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Gameday: State’s 3 keys to Beating #2 Duke

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9 years ago

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NC State vs Duke
1:30pm | CBS | PNC Arena

Duke is the #2 ranked team in the nation, and while they’re likely going to be going into this ball game with a high sense of confidence, there also is likely a little voice in the back of their heads saying “Watch out! This IS the PNC Arena.”

The reason for this is the fact that Duke has lost 2 of their last 3 road games to NC State and also lost their NCAA tournament game to Mercer in that very same arena. That means the Blue Devils have only won 1 of their past 4 games at the PNC.

“I’m 0-2 there, my sophomore year against N.C. State and last year against Mercer,” said Duke’s Quinn Cook. “I’m not going there thinking, oh Mercer, oh N.C. State, it’s a new team, a new year and hopefully myself and Amile and Rasheed can get our first win in there.”

While NC State certainly will be ready to take on rival Duke, they also will be facing a challenge that they have not yet seen this season – Jahlil Okafor.

That brings us to our 3 keys..

1 | Stop Okafor. The true freshman big is averaging 19pts, 9 boards and nearly 2 blocks per game. He’s unlike anything State has seen thus far. He has great hands, near perfect footwork and has the IQ and anticipation of an upperclassman. State needs to try numerous different looks to make him uncomfortable. Simply playing behind him and doubling down isn’t going to get State the win. Duke has too many shooters and the ability to make plays off the dribble. If State is constantly trying to recover from double teams then they’ll be playing from behind all night.

There is really no good answer for a player like Okafor. He’s 6’11, super skilled and the focal point of Duke’s offense. State needs to constantly give him different looks. Front him some with backside help, double down on him, go zone, try different defenders. None of these are going to stop him, but they could stop him from getting into a good rhythm.

 

2 | Protect the Basketball Duke’s defense has always been a problem for NC State. They push you out and make you run your offense from way beyond the 3 point line. This year State has 2 PGs on the floor for most of the game and has played a bunch of very strong defensive teams as of late. They need to be strong with the ball, come to passes, and not allows Duke’s pressure and physicality to get to them.

Gottfried has had success against Duke in the past because he’s understood how to exploit their lack of size and their constant overplays on the perimeter. He’s allowed his guys to go more 1 on 1 with them, break them down and get easy buckets. This year, while they may be able to exploit the overplays, there is now a beast waiting for them in the paint. How the Pack will handle that, I’m not quite sure.

 

3 | Bigs and Bench State needs more production from their bigs. And no, I don’t mean short baseline jumpers from Kyle Washington. They need to start punishing teams inside, at the rim, and getting to the foul line. Last game, aside from Washington the Pack got next to nothing in the paint. Abu is a guy we’re watching right now and is showing signs of breaking out offensively. The Pack desperately needs him to.

They also need to outlast Duke. Coach K likes to keep his rotation small, but that means that a deep, fresh State bench could take advantage. The Martin twins and Lennard Freeman will be big for State. You will also have either Abu or Anya coming off the bench. Whoever that is will also need to be very ready. Okafor is going to get these guys in foul trouble, so being deep in the paint is going to help big time.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Forward Katie Peneueta Enters the Transfer Portal

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54 mins ago

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April 17, 2024

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NC State Forward Katie Peneueta is entering the Transfer Portal.

Peneueta transferred to NC State last offseason from Sacramento State, where she averaged 8.4 points, shooting 45.5% from three.

In her one year at NC State, Peneueta only played 8 games for the Wolfpack, battling injuries throughout the year. Peneueta has 1 year of eligibility.

With Peneueta entering the Portal, NC State now has 3 scholarships available heading into the 2024-25 season.

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NC State Basketball

Boston Center Caitlin Weimar is on an Official Visit to NC State

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6 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) is currently on an Official Visit to NC State.

Weimar is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, and has been named Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. She has earned 1st Team Patriot League Honors the past two seasons.

This year, Weimar averaged 18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a Junior, she averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. She shot 55.5% this year, and 59.7% last year.

With NC State not having River Baldwin at Center next year, adding Weimar is an extremely exciting possibility.

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four Mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren?

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9 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren? I caught up with the man who won the ACC Player of the Year Award in 2014 to get his take.

What was it like for you watching NC State go from the #10 seed in the ACC Tournament, to winning the Championship, to going to the Final Four?

I’m a second generation Wolfpack basketball player. Wolf blood runs through my veins, so to be able to witness a ride like that was truly amazing.

What did this run say about Kevin Keatts and these players? In what ways did you see them adapt, change or persevere?

I think that is speaks to the heart that the players have. As a 10th seed in the ACC tournament, it’s easy to pack it in and look towards the offseason, but they did the opposite. They bonded together over adversity and that’s what made them so endearing. Hard work in the face of adversity, that’s something that Wolfpack fans can relate to.

As one of the best players to ever wear the Red & White, what did this run mean to you personally?

As I mentioned earlier, NCSU hoops has been in my family for a long time, so it meant a whole lot personally. This run definitely took me back to some of the fond memories I have of putting on the Red & White and playing in front of a packed house at the PNC.

What was the most memorable moment for you?

I think Mike’s shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. It just felt like destiny at that point. Anytime you get to beat UNC and Duke days apart is special too.

How do you think this run can change things for the NC State Basketball program going forward?

I think that it puts us back on the national radar where we belong. After a magical run like that, I think it makes players want to be a part of that. A run like that reinvigorates a program definitely.

_______

Warren is 1 of only 6 NC State players to ever be named the ACC Player of the Year. In his Sophomore season, Warren was named a 2nd Team All-American by Sporting News and the AP. He averaged 24.9 points per game, which is the 5th best mark in a single season in NC State history. Warren scored 871 points that year, which is the most points ever scored in a single season by a Wolfpack player.

TJ was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

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NC State Forward Ernest Ross Enters the Transfer Portal

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1 day ago

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April 16, 2024

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NC State Forward Ernest Ross announced today that he is entering the Transfer Portal.

 

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Ross played in 14 games this year, 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 the 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.

Ross has one more year of eligibility remaining.

NC State has 3 scholarships available now.

Best of luck Ernest!

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