Terquavion Smith just scooped up 2nd team All-ACC honors yesterday, capping off a sophomore campaign that saw him average team-highs in points (tie) 17.3ppg and assists, 4.4 per game.
However, this hasn’t been the dominant season that Smith expected when he opted to forgo the NBA draft and return to Raleigh for another season. This season he’s seen a 3% decrease in both FG% and 3pt %. He’s more than doubled his assist total this year and has stayed pretty even with last year in every other stat.
Down the stretch, he’s struggled with his shot. Smith is shooting just 31% from the field over the final 8 games. During that time he’s also shot just 31% from long range, and NC State has won just 4 of those 8.
Now, NC State enters the ACC Tournament as a 6 seed and needs just one win to really set in stone an NCAA berth. They will face either Notre Dame or Virginia Tech.
Notre Dame came to Raleigh and almost beat the Pack, but came up just short 85-83. In that game, Terquavion Smith struggled. He shot just 2-14 from the floor and 2-9 from 3pt range. He did finish with 17 points and 6 assists, so it was a productive outing for the sophomore, but more than anything else, NC State needs Smith scoring at a somewhat efficient clip.
Against Virginia Tech (who was without Hunter Cattoor), State won by just 4 in Blacksburg. This was another game where Smith struggled shooting the ball. He did finish with 22 points but was just 6-19 from the floor and 2-9 from 3pt range.
The point is, when Smith is shooting in the low 30s from the field and lower than 30% from 3pt range, the Pack can lose to any decent team, but if Smith is hitting at anywhere near an efficient clip, then NC State looks nearly unstoppable.
If NC State is going to make a run in the postseason, they’re going to need a hot streak from Terquavion Smith.
Should we be expecting one?
To me, it has looked as if Smith has been pressing offensively all season long, and honestly, I get it.
You bypass the NBA and expect to come back and dominate, both on the floor and in the box score. But last season nobody was game-planning for you and this season you’re the focal point of every team’s defensive strategy. Meanwhile, you’re looking to increase your scoring average, your percentages AND incorporate the feedback you received from the scouts. In Smith’s case, it was “We want to see you become a playmaker, make others around you better.”
Smith has incorporated that feedback. Last season he averaged just 2 assists per game and now he’s well over 4. But the pressure to keep the scoring average up has seemed to bother him. He’s settling for too many shots from well beyond the arc, he’s forcing shots that aren’t in the flow of the offense. But if he’s going to keep up his scoring average this is what he’s got to do, right?
It is. And he can now say that he has increased his scoring average and his assist average from his freshman season. His efficiency numbers and his shooting percentages have dipped, but that’s what it took to get those numbers.
And don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a criticism. The kid came back to Raleigh out of loyalty to the program and Kevin Keatts. He deserves to go out there and get those numbers. we should all want him to go as high in this year’s draft as possible. To show future players that coming back to the school does work out, and does earn you more money in the long run.
Smith has been a huge part of this basketball team. Many nights he’s been the best guy on the court, and his presence alone puts pressure on opposing defenses. Without him, Joiner isn’t scoring as much. Without him, Burns isn’t feasting off one on one matchups. Honestly, without him most of the guys on this team aren’t even here.
That said, I’d love to see Smith ease into the postseason a little bit. While all the lights are going to be shining on him, its likely that he’s going to want to come out on fire. Launching and connecting on deep 3s. Sending NC State fans into a frenzy. But that’s not really what scouts want to see and that’s really not what NC State needs.
What NC State needs from Smith is for him to be a calculated killer. Not coming out all hyped up, but instead, laser-focused and locked in on the task at hand. Let the defense overplay him, get his teammates involved, and when the focus on him eases up, bury them in a scoring spree within the flow of the game.
Smith has shown the fans, the coaches, and the scouts just about everything at this point. Everyone is sold on his scoring ability, his passing ability, and his playmaking ability. The one last thing Smith could show in his final few games in Raleigh is patience. Let the game come to him. Don’t worry about averages or totals. Just work on getting good, clean looks and they’ll fall.
Do that, and I’ll bet you Smith unlocks a level we haven’t seen all season long, which will finally unlock the full potential of this NC State team.
Clemson Game: I’m surprised to see line on game is Clemson +2.5. I figured it would be more like -2
No way Clemson shoots lights out like last matchup.
First game, we shot poorly overall and Clemson beat us at FT line, DJ fouled out with only 5 pts. We had 8 turnovers to their 7. Hunter Tyson scored 31 with 4-5 3 pointers. Second game, we shot poorly again, they shot lights out. Smith had foul trouble They out-rebounded us. We had 10 turnovers to their 11. Burns had 24 pts. Brevin Galloway had 28 pts with 4-5 3 pointers and 10-10 FT Key to game seems to be to shoot better and to not allow anyone to shoot 4-5 3 pointers. The problem is with DJ on… Read more »
VTech post game: Impressive performance. Excellent on both defense and offense. Surely there’s no question we are in the NCAAT now, at worst a 10 seed.
I like we got to get some subs in late. It seems like Pass is getting more minutes now than LJ, who got more minutes during most of the season. I think that’s mostly a matchup decision, Pass is the quick guy, LJ more physical. Both of those guys are a luxury to have as backup guards.
Credit to KK for having our guys ready to go.
VT Game First Half: That was fun. Life gets so much easier when Smith is on. Ebe was so much fun to watch. Gantt doing what he does best, sure hope he’s OK.
Smith blocking that shot and taking it to the hoop on the other end was epic. Ebe’s block and followup down court was equally great.
Team defense has been spectacular.
That was the most relaxed I was all day! And Smith, welcome back!!!
VT game: We are favored by 2 pts. Playoffstatus has us at 61% chance to win.
I predict my stress limits will be tested.
The game hasn’t even started yet, and my stress limits are already being tested.
The officials already suck!
Although most of us realized T has been pressing this year, you did a very good job of explaining it. Nobody has written or really talked about it. Good work.
Smith is the most overrated player for State since Brandon Costner and Damien Wilkins.
Smith outscored Joiner by 2 points but took 67, yes 67 more shots than Joiner. Joiner’s assist to turnover ratio was higher than Smith. Joiner had more rebounds. 50% less fouls and much higher percent made in all three shooting categories. Why do you keep pushing Smith. The media has ruined him. On the other hand, Keatts made some good decisions on the transfers this year.
VT and Notre Dame, playing it close after a slow start from the Irish. My fear exactly.
I’m glad its a tight, tough game.
Yep.
I was hoping for OT. Maybe 5 or 6 of them
VT played 8 guys with significant minutes, so they aren’t likely to be very fatiqued. Looking at the box score, the game close to even in almost every stat. They shot well from 3 pt line, and got to the foul line a lot.
I would not be surprised to see VT get off to a hot start since they are in game mode already, if so we just need to weather that storm and keep pounding away.
Completely agree, VT will be accustomed to the environment and fired up because of the win. Conversely, we’ve been off for 10 days and are riding a 2 game losing streak. It’ll be tough all the way under the best of circumstances, but like you said, we need to not fall behind significantly right away – like we have done recently. Not sure we’ll be able to dig our way out of too big an early deficit.
Our likely path runs through VT, Clemson, UNC, and Miami. Brutal. Let’s get the first one!!
Mike Brey ripped officials big time in post interview. Said they were the ‘B team’. I think I’d like to see him do some broadcasting.
That’s a different take. I see a ball hog trying to get to the NBA. No one is going to take him based on this years performance. The team does not need him to win. We play as a team without him.
Who leads the team in assists?
Who leads the team in missed shots, bad shots, and turnovers?
I think the article is pretty spot on. I’ve said all along that he just needs take what the defense gives him and let the game come to him. I disagree that the team doesn’t need him to win. He requires so much focus that it forces other teams to put all of their energy on him which then opens up other people. By default, simply having him on the floor creates opportunity for other players. He’s also a playmaker. To further disagree with your point, he could have left for the NBA last year but instead chose to come… Read more »
Some folks also don’t appreciate Smith’s defense.
He could have left for the NBA last year with no guarantee of being drafted. He could have solidified his position by playing well. That hasn’t happened but he does have time this year to impress. I disagree with the focus on him during the game. He shoots so far out that the defense just stays home for the miss which more than likely is going to happen. Forces shots and plays piss poor defense. Give me Casey all day long instead of Smith.
I don’t disagree with him taking shots he shouldn’t, nor that when he shoots so far out (especially when it’s the very first shot within ten seconds of the shot clock), he takes shots away from his teammates that in turn requires very little D from the other team. But part of that has to do with him letting the game come to him and not forcing his shot. That’s kind of been the missing “it” factor. If he can slow down a millisecond, he’d do himself wonders. I’ve criticized him for this pretty much all season. He’s not unlike… Read more »
People used to say similar stuff about Allerik Freeman. That he was a selfish ball hog, the team would be better without him, etc. Those folks were proven incredibly wrong. Even heard a little of that about Dorn when he went through a rough patch. Such is life in fan discussion forums. Not only is Smith super valuable to the team, hes also just a great person and I’m so glad he came back. He’s always cheering for his teamates even when he is struggling. He brings so much energy and positivity. He’s creating offense for others with assists, he’s… Read more »
Yeah. I’m not saying he’s a ball hog. I’m saying he has to slow down a notch and take what the defense gives him. I also fear he’s running out of time and that now is as good a time as any to have this click. No doubt he’s valuable.
Oh, I know you were not saying that about Smith, I was responding more to the discussion in general than specifically anything you said.
I agree T’s shot selection could improve, particularly early in the clock, but personally I’d rather not have him thinking about it too much and just play. Its a tough balance.
Got it! I agree, I want to see that unconscious, in the zone, Smith.
FSU players must feel sick after losing the way they did. Lesson = don’t stop attacking.
I’d like to see Jarkel work to create more good shots for T by driving then kicking back out on occasion. Its harder to score when your PG doesn’t have many assists. Maybe we need to call Sidney Lowe and get some of his isolation plays that so often worked for Scott Wood.
Agree – if you watch Morsell last season versus this season, there’s a slight pause before the shot this year – and it’s made an incredible difference. I think both T and Jack could take a nanosecond or so more to get his form set just right, and pull the trigger.
After watching that dismal performance against Clemson in person, in front of a packed PNC, I have no idea what to expect in Greensboro in front of a Thursday night crowd, and I’m sweating it badly.