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‘Our Take’ on NC State’s Collapse Against Pitt

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10 years ago

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In what was probably the ugliest game of their season, NC State fell to Pitt 74-62 after having an early 15 point lead. Here are some of our observations from the game.
Turnovers killed NC State. 16 turnovers, 9 of which came in the first half. This was about as lackadaisical with the basketball as you could look. Cat Barber and Dez Lee combined for half of those 16 turnovers, while Turner and Warren both added 2. This was huge because it led to easy run outs and lots of transition buckets for the Panthers.

NC State’s turnovers led to a lot of breaks for Pitt, but the Wolfpack’s transition D was no where to be found in this one.  Usually it’s NC State making a living off the break, but Pitt dominated this category, scoring 24 points on the break and 19 points of turnovers. This killed the Pack.

Rebounding was surprisingly good against the stronger Panther front line. We’ll talk later about lack of effort in some areas, but that wasn’t the case on the boards where the Pack used a team effort to really take it to Pitt. State dominated rebounds 35-29 and it was really a team effort. Warren had 8, Barber had 6, Vandy 5, Freeman 4 Washington 3 and Anya added 3. This was surprising because Pitt is very physical and more mature than State right now. However, Gottfried’s group of young bigs really held their own and fought for rebounds.

This is where we’re going to talk about effort. I think State came out with great effort. They were feeding off the crowd and making plays, but it looked like they simply forgot the game plan in the second half. State held Pitt to 33% shooting through the first 20 mins but allowed them to really get out in transition and score some easy buckets in the second half, on the way to allowing the Panthers to shoot 62% in the second half. One of the keys was Lama Patterson, who was really held in check in the first half. Give credit to Pitt for finding new ways to get him the ball and get him going in the second half. He finished with 22, but 17 came in the 2nd half.

We’ve got to remember that this is still young team. If we get one more facebook or tweet telling us to stop using the “this team is young” excuse, I’m going to explode. Do you think just because this team played 1 non-conference slate that they’re all of the sudden veterans? The fact is, State is running a ton of underclassmen and those that aren’t have no ACC experience outside of Vandenberg. I understand fans getting frustrated with this team because they’re coming so close to winning big games, and they’re showing glimpses of greatness, but remember that is what young players/teams do. The biggest things that young players lack is consistency and poise. Those come with time, so please enjoy this team but be patient with them, they are still learning.

TJ Warren struggled in the 2nd half of this one. After coming out red-hot, he only managed 3 FGs in the 2nd half. He did finish with 23 points and 8 boards, so that is positive. The thing you are starting to see, however, is that Warren isn’t as consitent when State is forcing things to him. He is a guy who scores in the flow of the game. He’s not as good when you just give him the ball and clear out. This has been State’s problem of late. Teams are taking Warren away with physical play and double teams, but State still wants to go to him. The only answer is for other guys to score within the flow of the offense and make it hard to just focus on Warren. One thing this team can’t do is start going one on one. As soon as things start going bad, Barber starts forcing the issue, Dez starts forcing the issue, Warren and Turner are taking off balance, poor shots. This team needs poise and understanding of the situation. When the opposition makes a run, it’s not time to answer by driving one on one. It’s time to slow it down and get a good look at the basket.

Speaking of the offense, this team is struggling because the offense is way too guard/wing oriented. There is no threat in the post at all. Now, a lot of that is because the guys State has down there aren’t all that polished offensively, but you have to at least feed the post and make it seem like you want the ball down there. Very rarely do you see a two-man-game where the guard dumps it down, relocates, the big kicks it back out, and re-seals. This at least makes the defense work and makes them pay attention to the bigs. State, right now, is way too one dimensional on offense.

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NC State Basketball

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

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3 mins 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)

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

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4 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!

_______

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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15 hours ago

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April 29, 2024

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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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4 days ago

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April 26, 2024

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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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