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NC State Basketball

NC State Looking to Build on Momentum vs. GT

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10 years ago

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NC State vs. Georgia Tech
1pm | Raleigh, NC |  ESPN3/ACCN

The Wolfpack is riding high after a big win over Maryland in a game where they were without star TJ Warren. Today at 1pm they need to build on that momentum as they take on Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets and the Wolfpack are very different teams that have seen very similar outcomes. Both are 2-4 in the ACC and both have decent wins and have lost a a few they maybe should have won. Let’s take a look at a few notes on today’s game:

TJ Warren expected to play
Gottfried told the media that he expected Warren to suit up. He’s practiced a bit and seems ready to go.

Look for Turner to have expanded role, Lee to come off bench?
Gottfried needs scorers and Ralston Turner is riding high on confidence after his 23 point outbreak last week. Look for him to have an expanded role against Georgia Tech. If he slots into the starting lineup, as we think he might, Dez Lee might be  your new 6th man. This also will likely hurt Tyler Lewis’ playing time since we may see Lee moved over to the 1 when Barber needs a breather. This would allow them to play Turner and Warren at the same time, giving State another offensive weapon on the floor and allowing them to bust the zones they’ve been seeing so much of.

State must stop Trea Golden
The only real guard that State has to worry about in this one is senior transfer Trea Golden. Golden (an ex-AAU teammate of ole’ Ryan Harrow) transferred from Tennessee to GT so he could be closer to a sick family member. It was huge pickup for GT because Golden is not their leading scorer. He’s a real do-it-all type of guard. He’s not lightning quick, but he’s very strong and a very good shooter inside the arc. He is the motor of this team though. He  handles the ball and sets the pace for GT. Along with scoring 14ppg, he also leads their team in assists, with 3.3 per game.

State must be physical with GT bigs
This team if filled with large guys that can score, so NC State interior defense needs to step up. Forward Marcus Georges-Hunt is the team’s second leading scorer and is a very capable wing guy. He will most likely be guarded by TJ Warren. Inside this team is strong and will pose a real challenge for guys like Washington, Anya, Freeman and Vandy. Robert Carter Jr., at 6’8, 250lbs is a beast. He’s nearly averaging a double-double at 10 and 9 and Miller and Holsey are still at GT (both seniors), they can both score it, averaging 10 and 7 respectively. Keeping them off the boards, not allowing them to get good position and being physical with them is very important for State. Allowing GT to dominate the paint would almost definitely lead to a NC State loss.

Barber needs to keep growing
We know Anthony Barber is going to be a star and is already a great scorer, but NC State’s success rides on him being able to turn into a floor general. I think you’re starting to see him understand what it takes. You saw flashes of it in the second half of the Maryland game. He’s taking better shots, choosing his spots and getting in the lane to disrupt and distribute…not just to score. That is what is going to bring this Wolfpack team to the next level, and I think Barber is slowly but surely coming around. This team isn’t very quick, so Barber’s ability to get into the lane will be huge.

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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

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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.

 

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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