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Gameday Cheatsheet: How does NC State match up against undefeated Ole Miss?

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6 months ago

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The Game:
NC State (4-1) is in Mississippi to take on the Rebels of Ole Miss, who are currently undefeated at 5-0.

How to Watch:
Tip-off is at 9 pm EST and the game is televised on EPSN2.

The Odds:
Ole Miss may be slight Vegas favorites (-1.5) against the Pack, but KenPom’s data says NC State wins this one by 3.

The Records Coming In:
The Rebels might be 5-0 but that record might be a little deceiving, seeing as their largest margin of victory is only 10 points, and that was at home against Alabama St. They then beat Eastern Washington by 9, Detroit Mercy by 1, and Same Houston State by 3 (All 3 at home). They then traveled to Temple (who had just lost to Columbia), and beat them by only 1.

So, yeah, Ole Miss is winning games, but none of those wins are all that convincing, and their Strength of Schedule currently sits at 215 out of 362. Meanwhile, the Pack is 4-1 with their strength of schedule sitting at 68th.

Getting to know Ole Miss:
If you want to get a good idea of the type of game the Rebels like to play, check out these highlights from their 1 point win over Temple just a week ago.

They are an experienced, guard-oriented team led by 6’6″ Senior Allen Flanigan, 6’4″ Senior Matthew Murrell and 5’11” Junior Jaylen Murray. They also rely on 6’4″ Sophomore TJ Caldwell coming off the bench for outside shooting.

The guys you need to worry about from beyond the arc are Murray and Cladwell, and while Flanigan is leading the team at 50% from long range, he’s only 4-8 on the season, meaning he doesn’t like to rely on the 3 for his points. Flanigan is going to put pressure on the defense by driving to the rim and finishing in traffic.

Inside, the Rebels rely on 6’8″ Senior Jaemyn Brakefield and 7’5″ (yes, you read that right) Senior Jamarion Sharp. Neither guy is really a banger, and despite being super tall, Sharp is pretty frail and easily moved around under the hoop.

How NC State matches up:
This is a pretty good matchup for NC State. There really isn’t a true mismatch anywhere on the court. While a lot of teams may have trouble with the 3 guard lineup that Ole Miss will put out there, Keatts is also going to be running 3 guards out there. Brakefield is going to play a majority of the minutes at the 4, but the combo of Diarra and Parker should be able to handle him just fine. Meanwhile, at the 5, Sharpe will likely play most of the minutes, but he’s going to struggle against Burns, who has 40 pounds on him.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
5 months ago

Fire KK. He is useless. His style will not win.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
5 months ago

Looks like, not at all.

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NC State Basketball

NC State is Adding UMASS’ Brett Nelson as an Assistant Coach

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4 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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According to reports, NC State is adding UMASS’ Brett Nelson as an Assistant Coach.

Nelson was only at UMASS for 1 season under Frank Martin. Prior to that, Nelson was the Head Coach at Holy Cross for 4 seasons, posting a 27-84 record.

Prior to taking the Head Coaching mantle at Holy Cross, Nelson was at Marquette for 5 seasons, spending the first 3 as an Assistant Coach, and the final two as an Associate Head Coach. Prior to Marquette, Nelson also served as an Assistant Coach at Ball St., Drake, Arkansas and Marshall.

Before coaching basketball, Nelson played for the University of Florida from 1999-2003. He was All-SEC twice, and earned Third Team All-American honors. When he left Gainesville, he was the Gators’ all-time leader in three pointers made, and ranked 2nd in steals.

As a Senior in High School, Nelson was a McDonald’s All-American.

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NC State Basketball

Ernest Ross Announces He is Returning to NC State

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4 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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Power Forward Ernest Ross announced this morning that he is returning to NC State for his final year of eligibility.

 

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Last Friday, Ross committed to UTSA after entering the Transfer Portal on April 17th, but it looks like he had a change of heart over the past couple of days.

NC State has been in desperate need to add a Big out of the Portal. They have hosted ECU’s Ezra Ausar and Georgia’s Frank Anselem-Ibe, but neither of them have found a home yet. With the addition of Ross, NC State has added depth in the Frontcourt, and unless something changes, their roster is full with 13 scholarship players.

Ross played in 14 games this past season, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest. After playing in 34 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest, Ross saw his participation dip to a career low this season, but that didn’t for a second break his infectious personality. On the sideline, you could count on Ross every single game to be the heart and soul of the Wolfpack on the bench. To watch a player who played as little as he did, care as much as he did, makes me super proud that this young man represented NC State so well.

Ross was a consensus 4-star player in NC State’s 2021 recruiting class, with 247Sports ranking him as the #60 overall player nationally. ESPN ranked him as the #5 overall player in the state of Florida.

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NC State Basketball

A Matchup Between NC State & Marquette Next Season Might be in the Works

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4 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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According to NCAA.com’s Andy Katz, a matchup between NC State and Marquette next season might be in the works.

This past year, the Wolfpack defeated the Golden Eagles 67-58 in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

NC State and Marquette have played one another 6 times overall, with the Wolfpack holding a 4-2 lead in the series, winning the past two matchups.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Men’s Basketball Will Play in the 2025 Maui Invitational

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5 days ago

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May 14, 2024

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The NC State Men’s Basketball Team will be playing in the 2025 Maui Invitational, on November 24-26 in Hawaii. This will mark the first time that NC State has ever played in the Maui Invitational.

NC State will be joined by Baylor, Oregon, Seton Hall, Texas, UNLV, USC and Chaminade.

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