The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1177236
44 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2019-20 2 Projected lottery picks by NBADraft.net among players on NC State's non-conference schedule — Memphis freshman center JAMES WISEMAN is slotted second and Tigers forward Precious Achiuwa is at No. 11. 3rd National rank last year in blocked shots for Florida International senior center Osasumwen Osaghae, who averaged 3.1 per game. He blocked at least five attempts in eight games, with a season-high seven against Charlotte on Jan. 10, 2019. 31 Games out of 36 last season that UNC Greens- boro sophomore guard Isaiah Miller reached dou- ble figures en route to averaging 15.2 points per game. He upped his average to 21.7 in three NIT contests. TOP THREE BACKCOURTS 1. Wisconsin: Redshirt junior D'Mitrik Trice and junior Brad Davison are rock solid, but aren't alone. Senior Brevin Pritzl (4.8 points per game) and sophomore Kobe King (4.2) can provide some scoring punch off the bench, or in King's case a starting role at small forward if he makes a jump. 2. Memphis: The Tigers' No. 1-ranked recruiting class of 2019 included combo guard Boogie Ellis, wing Lester Quinones and shooting guard Da- mion Baugh. The former two were top-50 recruits per Rivals.com, while Baugh was in the top 100. Sophomore guard Tyler Harris returns after he averaged 10.8 points per game last year. It might take some time to mesh, but the talent is evident. 3. Auburn: Who will emerge from a big group of candidates is a little bit foggy, but odds are the Tigers will find two good guards. Senior point guard J'Von McCormick (4.1 points a game last year) and fifth-year senior Samir Doughty (7.3 points, 3.5 boards) will get first shot at the chance. Freshman point guard Tyrell Jones was ranked No. 99 by Rivals.com in class of 2019. TOP THREE FRONTCOURTS 1. Memphis: Length and athleticism will be in abundance with freshman center James Wiseman (No. 1 overall recruit by Rivals.com); freshman for- ward Precious Achiuwa (No. 17); freshman forward D.J. Jeffries (No. 51); Louisville power forward transfer Lance Thomas (No. 147 in 2017), who is a redshirt sophomore; and returning senior power forward Isaiah Maurice. 2. Auburn: Danjel Purifoy averaged 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 2016-17, and teammate Austin Wiley chipped in 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a game that season. Both missed 2017-18 due to suspension, and in Purifoy's case, half of last year too. Add in senior center Anfernee McLemore (6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last year) and four-star freshman center Babatunde Akingbola, and the options are plentiful. 3. Florida International: Senior center Osasumwen Osaghae and fifth-year senior forward Devon Andrews provide plenty of experience. Andrews in particular, has some scoring ability, reaching at least 20 points in nine games, including a season-high 29 against Texas State in the Col- legeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Redshirt junior Sedee Keita, a St. John's transfer and former top-100 recruit, and junior college center transfer Dimon Carrigan, a four-star prospect per Rivals, both arrive and are rim protectors. Superlatives Detroit Mercy sophomore shooting guard Antoine Davis had a staggering 48 points and 10 three-pointers in a 79-58 win over Wright State on Jan. 3, 2019. He also had 42 points and 10 three-pointers in a 91-63 win over Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 19, 2018. He finished shooting 38.0 percent on three-pointers and hit at least four from beyond the arc in 18 contests. NC State isn't playing a lot of teams with volume rebounders returning, so Florida Inter- national senior center Osasumwen Osaghae stands out. The 6-7, 250-pounder averaged 8.5 caroms per game last year. He reached 10-plus boards in 12 games, including a season-high 15 versus Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Nov. 13, 2018 and again at Marshall on Jan. 19, 2019. He closed the season with 11 rebounds or more in five of his last six games. Wisconsin redshirt junior point guard D'Mitrik Trice might not be flashy, but he is adept as running the Badgers' offense. The younger brother of former Michigan State point guard Travis Trice racked up 12 assists over his last three games, including five against Oregon in the NCAA Tournament. The Ohio native averaged 2.6 assists per game against just 1.3 turnovers. Trice dished out a season-high six assists against NC State last year. Few players will have their defense dissected more at PNC Arena this season than Wisconsin junior shooting guard Brad Davison. Top rebounder Osasumwen Osaghae is easily the top shot-blocker on the schedule. However, Davison, a former NC State recruiting target, has taking charges down to an art form, which helped Wisconsin top the Wolfpack last year in Madison, Wis. He also averaged 1.1 steals per game for UW last year. TOP SHOOTER TOP REBOUNDER TOP PASSER TOP DEFENDER By The Numbers PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM/NICK LUCERO