Connect with us

NC State Basketball

It’s Not Over Till It’s Over

Published

on

Look…I know the odds of NC State’s Men’s Basketball team going to the NCAA Tournament is next to zero percent.

In fact, according to Bart Torvik, the Wolfpack have a 1.1% chance of making the Dance as an at-large bid.

Don’t accuse me of wearing rose colored glasses, because I’m not. The fact remains, it’s not over until it is over.

What would have to happen for NC State to make the NCAA Tournament?

More than likely, NC State would have to win out the rest of the way, in games against Boston College, @ FSU, @ UNC, Duke and @ Pitt.

Maybe there’s a scenario where the Wolfpack beats BC, FSU, Pitt and beats either Duke or UNC. In order for that to play out, I imagine the Wolfpack would have to make a splash in the ACC Tournament as well.

Or maybe NC State could earn a bid winning 4 of 5 if they all of a sudden put together astronomical offensive and defensive efficiency numbers, which thus far has killed their position in the NET Rankings.

Either way, you would need some legit Cardiac Pack vibes for this team to make the Dance.

Call me unrealistic, but I think NC State should be in the NCAA Tournament every single season. Historically speaking, heading into this season, NC State ranked 27th for the most wins in college basketball history. If I lowered the standard a bit to 75%, accounting for an off year every now and then, the program is still way off the mark.

Read into this what you will, but if the Wolfpack doesn’t go to the Big Dance this year, that means they will have only gone twice in the past 7 years, and in my opinion, that’s unacceptable.

With that being said…GO PACK!

Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

5 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
5 Comments
newest
oldest most Upvoted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
PackGrad90
PackGrad90
2 months ago

It’s been over since KK came to town. We have know this for years. Only wins are against lower tier teams. Not even a 50% winning percentage since coming to NCSU. Even though conference has been down for the last several years. Tired of always being talked about as a bubble team. Time to move on and find a real WINNER. not just someone who says he is.

PackGrad90
PackGrad90
2 months ago
Reply to  PackGrad90

That’s 50% in the ACC.

NCSUMets
NCSUMets
2 months ago

On another board, someone suggested 14 conference wins (counting the ACC tournament) along with a win over UNC or Duke would get the Pack into the NCAA tournament. They have 8 now with 5 remaining, including ones against both of the blues If they win out, that’s 3 more Q1s. But odds are heavily against winning in Chapel HIll. But what if they go 4-1 – which would still require a lot to go right – would that be enough with a win or two in the ACC tourney? I’d say they still have a puncher’s chance. But someone is… Read more »

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
2 months ago
Reply to  NCSUMets

How many with just his players? How many four or five starts signed and never played a single minute on the court. Too many. We talk about this every year and it’s now time to get rid of him.

Last edited 2 months ago by wolfpack74
wolfpack74
wolfpack74
2 months ago

We are making a splash ok. It’s called a belly flop. Flop is the optimum word here just like KK career at NCSU. The chance is 0.0001% to get to the NCAAT. But if it happens, I will be the first to eat my words.

NC State Basketball

Former NC State Forward Ernest Ross Commits to UTSA

Published

on

Former NC State Forward Ernest Ross has committed to UTSA for his final year of eligibility.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Eway♻️🏂 (@thebiggesteworld3)

Ross played in 14 games this year, 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 the 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.

 

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

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

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

The Roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball Team is all but Set Heading into 2024-25

Published

on

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

Continue Reading