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ACC OPENER BREAKDOWN: Louisville has a well-balanced attack, but NC State matches up well

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Louisville comes into tomorrow’s ACC opener with a 5-2 record with losses to Furman and #22 Michigan State. Their best win so far was a 63-55 win over Maryland. So what should we expect when they head to Raleigh to take on the Pack?

Well, first off, this Louisville team really doesn’t have a super-star. They are well-balanced. Their leading scorer is SG Noah Locke at 11 points per game. After that, it’s guard Dre Davis at 9 points and senior forward Malik Williams at 8.

Locke is a Senior guard who has averaged 10 points over his sophomore and junior seasons. He can get hot, and when he does, he’s hard to handle. He’s 6’3 and can score off the dribble, but he’s also a good catch and shoot guy. He’s shooting just 33% from 3 and 35% from the field, but over the past two seasons, he’s been over 40% from long range and over 42% from the floor. Now, Locke is talented, but it’s not like State can’t match up with him. All of the Pack’s most-used guards are over 6’3 (and quick), so there won’t be a mismatch in this situation.

The big problem for State may be senior forward Malik Williams. The 6’11 big is mobile, long, and a rebounding machine. Ebe Dowuona has been making some huge strides over the past 3 games, but he’s going to be giving up 25 pounds to Williams, and it’s likley Louisville will try to spread the floor and attack him. This matchup will be interesting, and likely play a big role in which team comes out on top.

The matchup, size-wise looks like this…

West (5’11) vs. Hayes (6’3)
Locke (6’3) vs Morsell (6’3) or Smith (6’4)
Davis (6’5) vs Seabron (6’7)
Withers (6’8) vs. Hellems (6’7)
Williams (6’11) vs Dowuona (6’11)

While you’d assume NC State has the advantage at PG with Hayes having 4 inches on West, the Pack has struggled over the years against smaller, quicker guards, Power-5 guards. Their ability to get in the lane and cause havoc has been an Achilles heel for Keatts’ squads. West is shifty and really isn’t looking to score when he gets in the paint. He’s looking to set up his teammates, and that’s going to lead to some open 3s.

The good news, for State, is that Louisville isn’t shooting the ball that well from outside. As a team, they’re shooting just 29% from beyond the arc (after shooting just 30% last year).

Looking further into the stats, State has a few advantages. While they too aren’t shooting it well from deep (30%), they are tied in per game rebounds at 41, scoring 10 more points per game than Louisville and turning it over just 10 times per game, while the Cardinals have been pretty careless at 15 TOs per game.

Both teams are shooting 42% from the field and both are getting about 8 steals per game.

Louisville is averaging 12 assists per game, while State averages 10. However, State averages 5 blocks per game, and Louisville hasn’t been protecting the rim that well (just 2.9 blocks per game.)

You can get a feel for how the Cardinals play by watching the highlights above, but in our opinion, this is a winnable game for the Pack. The keys will be getting Seabron off, having Dowuona hold Williams in check, and having Morsell available coming off his ankle injury.

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NC State Basketball

PI EXCLUSIVE: Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill Explains Why He Chose NC State

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Last week, Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) committed to NC State. I caught up with Hill to get his take on why he chose to run with the Wolfpack.

What were the reasons that ultimately led you to commit to NC State? What other schools were recruiting you besides the Wolfpack?

The coaching staff was very professional and straight to the point. They had a detailed plan of my role on the team and how it transitions to the next level. The campus was beautiful, and everyone was super nice. There were several schools from each of the Power 5 conferences that we talked to. The list was very long, and I would like to thank every coach that showed interest in me.

Break down your Official Visit. What did you do? What impression did it make on you and your family?

After entering the campus and meeting the entire coaching staff, we also met with academic advisors. School staff was super nice and acted like we were already family. We had lunch and dinner with staff, the restaurants were prepared, and the food was awesome. We toured the campus with staff, and were treated with a lot of respect. My family enjoyed the coaches and the campus environment.

How did Coach Keatts say you would fit within his offensive system?

Coach Keatts had prepared film on how I would fit into the offense, so after watching the video it was clearly understandable what my role would be.

What impression did NC State’s Final Four run have on you? How did it influence your decision?

NC State’s Final Four run impressed me due to the guys on the team being overlooked and undervalued. They played together and were really enjoying the moment. Basketball can be stressful, however they made it look exciting and fun.

What type of player is NC State getting in Marcus Hill?

Marcus Hill Jr., I’m a great person with a great attitude. I love to win and compete in everything I do. I take pride in defense, but can score from anywhere on the court. I’m unselfish and love to see my teammates succeed. I’ve been overlooked and underestimated, but My God has the ultimate say so!

_______

This past season, Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons. He earned 1st Team All-MAC honors. Even though he was only at Bowling Green one season, he had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 698 points, which ranks 5th all-time in program history for a single season.

For his first two years of collegiate ball, Hill played for Southern Union State College (JUCO) in Alabama. In 2022-23, Hill earned 3rd Team NJCAA All-American honors, and ranked as the #32 overall Junior College prospect.

247Sports ranks Hill as a 4-Star Transfer Prospect, and the #87 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #12 Shooting Guard.

Even though 247Sports and ON3 consider Hill a Shooting Guard, NC State is recruited him as a Point Guard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRh1suQzx08

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Guard Jayden Taylor will Return to NC State for his Final Year

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Guard Jayden Taylor will be returning to NC State for his final season of eligibility.

At this point, I was expecting him to return, but now it is official.

This past season, Taylor averaged 11.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 46.5% from the field and 36.4% from three, which was a new career high by almost 4%.

Taylor started the first 24 games of the season, but after struggling in January, he became the Wolfpack’s 6th man. Taylor excelled as the 6th man, playing some of his best basketball of the season in that role, giving his team a much needed boost whenever he entered the game.

The return of Taylor was essential to NC State’s success next season. In a world where everyone seemingly hits the Portal, seeing Taylor, Pass, Middlebrooks, O’Connell and Rice not do so is a good sign (I know they still could).

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Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar Commits to NC State

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Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) has verbally committed to NC State for her final year.

Weimar took an Official Visit to NC State a little over a week ago.

She is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, and has been named Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. She has earned 1st Team Patriot League Honors the past two seasons.

This year, Weimar averaged 18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a Junior, she averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. She shot 55.5% this year, and 59.7% last year.

With the exodus of River Baldwin, picking up a commitment from Weimar is massive.

With the addition of Weimar, NC State now has 2 scholarships available heading into the 2024-25 season.

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NC State Basketball

Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill Commits to NC State!

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Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) has committed to NC State!

Hill took an Official Visit to NC State this past weekend.

This past season, Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons. He earned 1st Team All-MAC honors. Even though he was only at Bowling Green one season, he had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 698 points, which ranks 5th all-time in program history for a single season.

For his first two years of collegiate ball, Hill played for Southern Union State College (JUCO) in Alabama. In 2022-23, Hill earned 3rd Team NJCAA All-American honors, and ranked as the #32 overall Junior College prospect.

247Sports ranks Hill as a 4-Star Transfer Prospect, and the #81 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #11 Shooting Guard.

Even though 247Sports and ON3 consider Hill a Shooting Guard, NC State is recruiting him as a Point Guard.

Hill is the 4th player to transfer to NC State this offseason, joining Louisville’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield & Mike James, and Georgetown’s Dontrez Styles.

With the addition of Hill, NC State now has 1 scholarship remaining for next season.

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