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NC State Basketball

Wolfpack tame Panthers 68-50

Published

9 years ago

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Hats off the the Pack as they responded to Coach Gottfried’s demands of playing with energy, effort, and pride. The Wolfpack played with the requisite energy and effort to hold the Pitt Panthers to 32 percent shooting and swatted a total of 9 shots. BeeJay Anya turned away 3 shots to lead the Pack and Lacey was right behind him with 2 on the day. Two of the more exciting blocks came from the Martin Twins, both Cody and Caleb displayed graceful athleticism to erase a couple attempts by Pitt.

Anyone who watched this game knew that the players have been under the microscope the past couple of days at practice. Following the horrible home loss to the Bearcats Gottfried vowed that Wolfpack nation would see a change.  I saw a change in the seriousness and approach in our guys as the ball was tossed upwards. Gottfried was a maniac on the sidelines demanding perfection and execution that lead to some fiery exchanges with his players. One timeout was called after Pitt scored an easy transition bucket, only to have Coach Gottfried to tug the 5 men on the court by their jerseys in tight. Within this huddle everyone’s manhood was questioned and sought after! Following this timeout State put on a clinic defensively.

A common sight tonight was the Wolfpack players in everyones pocket it didn’t matter if their man had the ball or not. I absolutely loved the energy and effort the Twins turned in. They both affected the game on both ends. It was a positive sight to see Cody taking a big step forward in joining Caleb today. I truly believe that these two players will be cornerstones for the Pack in the years to come. Cody worked his tail off this past week and reaped the rewards today playing a grand total of 9 minutes. Look for him to earn even more PT as the season marches on.

After being MIA last game Trevor and Ralston came out and played beautifully. The two combined for 35 points while shooting 62 percent from the field. Ralston also had his best game defensively and set a great example for the younger guys by listening to Gottfried. Every time the Panthers tried to whittle away at the lead, either Trevor would hit a signature pull up or Ralston would hit a tough three-pointer off a screen. Lacey also weaved his way through the Panthers defense with some tremendous ball-handling and nifty finishes inside.

By getting the win today the Pack find themselves atop the ACC at 2-0 with a difficult three game stretch ahead. Wednesday; State travels up to Charlottesville to face the 3rd ranked Cavaliers. Following that game NC State hosts Tobacco Road in Duke and UNC. Many may cringe at the thought of having to play two top 5 teams in back to back games, but Gottfried has a different mindset. In his post game report he spoke of the great opportunity ahead for him and his players. He said that he relishes the challenge and loves to compete against the best of the best. This is why Gottfried is the man for the job! He doesn’t shy away from a challenge and he is confident enough to see the process through. Look for the Pack to play with great effort from this point on.

NC State vs UVA is scheduled for Wednesday at 7PM and can be seen on ESPN 2.

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Wolfer96
Wolfer96
9 years ago

I liked the lineup changes. Starting Abu over Anya. Abu while still raw is much more active and has earned that starting spot. I also liked that the other Martin twin got some more burn. Those twins show great energy and hustle which many of our other players lack. -Turner finally broke out of his funk but at this point he seems too streaky to be relied upon.  -Cat has shown again that he is more of an individual contributor and not a true PG.  -Lacey was strong with the ball today and played some good D.  -Anya played better… Read more »

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kjefferson776
kjefferson776
9 years ago

Good game but they still need to play that kid Desmond Lee more he’s a great slasher an a greater defender!

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NC State Basketball

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

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3 days 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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3 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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4 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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4 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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