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NC State Basketball

GAMEDAY: NC State vs. UNC | What to know and how to watch

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3 years ago

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NC State Wolfpack vs. #17 North Carolina Tarheels
Gametime: 7 PM
Location: Raleigh, NC
TV: ACC Network

NC State is back in action tonight vs. crosstown rival, #17 UNC. Not only is this a rivalry game, but it’s the Pack’s first matchup against a ranked opponent.

UNC is coming off a 12 point win over Kentucky while the Pack is fresh off a short-handed 19 point win over Campbell.

Let’s take a look at the keys to the game:

– Who will NC State have available? In the past two games, the Pack has been without two of their most important player, Cam Hayes and DJ Funderburk. Those absences were glaring in their loss vs. St. Louis and would make it tough for them to pull off a win vs. a team of UNC’s caliber. There has been radio silence from both programs on who is available and who will be out. If you’re looking for Twitter rumors, you’ll find some saying both are out again, and some saying their sources are saying Hayes is in and Funderburk is still out. We have checked with our sources and are being told they cant confirm. COVID and HIPPA rules have shut off the flow of information, so the best bet might be to just wait until players take the court to find out.

– Who will win the battle in the middle? Last year UNC crushed the Pack in the paint. In game 1, they were outrebounded 42-31, with Garrison Brooks dominating on the blocks on his way to a game-high 25 points. In game 2, State was again beaten on the boards, this time 38-30 and this time Garrison Brooks dropped 30 points on the Pack. If Funderburk is out, State is in trouble. Manny Bates is a true defensive force in the middle, but Brooks and Bacot will be doing all they can to get him in foul trouble. It will be interesting to see how the Pack gameplans if Funderburk is still out.

– Cam Hayes playing is a huge factor in this one as well. Without Hayes, NC State will have trouble keeping up with UNC’s pace. Hayes has the ability to get in the middle and distribute. Without him, they end up playing a much slower pace of basketball and that rarely ends well for this team that thrives on playing fast.

– NC State is a 1.5 point favorite. What does Vegas know that we don’t? They. may be assuming NC State will be at full strength, and in that case, I get it. But without Funderburk and Hayes, there is no way the Pack should be favored in this one.

Again, it’s hard to really preview this matchup when the gameplan truly hangs on which players will be suiting up. Stay. tuned as well be updating you with news as it breaks.

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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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2 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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3 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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3 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

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4 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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