The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/976701
58 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Reaching The NCAA Tournament Only four NC State coaches reached the NCAA Tournament in their first season with the Wolfpack: Mark Gottfried (2012): Sweet 16 Press Maravich (1965): Second round Les Robinson (1991): Second round Kevin Keatts (2018): First round Owning Tobacco Road Keatts finished the regular season 4-1 against in-state ACC teams — the first time since 1974-75 that the Pack went through the year with one or fewer losses against Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest. The four Big Four wins were the most by the Pack since 1988-89. Keatts and the Pack swept Wake Forest, won its only game against Duke, and split its two contests with UNC, winning in Chapel Hill in overtime before falling at home. One-Year Improvement Keatts had one of the better one-year improvements in wins among first-year coaches at NC State: AN EXCELLENT FIRST IMPRESSION Everett Case: +20 (6 to 26) Press Maravich: +13 (8 to 21) Mark Gottfried: +9 (15 to 24) Kevin Keatts: +6 (15 to 21) Les Robinson: +2 (18 to 20) Herb Sendek: +2 (15 to 17) By The Numbers 7.4 Steals per game this season, the best since the 2004-05 team. 14.8 Turnovers forced per game, also the highest since 2004-05. 37.2 Three-point shooting percentage, ninth best in school history. 47.0 Overall shooting percentage, third highest since 1990-91. 81.3 Points per game, the best mark since the 1990-91 team averaged 89.3 points. 263 Made three-pointers, the seventh most all time at NC State and most since 2005-06. BY MATT CARTER Sidney Lowe: -2 (22 to 20) Jim Valvano: -6 (20 to 14) Norm Sloan: -11 (18 to 7) Wins By First-Year Head Coaches At NC State Kevin Keatts became just the fourth head coach since Everett Case to win more than 20 games in his first season at NC State, and he tied Case's record for the most conference victories. However, Case coached in the Southern Conference. Keatts won more ACC games in his first season than any previ- ous NCSU coach. Everett Case (1946-47): 26-5 overall, 11-2 Southern Conference Mark Gottfried (2011-12): 24-13, 9-7 ACC Press Maravich (1964-65): 21-5, 10-4 ACC Kevin Keatts (2017-18): 21-12, 11-7 ACC Les Robinson (1990-91): 20-11, 8-6 ACC Sidney Lowe (2006-07): 20-16, 5-11 ACC Herb Sendek (1996-97): 17-15, 4-12 ACC Jim Valvano (1980-81): 14-13, 4-10 ACC Norm Sloan (1966-67): 7-19, 2-12 ACC