Connect with us

NC State Basketball

Gameday: NC State ready for big challenge vs #12 Tennessee | Game Preview & How to Watch

Published

5 months ago

on

NC State Wolfpack vs. #12 Tennessee
Time: 10:00 PM
Location: San Antonio, TX
TV: ESPN2

Tennessee by the Numbers:

  • 7-3 Record with losses to #2 Purdue, #1 Kansas, and #17 UNC (Wins over Syracuse and #20 Illinois)
  • #2 Strength of Schedule in the nation
  • 3rd in defensive adjusted efficiency
  • 4 starters averaging double figures scoring
  • 3 starters 6’6″ or taller
  • 44% FG from the floor
  • 32.5% from 3 point range

About the matchup…

Tennessee, as usual, is a big and physical team and usually, this is the type of team that gives NC State fits. They start a lightning quick 5’9″ PG (Zeigler), a 6’3″ SG who isn’t all that athletic and is having a down shooting year so far (Vescovi), an athletic 6’6″ guard who can shoot (James), a 6’6″ physical shooter, who isn’t super athletic (Knect) and a big, long, athletic 6’10” center (Aidoo).  They have a couple 6’8″ and 6’9″ guys that can come off the bench if they want to go big, but none of them are really dominant offensive presences. However, all of them can defend.

NC State is going to have to be ready for a physical battle. State definitely has the horses to match up with Tennessee, but this is going to be a test of their toughness. There aren’t going to be many straight line drives against a team like this, and usually that would kill the Pack, but this year NC State isn’t relying on those as much.

Instead, they are going to have to have a big game from DJ Burns and run the offense through him on the block. The problem there is that Burns has struggled against long, tall, athletic bigs in the past and that is what Aidoo is for the Volunteers.

I really expect this to be a chess match between Barnes and Keatts. Tennessee can go small or go really big, but so can NC State. We haven’t seen a Burns, Middlebrooks and Rice front court, but if they need that type of beef against Tennessee, they can bring it. And we’ve already seen State use Parker at the 4 to exploit slower, bigger teams.

Either way, tonight will tell us a lot about NC State. If they can hang against Tennessee, then it would put those BYU and Ole Miss games in a different light. But if they get blown out by the Volunteers, then maybe this is another Wolfpack team that’s going to try to squeak into the tournament come March.

Related Topics:
1 Comment
Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
newest
oldest most Upvoted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
wolfpack74
wolfpack74
4 months ago

We beat the span. Great game, not. Can’t play Burns and press. KK is a loser. Fire him know for not having any plays except give it to Burns and back in.

0

NC State Basketball

The Roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball Team is all but Set Heading into 2024-25

Published

2 days ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

NC State does have 1 scholarship available, and could still add a player out of the Transfer Portal. With that being said, the roster for the Men’s Basketball team is pretty much set for the 2024-25 season.

Non-graduates had to enter the Transfer Portal by April 30th, and Graduates had to enter by May 1st. Jayden Taylor and Michael O’Connell both made public announcements that they were returning, but the closure of entrance to the Portal means that Breon Pass, Ben Middlebrooks, Dennis Parker Jr. and MJ Rice are all set to return next season.

In a world where the Transfer Portal has all but become free agency in College Basketball, with some players switching schools on an annual basis, it’s encouraging that Kevin Keatts not only recruited a Top-10 Transfer Class, but also recruited a majority of the eligible players to stay. Three players that could transfer entered the Portal (I’m not counting Mohamed Diarra in these numbers, who opted to go pro), while 6 opted to continue running with the Wolfpack.

As a result, below is a breakdown of the roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball team heading into 2024-25, realizing the Wolfpack could still add one player (this team is deep).

1 year of Eligibility 

Guard Michael O’Connell
Guard Marcus Hill
Guard Breon Pass
Guard/Forward Jayden Taylor
Forward/Guard Dontrez Styles
Forward Ben Middlebrooks
Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield

2 Years of Eligibility

Guard/Forward MJ Rice
Guard Mike James
Guard Jordan Snell (Walk-On)
Guard KJ Keatts (Walk-On)

3 Years of Eligibility 

Guard/Forward Dennis Parker Jr.

4 Years of Eligibility 

Guard Paul McNeil
Guard Trey Parker

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2024 Transfer Class Ranks in the Top-10 Nationally

Published

3 days ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

NC State’s Men’s Basketball team has picked up 4 players from the Transfer Portal this offseason, and the class ranks 10th nationally according to ON3, and 15th nationally according to 247Sports.

ON3

247Sports

NC State’s 2024 4-Man Transfer Class

Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Louisville)

Guard/Forward Dontez Styles (Georgetown)

Guard Mike James (Louisville)

Guard Marcus Hill (Bowling Green)

NC State still has a chance to move up in the rankings. East Carolina Power Forward Ezra Ausar just wrapped up an Official Visit to NC State, and things are looking good for the Wolfpack. ON3 ranks Ausar as the #67 overall player in the Portal, and the #15 Power Forward.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

WATCH: Andy Katz’s Offseason Convo with NC State’s Kevin Keatts

Published

3 days ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Andy Katz is beginning to make his rounds for his Offseason Convo series, and he took the time to meet with NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts.

In their conversation, Keatts talked about what this run has meant to Raleigh and the Wolfpack fans, how it has helped sell the program the way it deserves to be in recruiting, and even how it helped and hurt in the world of the Transfer Portal.

Check out the conversation below:

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

Published

3 days ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Michael O’Connell (@michaeloc_12)

Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

Continue Reading