The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1419104
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 ■ 37 2021-22 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW season with a team that's probably going to be ranked in the top five is going to be crazy for us. "It forces us to be prepared now. We have to be firing on all cylinders very soon in- stead of waiting for a game to settle us in." With the prospect of crowds returning to college basketball seeming likely, the Pack could use a home-court advantage from a sold-out crowd at Reynolds for what could be the toughest game of the year. "It's going to be huge," Cunane said. "I've even seen the impact across campus with other sports teams with their turnout and the energy there because people are so excited to have live NC State sports back. I expect the atmosphere in Reynolds to be electric." South Carolina isn't the only test before the Wolfpack gets to ACC play. The Pack will also face two more oppo- nents ranked in the NCAA.com power poll's top 10 before January: No. 4 Maryland and a rematch with No. 8 Indiana — and neither will be in Reynolds. NC State will meet the Terrapins on Thanksgiving Day on a neutral floor in the Bahamas. A week later, the Wolfpack will be in Bloomington to take on the Hoosiers in what is sure to be an emotional game. Like adding depth in the offseason, the Wolfpack hopes facing tougher tests in No- vember and December will help the team be more prepared to go deep into March. ■ Sophomore Transfer Diamond Johnson Adds To An Already Dynamic Backcourt NC State already had plenty of talent on its roster that went 22-3 overall last season. But this offseason, it added arguably one of the most prized transfers that entered the portal this summer. Sophomore guard Diamond Johnson joins the Wolfpack as a transfer who saw plenty of success at Rutgers last year. In her first collegiate season, Johnson earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Big Ten All-Fresh- man team. The second-leading scorer on her team, she averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. "Diamond's going to be a huge addition to our roster," senior center Elissa Cu- nane said. "She brings a very aggressive scoring approach at point guard. Some of our other guards are more defensive or just better game regulators. When Diamond comes in, she's looking to score." She'll be yet another high-percentage shooter in an already efficient back- court. Last season, Johnson ranked seventh nationally in three-point shooting percentage with a mark of 45.5. She also led Rutgers with 2.6 three-point field goals per game. Along with her sharp perimeter shooting, Johnson was productive at the rim and from the charity stripe. She shot 51.2 percent from the field and led Rut- gers with a 90.2 free throw shooting percentage. Johnson was the only player at the Division I level last season to shoot greater than 90 percent from the free-throw line, 50 percent from the field and 45 per- cent from beyond the arc. Her impressive production as a freshman didn't necessarily come as a sur- prise. Johnson was ranked No. 6 overall and third among guards nationally in the 2020 class according to ESPN's HoopGurlz. The only two guards from her class that were ranked higher were UConn's Paige Bueckers and Iowa's Caitlin Clark, both of whom earned consensus All- America honors. Coming out of high school, Johnson was twice named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania. In 2020, she became the first woman to take part in the 24K Showcase at the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic, a men's All-American game. Now she brings that impressive résumé to a team already stacked with talent. "She's definitely going to be a scorer, and I think that's going to change the dynamic because it changes what you're looking for in some situations," Cunane said. "She's brought energy, she's brought lots of scoring to practice already. She's going to be a huge, huge addition for us." — Justin H. Williams Newcomer To Watch Johnson transferred in the offseason from Rutgers, where she was the second-leading scorer last season, averaging 17.6 points per contest en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors. PHOTO COURTESY RUTGERS ATHLETICS