The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/197085
Ba ketball Preview 2013-14 She'll be able to use her quickness against bigger players, she can create shots for other people, and she can take it to the basket herself. We've had success with smaller fours at Chattanooga, so I'm not concerned if we play Ashley there." Newcomers Up Front Jennifer Mathurin, a 6-1 freshman from Montreal, Quebec (the first Canadian to ever suit up for the Pack), will be the one of two newcomers to the frontcourt group. A 15.5-point scorer and 8.8-rebounder per game as a high school senior, the Frenchspeaking Mathurin is making the adjustment to ACC-level hoops and polishing up on her English. "We can't win letting teams have second and third possessions. We want to outrebound every team we face." ■ Assistant coach Nikki West "She goes all-out, and there are times we have to slow her down," West said. "She can rebound and attack the basket. Her challenge is understanding what we're doing and learning the plays." The final frontcourt player is senior grad student Julianna Primm, a 6-0, three-year letter winner in swimming and owner of the NC State record in the 200-meter butterfly who earned a walk-on spot at the end of last season. Primm was an MVP in basketball at Starmount High School in Yadkinville, N.C., and her primary role is expected to be as a practice player and late-game sub. With Burke and Gatling representing the Nos. 1 and 3 scorers for the Pack last season, West is expecting NC State's inside game to produce as much, if not more offensively than it has in recent years, especially with the renewed focus on feeding Gatling in the post. "We'll run stuff for people we feel we can get shots for or mismatches," she said. "We'd love to spread the wealth; but we'll just have to see how things develop." With only two players on the roster taller than 6-2 (Gatling and Daniel), NC State once again will be looking up at most of its Fifth-year senior Lakeesa Daniel, who will serve as the primary backup in the post, has played in 70 career games and posted averages of 13.0 minutes, 3.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. Photo by Ken Martin opponents this year, particularly once the expanded ACC schedule starts with newcomers Syracuse, Pitt and national powerhouse Notre Dame now added to the mix. "It all goes back to their heart," West ■ 2013-14 NC State Frontcourt No.Name 44 Kody Burke 41 Lakeesa Daniel 34 Markeisha Gatling 11 Jennifer Mathurin 40 Julianna Prim Pos. F F-C C F F Ht. 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-1 6-0 Cl. Sr. 5th-Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Hometown (High School) Northridge, Calif. (Notre Dame) Roanoke Rapids, N.C. (Oak Hill Academy [Va.]) Raleigh (Athens Drive) Montreal, Quebec (Champlain College St. Lambert) Yadkinville, N.C. (Starmount) commented. "We get caught up sometimes worrying about how big this opponent is, or how small we are. It comes down to wanting to. We have to focus on everyone buying into our system, doing all the little things we ask." The well-worn cliché that "it's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog" is apt for this year's NC State frontcourt. West, Moore and Pack fans are hoping this relative chihuahua in ACC hoops battles has plenty of fight. ■ 82 ■ the wolfpacker 80-82.Women's Frontcourt.indd 82 10/22/13 2:47 PM