The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
60 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JACEY ZEMBAL N C State sophomore small forward T.J. Warren is having one of the top scoring seasons in Wolfpack history. The 6-8, 215-pound Warren proved his scoring ability easily translated from high school to college last year, creating a buildup to what he could do this season. Warren has matched or exceeded all expectations. He has increased his points per game from 12.1 last year to an ACC- leading 23.3 through the first 27 games of this season. As February was drawing to a close, Warren was on pace to win an ACC scoring title — averaging 4.2 points more per game than Duke freshman forward Jabari Parker — and stood tied for fourth in the nation, though he was unlikely to catch Creigh- ton star senior forward Doug McDermott, who was averaging 26.0 points per game through Feb. 24. There have been only seven seasons in NC State history when a player has dem- onstrated this level of scoring prowess. After Wolfpack players posted five seasons averaging more than 23.0 points per game between 1970-76 — Vann Williford (23.7, 1970), David Thompson (24.7, 1973; 26.0, 1974; 29.9, 1975) and Kenny Carr (26.6, 1976) — only Rodney Monroe (23.2, 1990; 27.0, 1991) has posted such a scoring aver- age. Center Todd Fuller was the last Wolf- pack player to lead the ACC in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per contest in 1996. Warren could give the Wolfpack back- to-back first-team all-league performers — joining former center Richard Howell, who was selected last year. Julius Hodge earned back-to-back All-ACC accolades in 2003 and 2004. NCSU has had five different players win the ACC Player of the Year honor a total of seven times in its decorated past (Thomp- son won three times), with Hodge the last to win the honor in 2004. Warren's play has firmly put him in dis- cussion to become the ACC Player of the Year this season. Warren knows a presti- gious award would help raise the profile of NC State, but his emphasis is on team goals. "I'm just focusing on team wins is the main thing for me," Warren said. "I want us to be successful for the most important time of the year [March Madness]. That would be tremendous [to win] and that is a very good award. "It would be great to go to the NCAA Tournament three times in a row. That is the main goal right now." Head coach Mark Gottfried stumped for his star player for ACC Player of the Year honors, and a strong finish by the Wolfpack would help Warren's cause. "I think T.J. is as good as anybody in the league or better," Gottfried said. "I think he has proven it, night in and night out. We'll see. Those things are determined by how our team does." Warren had posted 606 points through the first 27 games, which tied him with Anthony Grundy for No. 15 in school his- tory for a single season. Warren was likely guaranteed to play at least six more games with four regular-season contests, plus the ACC Tournament and a postseason tourna- ment. The six games could easily reach double digits with a tourney run, but if he kept his 23.3-point average for six contests, he was on pace for 746 points. If Warren tallied 746 points each year until he fin- ished his senior season, he would be on pace to break Monroe's school record of 2,551 points. "T.J. is a rare player who makes so many different shots, and I don't think that is something that he practices," Gottfried said. "It is kind of natural for him and the way he grew up playing. That makes him a great scorer." Only six players in NC State history have scored more than 700 points in a sea- PUTTING UP POINTS Sophomore Small Forward T.J. Warren Makes Scoring Look Easy Warren led the ACC and ranked fourth nation- ally with an average of 23.3 points per game as of Feb. 24. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 60-62.TJ Warren.indd 60 2/25/14 3:13 PM