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GAMEDAY PREVIEW: NC State vs. Richmond | Keys to the Game and How to watch

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2 years ago

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NC State Wolfpack vs Richmond Spiders
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte
TV: ACCN
Line: Richmond -2

 

NC State comes in surprisingly as underdogs in this one. I bet you’re wondering how that’s possible. NC State is 7-3, coming off a OT loss to the #1 team in the country, while Richmond is 6-4 without a real quality win and losses to Utah State and Drake.

Is Vegas making a big mistake? Do they know something we don’t know?

Well, it’s likely going to be a close game if you look at the stats and understand that Richmond runs a spread offense (a version of. the Princeton). They do a lot of passing, a lot of back door cutting, and a lot of driving in an empty lane, drawing defenses down, and kicking it out. This is why yesterday, Joey Wolferetti called this ‘the ultimate trap game for NC State.’

Facing a spread offense

If you’ve watched NC State, you know that defending an offense like this has been a weak spot. The last time they faced a spread offense was against Colgate, who took NC State to the brink before losing by 3.

The problem NC State has with teams like this is that they aren’t built to defend them. The Pack is built for ACC play. Big, long guards, stretch forwards who can guard multiple positions. NC State has a lot of success against bigger teams, because the way they switch every screen keeps guys covered and mismatches to a minimum.

This style of play doesn’t really work well against teams that don’t run many ball screens and like to spread the floor. Richmond is kind of a hybrid team, in that they have some size and athleticism, but still play a spread Princeton-style offense. This is a problem for NC State.

An ‘on the fly’ change in defensive strategy

The Wolfpack guards are used to playing up on their guys, taking away shots, and risking the drive, knowing they are funneling the ball handler into the lane where they will be greeted by a lot of traffic and a high-end shot blocker. The only problem is that when the floor is spread, there is not traffic in the lane and there is no shot-blocker waiting. This means that help-side defenders need to pinch in to cut off the drives, leaving shooters open from beyond the arc.

The answer seems simple. Stay in front of your man at all costs. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. The entire philosophy of NC State’s defense needs to change. They need to, in a way, forget everything they were taught, stop overplaying and focus less on deflections and more on positioning. This is not an easy transition for 18 and 19-year-olds, many of whom only understand team defense from the perspective of the strategy they were taught since stepping on campus.

The onus of making this happen is going to fall on guys like Cam Hayes, Terquavion Smith, and Casey Morsell. These are the guys who are going to be guarding the Richmond guards. And while they will have a huge advantage in height, they’ll have a bit of a disadvantage in quickness.

The Richmond guards are small and fast, and unlike most ACC guards, these guys are driving to the lane, not to score, but to create havoc, move the defense and find open shooters.

Stay between your man and the basket.

If NC State wants to win this game, the #1 thing they need to focus on is keeping their defender in front of them. This means giving a bit of a cushion to Jacob Gilyard (5’9 PG). Hayes will have 6 inches on him, so he’ll need to be disciplined in not pushing up too much and encouraging the drive. His length will make it tough for Gilyard to get open looks off the bounce, even when giving him some cushion, and he’ll need to remember this. At the end of the day, if lose, you want to lose with Gilyard hitting contested 3’s over a defender with a 6-inch advantage.

Off the ball, State needs to be subscribed to the same strategy. Give cushion. Usually, Keatts wants his guys in passing lanes, jumping passes or pushing to get deflections. That plays right into Richmond’s hands. The backdoor cut is a pressure valve. When NC State overplays, they cut behind them for an easy bucket. This isn’t the game to try to stay in the passing lane. NC State will take Richmond out of their offense, and in turn, out of the game if they are laser-focused on staying between their man and the basket, both on the ball and off the ball.

Again, NC State needs to come into this game acknowledging that they are willing to lose if Richmond is going to hit contested shots over defenders. The fact is, with the Pack’s size and length, the odds of Richmond doing that is low. They don’t have the personnel to rely on that, and they haven’t been successful trying to do that all season.

However, if the Pack doesn’t adjust to their style of play, then they are going to be playing right into the Spider’s wheelhouse. Richmond was built to beat teams like NC State, and if they’re not careful they’ll be walking right into their web.

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

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5 hours 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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USC Transfer Power Forward Brandon Gardner Includes NC State In Top 6

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13 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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USC Power Forward Brandon Gardner (6’8″/215) listed NC State in his Top-6 along with Jacksonville, San Francisco, Arizona St., Texas A&M and Arizona.

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Gardner was a 4-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, with Rivals ranking him as the #74 overall player nationally, and ESPN ranking him as the #2 player in the state of New York (Christ the King, New York City). He is originally from Waynesboro, Georgia. Prior to playing for Christ the King, Gardner played for Word of God Academy, so Raleigh is familiar to him.

Kevin Keatts and his NC State Coaching Staff offered Gardner when he was in high school.

Prior to committing to USC, Gardner was committed to St. John’s.

This past season Gardner only played in 4 minutes in 1 game for the Trojans, making it a redshirt season.

Gardner will have 4 years of eligibility wherever he lands.

 

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ECU PF Ezra Ausar is Taking an Official Visit to NC State Today

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18 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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East Carolina Power Forward Transfer Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) will be taking an Official Visit to NC State starting today.

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 #57 overall player in the Portal and the #9 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)

Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.

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

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22 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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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!

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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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