NC State has advanced to the ACC Championship game for the 18th time in school history, which ranks as the 3rd most in ACC history.
UNC – 36
Duke – 35
NC State – 18
This is the first time NC State has played in the ACC Championship game since 2007, when…wait for it…the #10 seeded Wolfpack played the #1 seeded Tar Heels (you can’t make this up). Unfortunately, UNC won that game 89-80.
This will mark the 5th ACC Title Game NC State has played in since 1987.
NC State currently ranks 3rd in ACC history in Conference Championships with 10.
Duke – 22
UNC – 18
NC State – 10
The last time the Wolfpack won the ACC Tournament was in 1987. Who was NC State matched up against in that game? You guessed it…UNC. The Wolfpack were the #6 seed, and the Tar Heels were the #1 seed, but the underdog won 68-67. That team also went through a bit of drama to get to the title game as well, with the Pack winning a game in Double Overtime against Wake Forest in the Semifinals, and a game in Overtime against Duke in the Quarterfinals.
The 1987 team was 17-14 heading into the tournament, with a 6-8 conference record. They needed to win the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament. There wasn’t a shot at an at-large bid.
This NC State team entered the tournament with…you guessed it…a 17-14 record, needing to win the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament.
The parallels between this team and the 1987 team are bewildering.
Similarities yes. However this is our fifth game in a row and UNC’s third game. Quite a difference in the fatigue factor plus we have not come close to beating them this year. We need the blue flu to attack this morning in the Tarheel camp. Go Pack, been a good ride in the post season.
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.
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.
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.
ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.
Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.
Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.
Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.
Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.
Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)
At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.
Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.
Similarities yes. However this is our fifth game in a row and UNC’s third game. Quite a difference in the fatigue factor plus we have not come close to beating them this year. We need the blue flu to attack this morning in the Tarheel camp. Go Pack, been a good ride in the post season.