The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/743343
84 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016-17 uted a career-high 6.1 points per game and 51 made treys. "She finds a way to get it done," Moore said. "She's hit a bunch of threes in big games for us, and she's another senior that has one more go-round." Richardson, a backup at both the two and three spots last year, saw action in 25 games, averaging 2.2 points a contest. "She's got good size [6-0], and she's ca- pable of shooting the three and rebounding," Moore said. "But she has to improve her mobility, her stance [on defense] and playing at full speed every possession." The six returners will be pushed by two promising newcomers in Konig and Rudd, who were both rated among the top 20 guards in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz. Konig, a five-star prospect, is a two-time player of the year from British Columbia who started at the point for the Canadian U18 national team this past summer in the FIBA Americas U18 Championships in South America and helped it earn a silver medal. "She can definitely help us this year, but she's like any freshman; it's a big jump from high school to D-I college, and then a big- ger jump to ACC-level competition," Moore noted. "She has the potential to do some special things, and I think she's going to be a great player for us." Rudd, another good-size guard at 5-9, has a strong basketball pedigree — her father, Delaney Rudd, starred at Wake Forest and played in the NBA (with Utah and Portland) in the 1990s. "She's someone who can play the two or three, shoots the ball well and has a high IQ," Hill said. "Like all freshmen, how well she plays defense will be what decides how much time she gets." Consistency And Aggressiveness Are Key For Frontcourt Success By contrast to NC State's backcourt group, the Pack's frontcourt returners have considerably less experience returning, with senior forward Jenn Mathurin accounting for the bulk of that after averaging 28.5 minutes per contest last season. Mathurin, whose 215 rebounds led the team, will be looked on to continue and im- prove on that board play and her team-lead- ing made 55 three-point shots, while cutting down on 54 turnovers, highest among Pack inside players. "She just needs to be a little more patient and value the ball more," Moore said. "Jenn knows her strengths and weak- nesses, and she knows she's been inconsis- ■ 2016-17 NC State Roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Class Hometown (High School) 0 Camille Anderson G 5-9 So. Buford, Ga. (Buford) 1 Aislinn "Ace" Konig G 5-9 Fr. Surry, British Columbia (Brookswood) 2 Kaila Ealy G 5-8 R-Fr. Raleigh (Needham Broughton) 3 Miah Spencer G 5-8 Sr. Decatur, Ga. (Columbia) 4 Ashley Williams G 5-8 Sr. Cary, N.C. (Green Hope) 5 Chelsea Nelson F 6-2 Jr. Antioch, Tenn. (John Overton) 11 Jennifer Mathurin F 6-1 Sr. Montreal, Quebec (Champlain College-St. Lambert) 15 Kiana "Lucky" Rudd G 5-9 Fr. Kernersville, N.C. (Forest Trail Academy) 21 Rydeiah "DD" Rogers F 6-1 So. Charlotte, N.C. (Myers Park) 22 Dominique Wilson G 5-8 5th-Sr. Powder Springs, Ga. (McEachern) 23 Amber Richardson G 6-0 So. Garner, N.C. (Southeast Raleigh) 24 Erika Cassell F 6-2 Fr. Marietta, Ga. (Holy Innocents) 32 Akela Maize C 6-5 Jr. Greensboro, N.C. (New Hope Christian Academy) 44 Nae Nae Cole C 6-3 So. Gainesville, Va. (Paul VI) Senior forward Jenn Mathurin led NC State in rebounding (6.9 per game) and three-pointers made (55) last year. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN