The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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100 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WOLFPACK BASKETBALL PREVIEW Three Key Games Minnesota, Dec. 3: NC State's opponent for the eighth annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge is 1-3 all-time against the Pack, but went 22-13 last season and won its most recent game in the series (a 71-67 victory in the Nugget Classic in Reno, Nevada, in 2010). Last year's 76-61 victory over Northwestern raised the Pack's all-time mark to 3-4 in the annual inter-conference challenge. UNC, Jan. 4: Nothing like opening conference play on the road against an arch-rival that went to the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA Tournament and returns three players chosen for preseason All-ACC recognition (sophomore guard Allisha Gray, sophomore forward Stephanie Mavunga and junior forward Xylina McDaniel). The Tar Heels have won six straight over the Pack, including a sweep of last year's two games, since an 88-72 NC State win at home in 2011. The Pack's last victory at Carmichael Arena came in 2010, 74-63. Notre Dame, March 1: The Pack closes out the regular season at home against a Fighting Irish team (37-1 last season) that has gone to the NCAA title game two of the last three years. Led by preseason ACC Player of the Year selection Jewell Lloyd, Muffet McGraw's squad is favored by both the conference coaches and media to repeat as conference champion. The Pack is winless in three previous meetings with Notre Dame, includ - ing last year's regular-season finale (84-60) and an 83-48 ACC Tournament semifinal loss. ■ By The Numbers 2 The number of European players that have played for NC State, with the arrival of Bosnia's Sara Boric this season, following Latvia's Inga Muciniece (2009-10). 10 The number of NC State players chosen first-team All-ACC with Markeisha Gatling's selection last season. She joins Linda Page (1984, 1985); Trena Trice (1986, 1987); Andrea Stinson (1989, 1990, 1991); Sharon Manning (1990); Rhonda Mapp (1991, 1992); Chasity Melvin (1997, 1998); Summer Erb (1999, 2000); Kaayla Chones (2004) and Khadijah Whittington (2008). 15 The number that Boric will wear for the Pack — coin- cidentally, the same number Muciniece wore in her two years in Raleigh. 29 The number of NCAA Division-I teams that have won 800 games — a mark NC State reached with its 79-68 victory at Pitt last Feb. 27. NC State is 801-417 (.656) all-time. Stats To Watch 1. Scoring: NC State's average of 75.1 points a game last year was its best offensive output in three years, and was sixth best in the ACC. But departed seniors Markeisha Gatling (17.4 points per game), Kody Burke (14.7), Myisha Goodwin-Coleman (10.7), Lakeesa Daniel (4.1) and Breezy Williams (3.5) accounted for 1,512 of the Pack's 2,479 total points (61 percent) scored in 2013-14. The inside starting duo of Gatling and Burke alone scored 1,041 points (42 percent of the team's total), leaving fifth-year senior point guard Len'Nique Brown-Hoskin the team's top return- ing scorer at 8.8 points per game. While the NC State coaching staff tries to revamp the Pack's inside scoring punch with three untested newcomers and little-used returning sophomore Jenn Mathurin (2.3 points per game), it will be up to Brown-Hoskin, returning sophomore Miah Spencer (8.3 points per game) and senior wing Krystal Barrett (7.4 points per game) to markedly improve that output and be consistent scoring threats for a perimeter game that is going to have to shoulder most of the scoring responsibility this season. 2. Three-Point Shooting: The Pack's 242 made three-point shots last season easily shattered the previous single-season landmark for treys (205 in 2011-12). But once again, lack of a proven inside scoring threat may force NC State to rely just as much, if not more, on the long-range bomb this winter. Though Goodwin-Coleman (79 threes and a 38.2-percent accuracy from the arc) and Burke (39 makes, 32.8-per- cent accuracy) are gone, Spencer, Barrett and Brown combined for 88 made treys last winter, with sophomore Ashley Williams coming off the bench to contribute another 16. 3. Rebounding: NC State's 2013-14 average of 33.8 opponents' rebounds allowed per game was fourth best in the conference. But its +3.9 rebounding margin was well short of the +5.0 margin of 2012-13, its best since 2010, and the Pack's average of 37.8 boards a game was good for just 11th in the ACC — almost a full seven rebounds a game below Georgia Tech's conference-leading 44 rebounds a contest. Now, with the departed quartet of Gatling, Burke, Goodwin-Coleman and Daniel accounting for more than half (51 percent) of the team's rebounds of a year ago, Moore's emphasis on a total team effort on the boards at both ends of the floor will be that much more critical to the Pack's success the next five months. ■ Wolfpack Storylines 1. Can the Pack's frontcourt recruits com- pensate for the loss of two WNBA Draft choices? With the departure of Markeisha Gatling and Kody Burke, NC State's first two WNBA Draft selections since 2008, as well as backup post Lakeesa Daniel, the Wolf- pack begins this season with one returning veteran, 6-1 sophomore Jennifer Mathurin (2.3 points, 2.4 rebounds per game), in the frontcourt. Last year, the duo of Gatling and Burke combined to average 31.5 of the Pack's 75.1 points per game and 13.3 of the team's 37.8 rebounds per game. W i t h L e n ' N i q u e B row n - Hoskin's 4.1 rebounds-per-game average the best among the Pack's returning players, incoming 6-5 freshmen Sara Boric and Akela Maize and 6-1 forward Chelsea Nelson must develop quickly into effective boarders if the Pack has any hopes of continuing to run an effective 4-out, 1-in offense and prevent opponents from getting second and third chances. 2. Without the most accurate shooter in NCAA D-I last season, can the Pack shoot well enough to overcome the lack of experi - ence inside? NC State's 44.6-percent field goal accuracy last year — the fourth best in the ACC — was due in part to the record-setting effort of Markeisha Gatling. The Pack cen- ter's 66.3-percent accuracy for the season was the best shooting performance of all Division-I players. NC State's returning three starters (seniors Len'Nique Brown-Hoskin and Krystal Barrett, and sophomore Miah Spencer) combined to make 261 of their 678 shots last year (38.5 percent) and may have to raise that average this winter in the absence of a proven inside scorer. 3. With the addition of 2014 NCAA Tourna - ment quarterfinalist Louisville to an ACC that sent eight teams to the Big Dance last March, can NC State realistically expect to repeat a top-four finish in the toughest women's col- lege basketball conference in the nation? NC State's surprising 2013-14 season — its first 25-win campaign in seven years — was the product of a perfect combination of pieces: a new coach that brought a more disciplined approach to managing the team; a senior-heavy roster eager to better three seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance; an All-ACC first-team post (Markeisha Gatling) who finally lived up to the hype that accompanied her arrival from junior college; and a senior forward and guard (Kody Burke and Myisha Goodwin- Coleman) who perfectly complemented that inside punch. With those three key players gone, the Pack is picked to finish 10th in the ACC this season — the same prediction it received a year ago. Wes Moore has already proven he's capable of guiding a team to greater heights than initially expected, but a repeat of last year's 20-win season will be a challenge. Returning Leaders Points: Redshirt senior guard Len'Nique Brown- Hoskin (291, 8.8 per game) Rebounds: Brown-Hoskin (134, 4.1 per game) Assists: Brown-Hoskin (147, 4.5 per game) Blocks: Senior guard Krystal Barrett (7, 0.2 per game) Steals: Barrett (39, 1.2 per game) Three-pointers made: Brown-Hoskin (31, 0.9 per game) FG percentage: Sophomore guard Miah Spencer (.449; 93/207) FT percentage: Brown-Hoskin (.750; 78/104) Minutes: Brown-Hoskin (1,018, 30.8 per game) Quick Facts The Names, Games And Numbers To Know About The 2014-15 Women's Team MAIZE