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NC State Basketball

NC State getting a 4-seed in the NIT? We’ll find out for sure tonight at 8:30pm.

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3 years ago

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Is the season over, or do we have some more postseason basketball to play?

That’s the question that will be answered tonight at 8:30pm when the NIT selection show takes place on ESPNU. 

The NIT is a little different this year, if you haven’t heard. They are reducing the number of teams from 32 to 16 (removing a round of play) and playing the tournament in a bubble in Dallas-Ft. Worth.  They also have some contingency. plans if a team were to have to drop for COVID reasons. The ‘First 4 Out’ will be ranked and will be added to the field of play if a bracketed team pulls out.

Now, with COVID happening and a lot hanging in the balance, there hasn’t been many predictions on who is seeded where in the NIT, however, this guy, who is also tracking NCAA projections, has also been keeping an updated “who’s in – who’s out’ projection for the NIT. Here is his latest.

In this scenario, NC State is a projected 4 seed, just slipping into the tournament. But the question remains…will they accept the invitation?

I’ve seen a few people suggest that NC State will decline based on what is going on in the ACC Tournament, but based on statements we’ve heard from Keatts, and based on NC State roster, I believe they’d accept if invited.

“I give everybody credit for is pulling off athletics during this tough time. I know everybody says “Why are you playing?”, Well we’re playing because sports has helped people get through some of this pandemic. And our kids want to play. If there was ever a point where kids didn’t want to play then I could see that. But we don’t know what we do to help others when we put our guys on the floor and compete to help someone else get through some of their struggles.” – Kevin Keatts

This is an angle of the pandemic that is not often discussed, mostly because of the fear of the cancel-climate we’re living in. Any suggestion that anything is important or should go on while COVID is still out there seems to be met with vitriol on social media, claiming that by doing whatever it is you suggest can be done, is putting someone’s life in danger. But Keatts, as a coach, is in a position to make this statement and makes it well. He looks at it from the angle of mental health, and like it or not, people’s well-being can be closely associated with external outlets. Their favorite team taking the court may be the only thing they have to look forward to. in their lives in these times. Agree or not, this is the point Keatts is making, and the fact that he publically made that statement makes us believe that if given the opportunity to play, if the players want to play, NC State will play in the NIT.

With that tournament taking place in.a bubble, and NC State’s roster filled with young guys in need of postseason experience, why would you walk away from this opportunity? If there is a COVID situation in Dallas, you just go home, but if all goes according to plan, you gain your young team another chance to play survive and advance basketball, and that is something you can’t simulate on the practice floor.

Will they get the opportunity to even make that decision? We’ll have to wait and find out tonight at 8:30pm.

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Papajohn
Papajohn
3 years ago

I wonder what the team is doing? Have they relaxed? Are they practicing and/or working out? If felt like few thought we’d get an NIT bid until the last few days, is that how Coach Keatts has been thinking?
If they haven’t been staying ready, no need to go to Texas.
I hope they get in, but also hope they are ready to play well.

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Afterglow
Afterglow
3 years ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Good question.

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Afterglow
Afterglow
3 years ago
Reply to  Afterglow

I do think if Keatts had any inkling they would play, he would keep them practicing. There’s no harm in extending a year that was COVID weird.

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Afterglow
Afterglow
3 years ago

Granted, I get that Texas has thrown all logic out the window and has decided that COVID or no COVID, it’s time to throw masks away, lick doorknobs and hug strangers, save for the sane people in Texas. But the NIT teams would be playing in a bubble, under what appear to be a controlled environment. Really, when it all shakes out, competing in the NCAA tournament with teams from states across the US seems more so risky. Let our players play. We need the experience. And I want our season to go just a little bit longer.

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Pack Insider Staff
Author
Pack Insider Staff
3 years ago
Reply to  Afterglow

Right. It’s not like the kids would just be out and about in Texas. They would fly in, go straight to the bubble hotel and not leave the compound. I’m guessing no fans, and I’m guessing mask mandate for those in attendance. Just because Texas took their mandate away doesn’t mean venues and/or businesses did.

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NC State Basketball

Georgia Center Transfer Frank Anselem-Ibe Visited NC State this Week

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5 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Georgia Transfer Center Frank Anselem-Ibe (6’10″/215) was in for a visit to NC State yesterday, according to a source.

Anselm-Ibe was at Georgia the past two seasons, and was at Syracuse the two before that.

Back in 2020, Anselm-Ibe was a 4-Star prospect out of Prolific Prep in Georgia. 247Sports ranked him as the #18 player in the state of Georgia.

Anselm-Ibe hit the Portal on April 30th.

ECU Power Forward Transfer Ezra Ausar took an Official Visit to NC State a little over a week ago, and while things were looking good at first, at this point, it seems like things have reached a point of radio silence. From what I’m hearing, NC State would definitely take Ausar, but they aren’t going to wait for him either.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Women’s Basketball Ranks 8th in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 2024-25 Preseason Top-25

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1 day ago

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May 7, 2024

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ESPN released their updated Way-Too-Early Preseason Top-25 for the 2024-25 Women’s Basketball season, and NC State ranked 8th.

8. NC State Wolfpack

The dynamic backcourt that took the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1998 returns. Aziaha James (16.8 PPG), Saniya Rivers (12.5 PPG) and Zoe Brooks (9.0 PPG) are enough to keep NC State near the top of a highly competitive ACC. How well a new mix of bigs fits in will determine if the Wolfpack are good enough to win the conference and contend for a trip to Tampa. The experience of River Baldwin and Mimi Collins can’t be replaced, so how well 6-5 recruit Lorena Awou adapts to the college game and 6-4 Boston University transfer Caitlin Weimar, the Patriot League player of the year and two-time defensive player of the year, adjusts to the upgrade in competition will have a big impact on NC State’s season. Previous ranking: 8

(ESPN)

ACC Teams in the Top-25

4. Notre Dame

8. NC State

11. Duke

12. Louisville

17. UNC

18. FSU

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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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5 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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6 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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