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5 Takeaways from NC State’s 74-68 loss to OK State

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2 years ago

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NC State looked dominant early, but fell apart at the end of the first half and never recovered. Falling to OK State 74-68. Here are our takeaways.

1. Man to man half-court defense was amazing
Say what you want about this team, but when they want to defend, they can really fluster an opponent.  Coming out of the gates, and honestly, for the majority of the first half, NC State was smothering OK State who barely got any open looks from the outside and when they did, were completely challenged. Cam Hayes, Casey Morsell, and Dereon Seabron did an amazing job keeping their men out of the lane. They held OK State to 39% shooting, 25% from 3pt land. Overall, this is a good sign moving forward for this young team. State wins this game handily with Manny Bates on the floor.

2. Keatts stuck with the full-court zone press too long
The full-court press sped up OK State and ended up getting the Pack back in the game, but there were way too many easy buckets and ally oops being scored when the Cowboys were able to break it. Without Bates, Dowuona and Gibson are sitting ducks under the basket if you can’t slow them up. Hindsight is 20/20 but even in the moment there were numerous times that we felt Keatts should have just man pressed to speed up-tempo and relied on his halfcourt defense which had been great for a majority of the game.

Now, to his credit, he probably was trying to figure out ways to play the game without giving the Cowboys a chance to dump it down and score on the blocks (which they were doing pretty easily). But the gamble ended with too many uncontested layups. Not sure the other way wins you the game, but there’s nothing easier in basketball than an uncontested dunk.

3. NC State didn’t get what they needed from Terquavion Smith
As we stated in our preseason previews, Smith is a freshman (a very talented one), so there is going to be ups and downs. This was one of the downs. State needed his scoring ability off the bench, but he just couldn’t connect. This was his first game against a Power 5 opponent and playing against more physical guards, so I guess you should have expected it. However, if this team is going to be a factor, they need Smith to be able to put up at least 8 points or more per game. We felt as if Keatts should have worked to get him more minutes in the second half, but he was off and Keatts opted to go with the guys who had experience.

4. Another year with no point guard
I know they list Cam Hayes as a point guard, I know he’s done a good job at limiting turnovers, and I know he’s just a sophomore, but Keatts needs a playmaker up top. Someone who can probe the defense and find open guys. Hayes just isn’t doing that. He continues to struggle when forced to change direction in traffic, and his body control on the drive just isn’t there. When he’s making plays its mostly off the ball or on kick-outs. Keatts needs to find an answer here. Maybe it’s Seabron at the point, or maybe its Breon Pass getting acclimated to the college game, but either way, they are going to consistently struggle to get clean looks if they don’t have someone who can get into the lane and create.

5. Couldn’t stop the OK State bigs
With Bates out, everyone knew this would be a problem. Actually, Dowuona held his own in the first half, but once the Cowboys figured out that they needed to clear the lane and attack one on one in the post, NC State fell apart. Dowuona needs more time, Gibson is a capable backup, but he’s stuck to the ground and slow to adjust in the post. Ernest Ross shows flashes but he too is just a freshman and isn’t going to stop a veteran big. This is NC State’s weak point and it will be all season. Keatts needs to figure out a way to hide this flaw. The answer is going zone, but Keatts entire system is based on ball pressure and pushing tempo. They’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place here, and it’s certainly going to be the thing that holds this team back from accomplishing what it would have been able to if Bates was on the floor.

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travelwolf
travelwolf
2 years ago

1 Takeaway from NC State’s first 2 games… We SUCK. It’s going to be a frustrating losing year. By the end of the year, maybe we will have a decent team, but it’s going to take a lot of mistakes (i.e. losing) to mold this team into what Keatts wants it to be. He’s got the talent, but it’s too young and inexperienced. Also, WTF is up with not being able to recruit bigs. This is what happens. When your team is dependent on one player for a position, NC State Shit will happen and that player will be gone.… Read more »

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Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago

What in the world has happened to Cam? Last season he average 4 apg and 4.5 rebounds. This season 2 apg and 1.8 reb. (but his scoring is up) I thought all that bulking up would result in better rebounding, and I thought his assists would improve with his experience. I have noticed he’s struggling with cramps every game. We’re already asking Dereon to lead us in scoring and rebounding, I’d hate to ask him to play point too. But Pass is too inexperienced. Maybe Allen? He hasn’t earned his keep much yet. We’ve got a long road before we’re… Read more »

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Rev
Rev
2 years ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Cam, the dreaded sophomore slump.

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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 hours 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.

 

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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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NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

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16 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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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.

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NC State Basketball

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

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17 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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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.

 

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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.

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NC State Basketball

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

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2024

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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.

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