NC State basketball hopes return home against Miami can get Wolfpack back to winning
.jpg "Jan 27, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts looks on against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports")
A year ago, N.C. State’s scintillating homecourt win over Miami was a big part of a turnaround season.
A year later, the Wolfpack needs another one to help turn around this season.
Coaches always talk about stacking wins and sticking with the process. The Pack has stacked together three straight ACC losses, two on the road, that could badly damage its hopes of returning to the NCAA tournament.
The Wolfpack, which hosts Miami on Tuesday at PNC Arena, stands No. 83 in the NET rankings used by the NCAA. The Pack (13-7, 5-4 ACC) does not have a Quad-1 win (0-5) and is 3-2 against Quad-2 opponents in the NET rankings.
The Wolfpack had a chance to break through and pick up a Quad-1 win last week at Virginia. Overcoming a horrid first half — 15 points scored — the Pack rallied in the second half and took the Cavaliers into overtime before losing, 59-53.
That was sandwiched around an 84-78 loss to Virginia Tech at PNC Arena and a 77-65 beating Saturday at Syracuse in which NCSU coach Kevin Keatts bluntly said no one played well and there was no “hot hand’ to turn to in the game.
“We’ve had a rough week,” Keatts said Monday. “Every team goes through a rough patch during the year and this is ours.
“If we’d won one, lost one, won one, lost one, it’d look a little different. But when you lose two or three in a row it smells different and doesn’t feel good at all. So that’s kind of where we’re at, but we get a chance to be at home the next two or three games and will try to get back on track.”
Wolfpack hopes home cooking helps
N.C. State is ranked slightly higher by KenPom.com: No. 78. Curiously, the Pack is one spot higher than Syracuse. KenPom.com has the Wolfpack 100th in offensive efficiency this season, with the past three games adding to that dip.
The Pack isn’t lacking for shooters, but is lacking “makers,” as coaches also like to say. Consistency also has been lacking by nearly everyone Keatts puts on the floor.
Looking at the offensive numbers in the three losses, the Pack is 72-of-190 (37.9%) from the field and 19-of-57 (33.3%) on 3-pointers. It has 36 assists and 41 turnovers, turning the ball over 18 times against the Hokies.
“It’s a make-or-miss game, and if you’re not making shots it’s really a struggle,” Keatts said. “It doubles for us because if we’re not making shots, it doesn’t allow us to set up the kind of defense we like to play, so we haven’t been able to create as much opportunities offensively off of our defense.
“It’s one of those things where you have to stay the course. Hopefully a little home cooking will help us.”
N.C. State by the numbers
D.J. Horne has been the team’s leading scorer at 14.8 points a game and its offensive driver this season. The transfer from Arizona State had 27 points in the road win at Louisville and 21 in beating Wake Forest. When he’s on, the Pack has been tough to beat.
But when he’s not? Horne was 14-of-38 from the field in the three losses — 38.6% — although 9-of-23 on 3-pointers (39.1%) in scoring a total of 40 points.
D.J. Burns Jr. has not been the offensive threat this season that he was a year ago as ACC teams have adjusted their defensive approaches to the big man. The Hokies manned up on Burns one-on-one until he got the ball and took a dribble, then immediately ran a second defender at him to help — Burns had eight shots and eight points in the game.
Burns had four games of 20 or more points last season, with a high of 31 at Wake Forest, but does not have a 20-point game in his second year in the ACC. He had 29 points in the three-game losing streak, making 13 of his 34 shots.
All those numbers can cause eyes to glaze over, and the Pack has had slow starts in too many games this season.
“It’s weird because if you pull up our stats we’ve had some great second halves,” Keatts said. “Like 43 points and 48 points. I just think we have to somehow get off to better starts.”
The Pack beat the Hurricanes 83-81 last January in an overtime thriller at PNC Arena as Ernest Ross was the surprise star with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Canes, who were ranked No. 16, got 25 points from Isaiah Wong.
Miami coming off two wins
The Hurricanes (14-6, 5-4 ACC) return to PNC Arena coming off two ACC wins: at Notre Dame and then against Pitt at home. That came after a 72-69 loss at Syracuse, which got a last-second 3 from Quadir Copeland to win it.
Miami can score points in bunches — the Canes are second behind North Carolina in the ACC at 81.4 points a game. Miami is the ACC leader in field-goal percentage (.489) and 3-point percentage (.387).
“Their ability to shoot the 3 makes them a really dangerous basketball team,” Keatts said.
Miami’s Norchad Omier, who did not play against Syracuse, had 18 points and 10 rebounds against Pitt, the junior’s 10th double-double of the season.
The Hurricanes are No. 62 in the NET rankings. But Keatts has more on his mind with his team needing to salvage a season that is taking a wrong turn. The Pack, after Miami, has home games with Georgia Tech and Pitt.
“It’s been a learning experience,” Keatts said. “It’s one of those things where we’re learning to come together. Every team is going to go through some stretch where you need some leadership. When you have so many new people, everybody is trying to figure out who can lead, and I think they’re trying to figure that out right now.”
This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 12:46 PM.
