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NC State Basketball

Previewing NC State’s Opponent: Notre Dame

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4 months ago

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NC State (9-3) will tip off tonight against Notre Dame (6-7) at 9pm tonight in South Bend on ACC Network. Let’s take a look at the Fighting Irish.

The Irish have some acceptable losses, and some unacceptable losses. Notre Dame has losses to Miami, Marquette, South Carolina and Auburn, which are all Quad 1 losses. They also have losses to Georgetown, The Citadel, and Western Carolina, who rank 203rd, 161st, and 104 respectively in the NET Rankings (2 Quad 4 losses and 1 Quad 3 loss).

Notre Dame is on a 2-game winning streak, beating Marist and Virginia in their last two games. The win over the Cavaliers raises some eyebrows. Prior to that, the best win on the Irish’s resume was against Oklahoma State, who rank 134th in the NET Rankings.

UVA was a 9.5-point favorite over Notre Dame on December 30th, but the Irish pounded the Cavs 76-54. The Fighting Irish were lights out against Virginia, shooting 51% from the field and 47.8% from three, making 11 from beyond the arc. On the other side, they held the Cavaliers to 38.2% field goal percentage.

Freshman Point Guard Markus Burton leads the Irish in scoring (15.9 points), assists (3.9) and steals (1.5). He’s scoring a lot of points for Notre Dame, but he’s not their efficient player. Burton shoots 41.4% from the field and 25% from three. He also averages 3.9 turnovers per game.

Junior Guard J.R. Konieczny is the Irish’s most efficient offensive player, with the highest Offensive Rating according to KenPom. He averages 10.3 points (2nd on the team) and a team high 5.9 rebounds.

Burton and Konieczny are the only two players averaging 10+ points per game for Notre Dame, but two other players chipped in 10+ points in their upset over UVA. Freshman Forward Carey Booth tied Konieczny for the most points, with 17. Sophomore Forward Kebba Njie also chipped in 10 of his own.

Notre Dame ranks last in the ACC in points per game (63.6), field goal percentage (40.2%), three-point percentage (28.2%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.78). Their -2 Turnover Margin is second-to-last in the conference.

Despite the Irish’s massive upset over UVA, you can’t lose to Notre Dame if you’re NC State. You can’t add a Quad 3 loss to your resume.

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
4 months ago

Great rid of KKIAL. Can’t coach and can’t motivate. Pass the word.

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NC State Basketball

NC State is Adding UMASS’ Brett Nelson as an Assistant Coach

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1 day ago

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May 15, 2024

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According to reports, NC State is adding UMASS’ Brett Nelson as an Assistant Coach.

Nelson was only at UMASS for 1 season under Frank Martin. Prior to that, Nelson was the Head Coach at Holy Cross for 4 seasons, posting a 27-84 record.

Prior to taking the Head Coaching mantle at Holy Cross, Nelson was at Marquette for 5 seasons, spending the first 3 as an Assistant Coach, and the final two as an Associate Head Coach. Prior to Marquette, Nelson also served as an Assistant Coach at Ball St., Drake, Arkansas and Marshall.

Before coaching basketball, Nelson played for the University of Florida from 1999-2003. He was All-SEC twice, and earned Third Team All-American honors. When he left Gainesville, he was the Gators’ all-time leader in three pointers made, and ranked 2nd in steals.

As a Senior in High School, Nelson was a McDonald’s All-American.

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NC State Basketball

Ernest Ross Announces He is Returning to NC State

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2 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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Power Forward Ernest Ross announced this morning that he is returning to NC State for his final year of eligibility.

 

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Last Friday, Ross committed to UTSA after entering the Transfer Portal on April 17th, but it looks like he had a change of heart over the past couple of days.

NC State has been in desperate need to add a Big out of the Portal. They have hosted ECU’s Ezra Ausar and Georgia’s Frank Anselem-Ibe, but neither of them have found a home yet. With the addition of Ross, NC State has added depth in the Frontcourt, and unless something changes, their roster is full with 13 scholarship players.

Ross played in 14 games this past season, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest. After playing in 34 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest, Ross saw his participation dip to a career low this season, but that didn’t for a second break his infectious personality. On the sideline, you could count on Ross every single game to be the heart and soul of the Wolfpack on the bench. To watch a player who played as little as he did, care as much as he did, makes me super proud that this young man represented NC State so well.

Ross was a consensus 4-star player in NC State’s 2021 recruiting class, with 247Sports ranking him as the #60 overall player nationally. ESPN ranked him as the #5 overall player in the state of Florida.

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NC State Basketball

A Matchup Between NC State & Marquette Next Season Might be in the Works

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2 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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According to NCAA.com’s Andy Katz, a matchup between NC State and Marquette next season might be in the works.

This past year, the Wolfpack defeated the Golden Eagles 67-58 in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

NC State and Marquette have played one another 6 times overall, with the Wolfpack holding a 4-2 lead in the series, winning the past two matchups.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Men’s Basketball Will Play in the 2025 Maui Invitational

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3 days ago

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May 14, 2024

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The NC State Men’s Basketball Team will be playing in the 2025 Maui Invitational, on November 24-26 in Hawaii. This will mark the first time that NC State has ever played in the Maui Invitational.

NC State will be joined by Baylor, Oregon, Seton Hall, Texas, UNLV, USC and Chaminade.

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