N.C. State Primetime with the Pack Gallery and Recap
RALEIGH, N.C. – The N.C. State men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted their annual Primetime with the Pack yesterday in Reynolds Coliseum in anticipation of the upcoming season.
The women’s team is coming off of a 28-6, 12-4 ACC, season and consecutive trips to the Sweet 16. The Lady Wolfpack won their first 21 games last season before losing to North Carolina at Reynolds on Feb. 3. They lost 2019 WNBA Champion Kiara Leslie and DD Rogers, and they added five true freshmen. Still, they return an experienced backcourt with senior guard Aislinn Konig and sophomore guard Kai Crutchfield to go along with Preseason All-ACC First Team sophomore center Elissa Cunane.
The Blue Ribbon Panel and head coaches’ polls predicted the Lady Wolfpack to finish second in the ACC behind Louisville Cardinals. They face Louisville at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, at Reynolds. They have a free exhibition game on Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. against Anderson University in Reynolds.
The men’s team is coming off an up-and-down season (24-12, 9-9 ACC) that left them on the wrong side of the bubble and gave them a berth to the NIT instead of the NCCA Tournament.
ACC media members selected the Wolfpack to finish sixth in the league this season. They have one of the best point guards in the country with Preseason All-ACC Second Team member Markell Johnson, and proven perimeter scorers with redshirt senior CJ Bryce, redshirt junior Devon Daniels and junior Braxton Beverly.
By far, the biggest offseason surprise came in the transfer portal for third-year head coach Kevin Keatts and the Wolfpack – Pat Andree. The 6-8, New Jersey-native is a graduate student transfer from Lehigh who had 75 schools dialing his number once he entered the portal. Andree won the 3-point contest last night with his pinpoint accuracy from long range. His size, mobility and scoring ability gives the Wolfpack the option to play small-ball with Andree at the four and not give up height on the defensive end.
The men’s team plays Mount Olive in an exhibition on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m in PNC Arena.
(Images courtesy of Landon Bost)
