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Attack the rim and make foul shots…

Missouri is among the worst in the NCAA when it comes to fouling, in fact they foul on 31.6 percent of their defensive possessions. Cat Barber needs to be the catalyst for attacking the paint and could be in for another monster day offensively, especially given the Tigers penchant for fouling. Barber is among the leaders in foul shots attempted as he enters Saturday’s contest with 101 attempts. If Barber and company make it a point of emphasis to drive and not settle for contested jumpers, then the Wolfpack should notch another victory. One player to watch is Caleb Martin, he has been struggling of late with his outside shot, I would love to see him drive the basketball. The best thing for a shooter who is struggling is to get some easy baskets in transition, as well as getting to the foul line.

Feed the big men…

NC State may not have the most skilled post players, but they have been working a lot harder to get the ball in the correct spots. I place blame on the perimeter players for some of their struggles as they have failed at giving them well timed entry passes. Too often Cat and company have been too late or hesitant to give the ball up to Anya, and Abu once they have gained optimal positioning. This throws off timing and forces the big men to have to re-gather themselves which makes it more difficult to make their moves.

Another problem for State is that the guards are bringing help side defenders into the big men by dribbling to close to them to throw the entry pass. Last game was a perfect example as High Point sagged off the ball handler as he dribbled towards the baseline to feed Anya, but the Panthers fronted the post which cluttered the short corner, making it almost impossible to get it in. In this situation all the Pack had to do was retreat and allow Anya to walk his man up the post, put his hip on his defender, then throw the ball over the top…

It will need to be a total team effort from all five guys in order to improve NC State’s post attack.

Go to the glass…

Not only are the Tigers among the worst when it comes to fouling, but they struggle on the glass as well. Missouri is sporting a 238 ranking at -2 in extra scoring chancing, which means State should have a perceived advantage in the rebounding department. It will be important for Abu to continue his strong rebounding performances of late, hopefully he can grab some offensive rebounds to prolong possessions, also get some easy baskets for himself. The lack of rebounding on the part of the Tigers should help NC State to ignite the fast-break. Every fast-break starts with a rebound…

Tip-Ins 

  • Missouri is 5-4, undefeated at home but have yet to win on the road.
  • Cat Barber raised his points per game to 21.4 per game, will he raise it again today?
  • Coach Gottfried is seeking his 100th career win at NC State.
  • Gottfried can become the second fastest to 100 wins next to Everett Case, who did it in 120 games.
  • Game time is a 6PM and can be seen on SEC Network, and as always heard on the Wolfpack Sports Network.

 

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Winknudge_x2
Winknudge_x2
13 years ago

“Can this team replicate Sunday’s performance?”
That’s all that matters. For now all we’ve proven is we’re not one of the two worst teams in the ACC (along w/ Wake). Now show us a couple decent wins, especially on the road.

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Earl
Earl
13 years ago

Good win. However, it’s hard to gauge where a team stands based on an opponent like Wake. I just hope we can get enough wins to make the NIT so that our Seniors can get a few more games wearing the NC State red before it’s all over. I know this is a bit off topic but under the circumstances I appreciate the suspension that Lowe placed on CJL. A lot of coaches may have ignored the whole class skipping. His recent statements about players taking bad shots seemed to be directed at CJL and CJL for at least one… Read more »

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NC State Basketball

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

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1 day ago

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May 3, 2024

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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

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2024 Transfer Class Ranks in the Top-10 Nationally

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2 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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NC State’s Men’s Basketball team has picked up 4 players from the Transfer Portal this offseason, and the class ranks 10th nationally according to ON3, and 15th nationally according to 247Sports.

ON3

247Sports

NC State’s 2024 4-Man Transfer Class

Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Louisville)

Guard/Forward Dontez Styles (Georgetown)

Guard Mike James (Louisville)

Guard Marcus Hill (Bowling Green)

NC State still has a chance to move up in the rankings. East Carolina Power Forward Ezra Ausar just wrapped up an Official Visit to NC State, and things are looking good for the Wolfpack. ON3 ranks Ausar as the #67 overall player in the Portal, and the #15 Power Forward.

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NC State Basketball

WATCH: Andy Katz’s Offseason Convo with NC State’s Kevin Keatts

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2 days ago

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May 2, 2024

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Andy Katz is beginning to make his rounds for his Offseason Convo series, and he took the time to meet with NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts.

In their conversation, Keatts talked about what this run has meant to Raleigh and the Wolfpack fans, how it has helped sell the program the way it deserves to be in recruiting, and even how it helped and hurt in the world of the Transfer Portal.

Check out the conversation below:

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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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3 days ago

on

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.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Michael O’Connell (@michaeloc_12)

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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