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NC State Basketball

Kevin Keatts Talks With Media Before UNCG: BULLETED

Published

4 years ago

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Head Coach Kevin Keatts met with the media today before NC State hits the road to play UNC-Greensboro on Sunday. You can watch the video here, or check out a bulleted breakdown below.

  • With us, it’s been a good week for us.
    • Even though I do think we’re playing good basketball because we’re only playing 8 guys in a game, we needed the week to be able to get some guys some rest.
    • We needed the week for some guys to study and take care of their academics.
    • Tried to break the week up.
      • The 1st couple of days, we got some shots up, and toward the end of this week, we started working toward UNCG.
  • Jericole Hellems hasn’t practiced.
    • I will see him this morning. On the road recruiting yesterday, and I haven’t seen him since 2 days ago.
    • Probably be a game-time decision.
      • Got to make sure with our doctors and trainers that he’s fully healthy to be able to go.
      • He’s got to feel good about it, but I also have to feel good about it.
    • Had a low-grade concussion. Passed a couple of tests for the concussion.
    • As far as his back goes, it was great news. No fractures.
  • Probably going to be a 7-man rotation against UNC-G.
    • Danny Dixon was able to go a couple of days ago and was able give us something in practice.
    • If Jericole doesn’t play, then hopefully we can get something out of Danny, which will give us the ability to play D.J. Funderburk a little bit at the 4-spot.
  • It’s good to have the opportunity to be able to play on that court (UNC-G) because we will play the ACC Tournament there.
  • Head Coach Wes Miller has done a good job at UNC-G.
    • They’ve gotten great wins over the years.
      • Beat Georgetown at Georgetown this year.
      • Kansas game was a really great game all the way up until the end.
      • Won against really good mid-major teams on the road.
      • We have the chance to go on the road and play against a very good mid-major team.
    • It’s a game that will be looked upon as a very good non-conference game for us.
  • UNC-G plays with a lot of confidence.
    • Has some veteran guys.
      • James Dickey is a tremendous shot-blocker.
      • Isaiah Miller’s a very good player overall.
    • They shoot the basketball from 4 different positions.
    • Take a lot of threes
    • Tremendous job of mixing defenses up with a 1-2-2 press back to a man-to-man and sometimes zone.
      • They slow you down with their defensive press. They only have to defend you for 17-20 seconds, and if you get a little bit careless they’ll steal the ball from you.
  • In regards to the loss to UNC-G 2 years ago, I care, but the players don’t.
    • They don’t know anything about it. They don’t remember the game.
    • I do. I didn’t realize that we were playing without Markell Johnson.
    • To their credit, they came on the road and got a very good road win.

 

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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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NC State Basketball

The Roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball Team is all but Set Heading into 2024-25

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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NC State does have 1 scholarship available, and could still add a player out of the Transfer Portal. With that being said, the roster for the Men’s Basketball team is pretty much set for the 2024-25 season.

Non-graduates had to enter the Transfer Portal by April 30th, and Graduates had to enter by May 1st. Jayden Taylor and Michael O’Connell both made public announcements that they were returning, but the closure of entrance to the Portal means that Breon Pass, Ben Middlebrooks, Dennis Parker Jr. and MJ Rice are all set to return next season.

In a world where the Transfer Portal has all but become free agency in College Basketball, with some players switching schools on an annual basis, it’s encouraging that Kevin Keatts not only recruited a Top-10 Transfer Class, but also recruited a majority of the eligible players to stay. Three players that could transfer entered the Portal (I’m not counting Mohamed Diarra in these numbers, who opted to go pro), while 6 opted to continue running with the Wolfpack.

As a result, below is a breakdown of the roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball team heading into 2024-25, realizing the Wolfpack could still add one player (this team is deep).

1 year of Eligibility 

Guard Michael O’Connell
Guard Marcus Hill
Guard Breon Pass
Guard/Forward Jayden Taylor
Forward/Guard Dontrez Styles
Forward Ben Middlebrooks
Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield

2 Years of Eligibility

Guard/Forward MJ Rice
Guard Mike James
Guard Jordan Snell (Walk-On)
Guard KJ Keatts (Walk-On)

3 Years of Eligibility 

Guard/Forward Dennis Parker Jr.

4 Years of Eligibility 

Guard Paul McNeil
Guard Trey Parker

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2024 Transfer Class Ranks in the Top-10 Nationally

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4 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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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.

ON3

247Sports

NC State’s 2024 4-Man Transfer Class

Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Louisville)

Guard/Forward Dontez Styles (Georgetown)

Guard Mike James (Louisville)

Guard Marcus Hill (Bowling Green)

NC State still has a chance to move up in the rankings. East Carolina Power Forward Ezra Ausar just wrapped up an Official Visit to NC State, and things are looking good for the Wolfpack. ON3 ranks Ausar as the #67 overall player in the Portal, and the #15 Power Forward.

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NC State Basketball

WATCH: Andy Katz’s Offseason Convo with NC State’s Kevin Keatts

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4 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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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.

Check out the conversation below:

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NC State Basketball

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

Published

5 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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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.

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