The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/197085
Ba ketball Preview 2013-14 Five-Minute Guide The Key Names, Games And Numbers You Need To Know For The Wolfpack's Upcoming Season By Ryan Tice What They Are Saying About The Pack • "North Carolina State won't be as talented as it was last season. Won't be as experienced. Won't be as deep. Won't be as good. But the Wolfpack won't be as caustic as a year ago when competing agendas and NBA dreams dragged down their most anticipated season in decades." — Gregg Doyel (Lindy's Sports College Basketball Preview magazine) • "Gottfried gets what he calls a 'blank slate' to start over with after last season's disappointing finish. … Gottfried likened the rebuilding scenario to his second team at Alabama, which finished 13-16 in 2000. Two years later, the Tide won the SEC regular-season title. He's hoping for a similar path to success in Raleigh." — Joe Robbins (Athlon Sports College Basketball Preview magazine) • "Mark Gottfried will need as much experience as he can get this year, and [Ralston] Turner will add just that.The 6-6 wing averaged 9.1 points per game two years ago at LSU and should have a legitimate chance to immediately start for the Wolfpack." — Jon Rothstein (CBSSports.com) • "What the coaching staff has done for the Wolfpack is bring in players who fit the UCLA offensive system. This is a team that doesn't have great depth, but if players accept their roles, this also is a team that has the ability to overachieve." — Dino Gaudio (ACC Sports Journal) • "BeeJay Anya needs to be in a bit better shape than he was in high school. If he drops some pounds, he'll snatch a whole lot of missed shots for North Carolina State." — Frank Burlison on naming the Wolfpack rookie the top rebounding newcomer in the league (Lindy's Sports College Basketball Preview magazine) Three Key Games Head coach Mark Gottfried is one of just three coaches in ACC history to take his first two teams to the NCAA Tournament. photo by Larry Blankenship • At Cincinnati, Nov. 12: The Wolfpack's second game of the year will be quite a test and it comes on the road against a team expected to nab an NCAA Tournament bid this season. Head coach Mark Gottfried's philosophy is that in case his team finds itself on the tournament bubble, he doesn't want the schedule to hurt the Pack's résumé — and it's a smart philosophy — but this won't be an easy game for such a young team, especially at this point in the season. • Vs. Missouri, Dec. 28: The ACC schedule has only gotten tougher with the addition of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. With such a young team and the expectation that ACC wins will be even harder to come by this year, that places an even greater importance on NC State's nonconference games against marquee opponents. This contest caps a key December slate that includes tilts with Northwestern, Detroit, Tennessee and East Carolina as a final tune-up to ACC play. It will be key for State to get some momentum heading into the conference schedule, which kicks off on Jan. 4 at home against Pittsburgh. • Vs. North Carolina, Feb. 26: NCSU draws homeand-home ACC series with Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Miami and archrival North Carolina, while playing one game against every other league foe. Fans' expectations won't be high for 2013-14, but the complaints will be minimal if State can find a way to top UNC in one of their two contests, and the Feb. 26 date comes inside the friendly confines of PNC Arena. The two teams also square off on Feb. 2 in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels open the season ranked No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. Last year's 91-83 win over the Tar Heels at home marked the Pack's first win in the series since the 2006-07 campaign. Since sweeping Carolina in back-to-back years from 2001-03, NC State is 2-20 against its biggest rival on the hardwood. 42 ■ the wolfpacker 42-43.Men's BKB Quick Facts.indd 42 10/22/13 1:23 PM