The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/743343
52 ■ THE WOLFPACKER 2.468 Seconds for redshirt sophomore Torin Dorn in the shuttle test, which would be the second-best time ever at the NBA Combine. 4 Is where NCSU ranked on NBCSports.com's listing of the best backcourts in the nation. "Dennis Smith Jr. has a chance to be something special this season," they wrote. "He should be better than Cat Barber … and he'll have a better supporting cast." 5 Players on the NC State roster who had vertical jumps of better than 40 inches. Junior power forward Abdul- Malik Abu improved his by more than three inches from last year, jumping 44.5 inches. 9 ACC teams that appeared in ESPN announcer Dick Vitale's top 40 on ESPN.com. Duke was ranked No. 1, followed by North Carolina (No. 5), Louisville (No. 7), Virginia (No. 8), Syracuse (No. 20), Florida State (No. 21), Notre Dame (No. 25), Miami (No. 28) and Virginia Tech (No. 40). 10 Wolfpack games televised by the family of ESPN chan- nels — four on ESPNU, and at least two apiece on ESPN and ESPN2, with two other games that could be shown on either ESPN and ESPN2. 14 Double-doubles for points and rebounds by Abu last year. He had a season-high 22 points against Georgia Tech Jan. 27, and he pulled down a season-best 17 boards at Duke Feb. 6. 15.4 Points per game projected for NC State freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr. by SI.com, which was the fifth-best projection for a freshman player. Teammate Omer Yurtseven was ranked No. 28 at 9.1 points per game. 20 Players on the Bob Cousy Award preseason watch list for the nation's top point guard, which included Smith. He was one of five freshmen on the list. 89 Combined three-pointers fifth-year senior shooting guard Terry Henderson made in his two years at West Virginia. 91 Points scored by Yurtseven in a Turkish U-18 basketball game May 15. He went 34 of 49 from the field and made five three-pointers in a 115-82 win. Five-Minute Guide The Key Names, Games and Numbers You Need To Know For The Wolfpack's Upcoming Season BY JACEY ZEMBAL BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016-17 • "Dennis Smith Jr. is my pick for top point guard in the country by season's end. [Monte] Morris will do more at Iowa State, but Smith is the better point guard overall. He's surrounded with a lot of interesting players this season. I think NC State is way undervalued right now. Abdul-Malik Abu is a top-100 player, Omer Yurtseven should get eligible, and when he does, he'll be one of the 10 best freshmen in the ACC. Buy on the Wolfpack." — Matt Norlander on projecting NC State as the No. 32 team in country (CBSSports.com) • "I loved the way he [Smith] carried himself. I look for that as much as anything in a guard. Do other guys want to play with him? He makes plays for his teammates, and he's going to make everyone at NC State better." — ESPN college basketball analyst and former coach Seth Greenberg on Smith (The Raleigh News & Observer) • "Smith is a special talent. A year ago, he tore his ACL, limiting the buzz that might follow him from high school to NC State. He's healthy now, and Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried has a star, a player who should be the best point guard in the ACC, and as a result, one of the best in the country." — ESPN's Andy Katz on Smith challenging for All-America honors (ESPN.com) • "You have to start with the ACC championship. That's the first one. That comes with win- ning games. And eventually win the national championship. That's the ultimate goal." — Smith on his goals (The Raleigh News & Observer) • "The Wolfpack finished 5–13 [in the ACC] last season and lost leader Cat Barber, but SI projects them to improve with the additions of five-star freshmen Smith and Turkish import Omer Yurtseven (as long as he gets eligible), as well as the return of shooting guard Terry Henderson from an injury. This is an NCAA Tournament and top-25 team if everything breaks right." — Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn on picking NC State to finish sixth in the ACC (SI.com) 16 Games where sophomore gunner MAVERICK ROWAN made at least three three-pointers last year in his debut season. The small forward connected on a season-high 6 of 13 from beyond the arc en route to 24 points in a 75-72 win over Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament March 8. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN What They Are Saying About The Pack ■ By The Numbers