The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1043000
36 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2018-19 TOP THREE BACKCOURTS 1. Auburn: The one-two punch of junior point guard Jared Harper and senior shooting guard Bryce Brown have Auburn ranked among the top 15 teams in the country. Harper averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 assists per game last year, and shot 35.5 percent on three-pointers. Meanwhile, Brown averaged 15.9 points and shot 38.2 percent on three-pointers, while he made at least four three- pointers in 12 contests. 2. Wisconsin: Redshirt sophomore point guard D'Mitrik Trice suffered a season-ending injury Dec. 6, leaving a void in the Badgers' lineup. The injury opened up time for current sophomore guard Brad Davison, who averaged 12.1 points and 2.5 assists per game, and shot 35.5 percent from three-point range. 3. Vanderbilt: Sophomore guard Saben Lee averaged 10.6 points and 3.1 assists per game last season and is the top returning scorer for the Commodores. He'll get help from freshman point guard Darius Garland, a five-star recruit who stayed home for college. The 6-2, 175-pound Garland played in the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. TOP THREE FRONTCOURTS 1. Auburn: Junior power forward Danjel Purifoy averaged 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 2016-17, and junior center Austin Wiley averaged 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.0 minutes per game that season. Both are back from suspension. Junior power forward Anfernee McLemore started in their place and averaged 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game last year. 2. Penn State: The loss of star guard Tony Carr will have the Nittany Lions focused more on junior power forward Lamar Stevens and redshirt junior center Mike Watkins. The latter averaged 12.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, but his season ended prematurely Feb. 25. PSU went on to win the NIT title without him thanks to the play of Stevens. 3. Wisconsin: Star fifth-year senior center Ethan Happ is a tough cover 15 feet and in, but will need to improve on his 55.0-percent free throw shooting. He scored in double figures in all but two games last year, de- spite being the focus of opposing defenses. Athletic senior forward Khalil Iverson, who is 6-5 and 210 pounds, chipped in 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in his first year as a starter. Junior forward Lamar Stevens led Penn State to the NIT title last year and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19.2 points in the five contests. PHOTO BY BEN SOLOMON/PENN STATE ATHLETICS Superlatives Mercer sophomore wing Ross Cummings didn't have a steady role until Jan. 27, but when he was turned loose he produced. The 6-3, 165-pounder shot 43.2 percent (57 of 132) from three-point range. Forty-five of those three-pointers came over those last 13 games (3.5 per game). Auburn junior center Austin Wiley was suspended last year for his role in the FBI sting, otherwise he might be playing in the NBA this season. The 6-11, 260-pounder averaged 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.0 minutes of action per game during his freshman year. Vanderbilt freshman point guard Darius Garland, who is the son of former NBA guard Winston Garland, has good vision and enjoys setting up his teammates. Rivals.com ranked him No. 17 overall nationally in the class of 2018. Penn State redshirt junior center Mike Watkins averaged 2.3 blocks per game last year. The 6-9, 254-pounder had seven blocks against Wisconsin and six against Columbia. By The Numbers 8 Non-conference opponents with new head coaches — Loyola (Md.), UNC Asheville, Saint Peter's, Western Carolina, South Carolina Upstate, Mount St. Mary's, Maine and Maryland-Eastern Shore. 19 Consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament by Wisconsin, a streak which got snapped last year with the Badgers going 15-18. The last season UW didn't make the Big Dance prior to that was 1998. 39 Points scored by South Carolina Upstate senior shooting guard De- ion Holmes in a 110-106 double-overtime loss versus Lipscomb on Jan. 29, 2018. SHOOTER REBOUNDER PASSER DEFENDER