Doing whatever needs to get done, Casey Morsell is always ready to help N.C. State win
Think of all the good that has happened to N.C. State in the past few weeks.
Not just winning the ACC Tournament, as important as that was for the school, its fans, Kevin Keatts’ program. Not just the two wins in the NCAA Tournament, which has given the Pack a spot in the Sweet 16.
D.J. Burns has become something of a national obsession in the NCAAs, the “Beast Boy,” a very big man very light on his feet. People are still talking about Michael O’Connell’s “It-felt-good-out-of-my-hand” 3-pointer against Virginia, the ball hitting glass then touching every inch of the rim before going in.
Mohamed Diarra’s fasting for Ramadan has brought a new element to the court. It will again this week when the 11th-seeded Wolfpack faces No. 2 seed Marquette in the semifinals of the NCAA South Region in Dallas — a game that will begin before sunset, thus no pregame meal for Diarra.
D.J. Horne had 28 points in the ACC championship game against North Carolina. Jayden Taylor is a tenacious on-the-ball defender. Ben Middlebrooks continues to be the Pack’s human energy drink.
Then there is Casey Morsell, whose contributions sometimes can go unnoticed unless he has a high-rise jam — the Duke game in the ACC Tournament comes to mind — or a hustling steal or makes a strong drive to the basket.
“You just want to be a threat,” Morsell said. “Everyone’s a threat on the court and everyone affects the game. Everyone affects the game in different ways, different nights.”
For Morsell, it could be in guarding either Marquette’s Kam Jones or Tyler Kolek, the Golden Eagles’ two leading scorers, in Friday’s game at American Airlines Center. Both are big, strong types — Jones listed at 6-5 and 200 pounds and Kolek at 6-3, 195.
Morsell, at 6-3, 200, can physically match up against either, if needed. Kolek roams the floor on the offensive end, keeping the ball, probing for openings. He could be Taylor’s defensive assignment, or Keatts could mix it up with multiple defenders including Jayden Taylor and O’Connell.
Against Oakland, Morsell was give the assignment of taking on Jack Gohlke, a 3-point shooter with a green light and no conscience.
Gohkle destroyed Kentucky with his 3-point shooting, gunning in 10 in Oakland’s NCAA opening-round upset of the Wildcats. Kentucky coach John Calipari won’t soon forget him.
“He tests your awareness and he tests your endurance and he tests all aspects of your game,” Morsell said. “I tried to do my best to kind of slow him down.”
Gohlke, who shoots nothing but 3s, made six in regulation against the Pack, which often switched off screens. But he was 6-of-17 overall and then missed all four in overtime, a couple with Morsell in his face, contesting, arms up.
“Gohlke cannot get open. Morsell has locked him up. Can’ t get a touch,” TV announcer Andrew Catalon said.
When Middlebrooks fouled out in the OT, Morsell was shifted over to guard forward Trey Townsend, Oakland’s top scorer who had 30 points. Townsend scored 24 points after halftime but just three free throws in the overtime.
When, the game ended, the Pack winning 79-73, Morsell could again celebrate with his teammates. Winning the ACC Tournament in Washington D.C., close to his hometown, was decidedly special and Morsell enjoyed every moment of it.
“Casey Morsell does so many things well for us,” Keatts said of a player who has started all 38 games.
The NCAAs offer new challenges in new venues. In Marquette, the Pack will face a team that has been “battle-tested,” as Keatts likes to say.
The Golden Eagles (27-9) played for three weeks late in the regular season without Kolek, who had an oblique injury, but have him back running the offense and stacking assists — he had 11 in each of wins over Western Kentucky and then Colorado.
But the Pack, 24-14 after seven consecutive wins, will be ready for whatever comes its way, Morsell said.
“My mindset has just been ‘next game, next game.’ Just focus on the next one,” he said. “We can’t do anything more.
“It’s been a great story that we all value. We’re definitely going to do our best to make it a fairy tale ending.”
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
