The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/197085
Ba ketball Preview 2013-14 had all that pressure put on us," Lewis said. "I don't think it hurt us, but it put a lot of pressure on the team. It made people become more about themselves because they wanted to reach those expectations. "We know T.J. will be the guy and the main scorer, and people know that. We have to accept our roles for the team to be great." If Warren, Lewis, Turner and Vandenberg can establish themselves early in the season, that will take some of the pressure off the newcomers. Turner averaged 9.1 points per game and shot 37.2 percent from the three-point stripe in 2011-12, but redshirted last year and has a jump on knowing NC State's offense. The four freshmen and Lee are getting a crash course on the UCLA offense that NC State runs. Warren admits the system took some time for him to learn last year, but he likes the versatility of having numerous players being able to play multiple positions. "Just learning this offense, it's a hard offense to learn, but with my knowledge of last year, I'm just teaching the new guys and leading them in the right direction," Warren said. Challenging Schedule Head coach Mark Gottfried (shown in his Primetime With The Pack outift) will be counting on freshman point guard Cat Barber (left) and sophomore forward T.J. Warren (right) this season. photo by ken martin holding them accountable. I know if I hold them accountable and keep giving them encouragement, they'll play hard every day." Lewis doesn't believe in this season's lowered expectations, but he does welcome them in some ways. NC State was a pre- season ACC favorite last year and ranked in the top 10 nationally. The pressure to live up to those expectations, coupled with players' hopes of getting drafted in the NBA, became a struggle at times. "We weren't loose as a team because we Winning on the road is never easy, especially in the ACC, but the Wolfpack will have a group of newcomers going through it together. The non-conference slate features road games against Cincinnati and Tennessee, while Missouri, Northwestern, Florida Gulf Coast, Long Beach State, East Carolina and Detroit are some of the teams coming to PNC Arena. "We just have to keep our focus," Warren said. "It gets louder away. We just have to trust each other and fight through adversity when things aren't going right. Every team faces adversity throughout the season. You just have to get through that as smooth as possible." NC State's unpredictability could make for a fun season to watch unfold. Duke, Syracuse and North Carolina have opened up as the favorites in the ACC, with Gottfried calling the Blue Devils the best team in the nation. The ACC coaches hope at some point, if not this year, that the newly expanded league will net eight to 10 NCAA Tournament bids. NCSU expects to be in that mix. "We are under the radar right now, but I feel like we will surprise a lot of people," Warren said. "It's going to be interesting to play this season and try to win games. "We are going to open up a lot of eyes and people are sleeping on us now. It's all about what you do in the postseason." ■ 24 ■ the wolfpacker 22-24.Men's BKB Overview.indd 24 10/22/13 12:57 PM