Connect with us

NC State Basketball

NC State Won’t be at Full Strength for Season Opener

Published

4 years ago

on

NC State’s Men’s Basketball team is currently sitting as a 7-point favorite in their season opener tonight against Georgia Tech, but they are entering 2019-20 licking their wounds.

First off, they won’t have Redshirt Junior D.J. Funderburk tonight due to suspension, which puts extra pressure on 3 front court players that have never suited up for the Wolfpack.

One of those is Graduate Senior Danny Dixon, who missed the Wolfpack’s exhibition against Mt. Olive.

Head Coach Kevin Keatts made it clear that they would likely be without a few players tonight due to injury, but he refrained from dropping any names.

Dixon could be one of those missing players (bruised foot). Also, in my opinion, the player most likely to miss tonights game due to injury is Freshman Guard Dereon Seabron, who had a boot on his foot (sprained ankle) at the Mt. Olive game. After the game, Keatts said he didn’t have a prognosis of when his return would be. Finally, Sophomore wingman Jericole Hellems could be one of the players to miss tonight, with a dinged up shoulder. He left the exhibition game, and didn’t return.

Enough of the bad news…Junior Guard Braxton Beverly (knee) made it clear yesterday that he would be good to go tonight, after missing the exhibition game.

Don’t be surprised to see the Wolfpack run an offense with 4 guards at times tonight. Keatts mentioned that Redshirt Senior C.J. Bryce could play the 4-Guard like Torin Dorn the past couple of years.

 

Related Topics:

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

Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

NC State Basketball

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

Published

5 hours 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

NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

Published

17 hours ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

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.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

Published

18 hours ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by SportsCenter NEXT (@sportscenternext)

In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State’s Kevin Keatts and DJ Burns Sounded the Siren at the Canes Game Tonight

Published

1 day ago

on

April 30, 2024

By

NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.

Continue Reading