Should NC State basketball be worried after close exhibition win vs Lees-McRae?

RALEIGH — N.C. State basketball got a look at its retooled roster on Wednesday against Division II Lees-McRae in the Wolfpack’s lone exhibition game ahead of the 2024-25 season.

It was a nerve-wracking opener for N.C. State, which had to fight to the finish against the feisty Bobcats to earn a 79-75 win at the Lenovo Center. The Wolfpack had a 21-point lead early in the second half before Lees-McRae flipped the script and tied the game with just over three minutes left.

N.C. State used a 7-0 spurt, including five free throws, to create separation down the stretch. The Wolfpack had 19 turnovers,12 assists, and was outscored 50-35 in the second half.

But, as head coach Kevin Keatts noted in his postgame press conference, the Wolfpack had a 10-point exhibition win against Mount Olive last season before ending the year with a magical postseason run.

The Wolfpack, which won the ACC Tournament before a run to the Final Four last season, returns lead guards Michael O’Connell and Jayden Taylor to surround eight newcomers.

Keatts added several players via the transfer portal, including former UNC wing Dontrez Styles and Louisville transfer Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. Bowling Green transfer Marcus Hill joined O’Connell, Taylor, Styles and Huntley-Hatfield in the starting lineup against the Bobcats.

Sophomore forward Dennis Parker Jr. and Louisville transfer Mike James were sidelined with injuries.

Ahead of its season opener against USC Upstate on Nov. 4 (7 p.m., ACC Network Extra), N.C. State will unveil a pair of banners at the Lenovo Center as a permanent reminder of the success experienced in the 2024 postseason.

Here are some observations from N.C. State’s exhibition against Lees-McRae.

Who is going to be NC State basketball’s go-to scorer?

Two seasons ago, N.C. State had Jarkel Joiner and Terquavion Smith. Last season, the Wolfpack had DJ Burns and DJ Horne. When the 2024-25 Wolfpack needs a bucket, which player will it turn to? With the game tied at 69 and three minutes left in…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nc-state-basketball-worried-close-011839891.html

Author : The Fayetteville Observer

Publish date : 2024-10-31 01:18:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.