarra will not be returning to NC State for his final season of eligibility. Rather, he will give 100% of his focus to pursuing his professional career.
Diarra is declaring for the NBA Draft, and will explore that possibility as far as it goes, but the likelihood of him playing professionally in his home country of France are high.
Diarra was a significant player for NC State all season long, averaging 6.3 points and 7.8 rebounds (team high), but his impact in March was tremendous, recording 10+ rebounds in 7 of the Wolfpack’s 10 postseason games, and five of those performances were double-doubles.
Wolfpack fans will always remember the grit and mental toughness that Diarra put on display in the NCAA Tournament, playing game-after-game while fasting for Ramadan.
The Wolfpack’s frontcourt just got a little bit thinner. In the past two weeks, NC State has lost Diarra and Ernest Ross. Ben Middlebrooks is returning, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield transferred in from Louisville. Dontrez Styles transferred in from Georgetown, and while he is more of a Small Forward, in certain lineups, he could play the Small 4 position. With all that being said, I fully expect NC State to try to find another post player in the Transfer Portal with Diarra’s exodus now official.
With Diarra not returning in 2024, NC State now has 2 scholarships available for next season.
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) has announced his commitment to NC State!
View this post on Instagram
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.
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.
Details of Dave Doeren’s New Contract at NC State
Former NC State Wide Receiver Julian Gray Commits to Liberty
NC State Gives Dave Doeren a 2-Year Extension
NC State’s Current 2024 Football Scholarship Breakdown
4-Star Safety Jontae Gilbert Has Locked in an Official Visit to NC State
NC State’s Current 2024 Football Scholarship Breakdown
NC State is High on Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill
NC State has Dominated UNC in Athletics in 2023-24
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James is a Priority for NC State
Tennessee Guard Freddie Dilione V is Visiting NC State Tomorrow
2024 NC State Commit Trey Parker Finishes 2nd in OTE Dunk Contest
VIDEO BREAKDOWN: Was BYU 3 point barrage unstoppable, or was NC State’s defense to blame? You decide.
VIDEO: Terquavion Smith GOES OFF in G-League Debut with 37 points & 8 Boards
NC State lands combo guard DJ Horne from the portal
I wonder if we’re going to see anything from Isaiah Miranda this season. He was advertised as being able to play this season. Makes me wonder if he’ll feel ripped off should he not get any minutes or if at this point, he pretty much is fine with taking the redshirt.
If Miranda had ever outplayed Ebe or Ross, let’s not even talk about Burns, in practice, he would have played. If he ain’t ready for the ACC, he ain’t ready for the NBA. Does the G League want him? Can he make a decent NIL deal and enjoy college life? I hope he comes back next year.
Miranda was advertised as eligible to play, but nobody ever said he would play. I think the coaching staff has been straight up with him and his family, its just the fans unrealistic expectations that are out of line. A true freshman coming in mid season on a talented, deep and experienced team is at an almost insurmountable disadvantage wrt playing time. KK will not put a player on the court who isn’t ready. He won’t set this kid up for failure. If anything, the experience of coming early is likely an eye opener for Miranda and he’ll realize how… Read more »
Its another game where we should not overlook the performance of Casey Morsell. He was doing it all, rebounding, blocking, stealing, shooting the 3, etc.
Totally agree. The most dissed man since Rodney … Dangerfield.
What makes this win possibly even sweeter is it may have been the straw that breaks the back of UNC’s chances to get into the NCAAT.
2 big home games coming. #4 seed is still very possible.
UNC isn’t quite done yet, they’ve got UVA and Duke at home the next two Saturdays, plus FSU and ND on the road in between. If they pick up those 4. they’ll still have some work to do in the ACCT, but they aren’t done.
If they don’t make the NCAAT, I read it will be the first time a preseason #1 didn’t even make the tourney. (come on Duke and Wahoos!)
The best part of the game today was with maybe 3 minutes left the packed house was chanting NIT!
the TV guys blathered on about UNC this and UNC that, until I turned off the sound. So, I Really appreciate the comment about the fans chanting NIT! I would not have had a clue, thanks buddy. Made me smile
4 is possible because Clemson has crashed and STATE seems to be peaking ( Oh God did I really say that? The optimism is quite frankly, frightening. Having seen the same or similar crash and burn in the partin the past, I almost feel for Clemson. My niece, Clemson grad, is married to a State grad, I hope the mutual love for their two kids will save their marriage. I am overwhelmed by the opportunity that is now, in our own control. Who would have ever imagined that the WOLFPACK would have ever been the favorite in three of the… Read more »
Got to admit, I wasn’t feeling too good about things mid game. But what a finish! What fight and grit. What a crowd!
Great move by KK to put Ross in with DJ and help match their athleticism.
Joiner is something special. Proving what we all know, an experienced and talented PG is a prime key to success.
Love this team.
100% with you on not feeling it. We shot so many air balls and rimmers, I couldn’t believe for a second we were going to win this game. I was just waiting for UNC to take fire. I had to stop watching my DVR (I know… cheater, right?) and look at the final outcome so I didn’t blow a brain gasket and worry the neighbors I was having some sort of domestic violence issue after yelling expletives at the TV. After seeing the results, I started watching again and still couldn’t believe we won. I went back and made sure… Read more »
ABSOLUTELY on target! I never so so many air balls since I tried to shoot free throws with my grandson. But I Know the SECRET! With about 6 min to GO, Bacot awarded everyone with FREE CHICKEN! Watch the next few minutes again, and you will see Ross make not won, but two great defensive plays, only to suffer the agony of missing a wide ope dunk, but all his free throws. But he did his job and Jarkel took over. Burns was amazing, but it was Jarkel who even Terq realized, took charge of this game. It wasn’t a… Read more »
Hey, I’ll take the win. Our shooting though sometimes seems suspect. Someone want to throw up a stat for the season? I’m sure I’m way too tough on my Wolfpack and need to settle down. I keep reminding myself that we have a winning season with a team that is far different from last years. This team is fun to watch and admittedly, I get waaaaaay to upset when we do stuff I think no other good team would do. Someone set me straight… is our shooting really that bad? Or, are we doing okay.