The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/406183
30 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WOLFPACK BASKETBALL PREVIEW 69.6 points per game and opponents shot 42.6 percent from the field. The numbers climbed to 71.8 points and 44.1 percent in 18 ACC games. "We aren't going to be a team that plays in the 50s every night," Gottfried said. "We still can be a lot better defensively than we have been in the past." NC State was able to get a peek at life without Warren against Maryland Jan. 20 last season. He was out with an injury, but Turner scored 23 points and made five three-pointers, and Lee added 14 points and Barber 13 in a quality 65-56 win. En- couragingly, the Wolfpack didn't fall apart without Warren against the Terrapins. "We have to replace maybe the best scorer in all of college basketball last year in T.J. Warren," Gottfried said, "but even though that is difficult to do, we have some guys I think collectively want to step up and show that they can do some things at this level." Tough Schedule Awaits Gottfried is encouraged that the non- conference schedule will once again boost NC State's NCAA Tournament hopes when March rolls around. The Wolfpack will have four games against "name" opponents — at Purdue (Dec. 2), Tennessee (Dec. 17), versus West Virginia in New York City (Dec. 20) and Cincinnati (Dec. 30). Two under-the-radar games could end up being the toughest matchups — home versus Boise State (Nov. 28) and Louisiana Tech (Dec. 23). The Bulldogs finished 29-8 overall and 13-3 in Conference USA last year, while the Broncos went 21-13 and 9-9 in the Mountain West. Gottfried always plans his non-confer- ence schedule with an eye toward putting the Wolfpack in the NCAA Tournament. "We have a great non-conference sched- ule again," Gottfried said. "Sometimes your record may not be as glamorous be- cause you lose one or two of those, but you hope not to, but the end result is you have a better chance of playing in the tournament, and it makes your team better." The USA Today coaches poll came out Nov. 3 with five teams in the ACC listed — No. 3 Duke, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 8 Virginia, No. 9 Louisville and No. 24 Syra- cuse. Notre Dame, Florida State and Mi- ami also received votes in what should be another challenging year in the revamped ACC, which welcomes the Cardinals in place of Maryland. "The league this year is as deep and as good as it gets in a long time," Gottfried said. "I think North Carolina will be aw- fully good with all the players they have and who is back, and who they have coming in. I like Duke's returners with their young freshmen being very talented. I don't know Louisville as well. I've watched them but haven't competed against them. They seem to be in a position to be very good." ■ The NC State players (and coaches) had some fun with Throwback With The Pack night on Oct. 17, but with a tough non-conference slate and the always rugged ACC on the schedule, the Pack will be all business when the season tips off. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN