N.C. State Wolfpack
2020-21 record: 14-11, 9-8 in the ACC
Head coach: Kevin Keatts
Tenure at N.C. State: 5th Season
Career coaching record: 151–75
Home court: PNC Arena
Starters: G Cam Hayes, G Terquavion Smith, G Casey Morsell, F Jericole Hellems, F Manny Bates
Bench: G Dereon Seabron, G Breon Pass, G Thomas Allen, F Jaylon Gibson, F Ebenezer Dowuona, F Greg Gantt, F Ernest Ross
Overview: Kevin Keatts’ squad lost two of its top-five scorers in Devon Daniels and D.J. Funderburk, but it retains much of its core in Manny Bates, Cam Hayes and Jericole Hellems. Of the starters, Bates is the bonafide big man and will provide a paint presence, while the rest will focus more on spacing the floor. Last year ended underwhelmingly, as the Wolfpack failed to make the NCAA tournament and eventually lost in the second round of the NIT, so there is nowhere to go but up for this team.
The X-factor on this season’s team will likely be true freshman guard Terquavion Smith. Coming off his senior year of high school, in which he earned North Carolina Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors, Smith could be the freshest face in Keatts’ starting lineup. However, if the top recruit is unable to be great, the team will most likely struggle as it did last season.
N.C. State will play in Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 15th, right in the middle of ACC play. Duke’s size in Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams will be tough to handle, and the Blue Devils will likely be sizable favorites against their Research Triangle opponents. However, Keatts has put up a good fight against Mike Krzyzewski in the past five seasons, winning three of six matchups, including a signature 22-point win at PNC Arena two seasons ago.
Team ceiling: This team could make the NCAA tournament and finish in the top half of the conference, but it’s unlikely that they’ll make more noise than that. The Wolfpack lost a lot of talent and didn’t exceedingly surpass that talent with their recruiting this year. The rest of the ACC has reloaded, and there’s no reason to think that they will outplay currently ranked opponents Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida State.
Team floor: Like last year, N.C. State could falter, missing the tournament once again and failing to progress in the NIT. This team is not much different fundamentally than last year, so it’s hard to foresee a large jump occurring in the standings.
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