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With the 2015-16 just about to kick off, NC State still has a lot of unanswered questions. The questions aren’t necessarily about the talent, this team is stacked with raw talent. The questions are about roles. Some players are taking on new roles, others are growing into larger versions of the roles they had last year.

Two players that we’re going to be keeping a close eye on in the opener are Cody and Caleb Martin. The twins were always looked at as prototypical Gottfried guys. They’re big, athletic, have great motors and can play multiple positions. Last year however, both had trouble finding their long term niche. They earned their minutes by hustling, staying in the passing lanes and getting tons of deflections on defense, but they both had trouble finding a true position.

Their main problem was their offensive consistency. They both showed glimpses at times, but like any freshman they could be unreliable shooting from 3 or finishing through contact. This year, that should change.

A year in the ACC has the Martin’s ready. Caleb is looking at a starting role and will be relied upon for his ability to attack the rim off the bounce as well as becoming more accurate from the perimeter. Cody is more of an interesting case. With the Pack’s talented but thin front court, he’ll be asked to fill in at the 4 at times. Cody will also be asked to fill in, at times, for Cat Barber at the point. On paper this may not make sense, but it’s a Gottfried experiment that could very way pay dividends.

One of NC State’s biggest questions is ‘Who steps in for Barber when he’s gassed, in foul trouble, or (God forbid) injured?’ A year ago, the answer of Cody Martin may haven’t made much sense. But with his size, speed, handles, and an offseason of training, it might just be genius. Cody has already shown that he can guard other point guards on defense, so if he can take care of the basketball, he could create massive mismatches and carve out quite an unsuspecting role for himself.

We’ll be watching close tonight.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
8 years ago

Going to be a long long season.  I knew this team would suck and it shows unless W&M is a top ten team, Not.

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NC State Basketball

Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

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10 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

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Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

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NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

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22 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.

Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.

Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.

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 #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 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)

At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.

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

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NC State Basketball

NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

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23 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

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In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

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NC State Basketball

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

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1 day 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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