Everything you need to know as NC State opens the 2021-22 college basketball season
It counts for real this time.
Last season, due to COVID, N.C. State didn’t get an exhibition basketball game, instead jumping right into the real games.
This year, with so many new faces, the Wolfpack got a much needed exhibition game last week, a 87-68 win over Elizabeth City State. On Tuesday, N.C. State will officially kick off the new season, taking on Bucknell at 8 p.m (ACCN Extra) in PNC Arena. The Wolfpack have historically been solid in these situations under head coach Kevin Keatts.
N.C. State has won 23 straight regular-season home games against non-conference teams, and Keatts is 30-1 at home against out of conference teams during the regular season. The Bison only played 12 games a year ago due to a COVID shortened season, but have a history of success. Bucknell has played in four NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2018.
N.C. State has a roster full of guys who are seeking out that kind of postseason appearance.
“My team, along with my coaching staff, we are very excited to open up (Tuesday),” Keatts said. “Obviously, last year was such a challenge with our situation, but we are really excited to get back into PNC and have some fans there, to have an opportunity to play in front of a crowd.”
Tuesday night’s contest will be just the second all-time between the two teams.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of N.C. State-Bucknell:
Last year’s experience was invaluable
Midway through ACC play, Kevin Keatts most experienced player, Devon Daniels, was lost for the year. That meant Keatts had to rely on a bunch of unsung heroes to take control of the team moving forward.
N.C. State had a five-game winning streak the final month of the season, with four of those five coming on the road, all against ACC competition. You can’t trade in that kind of experience and Keatts hopes it carries over to this season.
“It was really good for some guys,” Keatts said. “You think about our young guys … the two guys who benefited a lot were Cam Hayes and Dereon Seabron.”
With guard Thomas Allen also gone for the year and Braxton Beverly in and out of the rotation, Hayes and Seabron saw more time on the floor. Seabron started eight games, averaging 8.4 points per contest. Hayes started 14.
“Cam Hayes had a chance to grow up,” Keatts said.
Mix and match lineups
In the exhibition win over ECSU, Keatts had a 10-player rotation for most of the contest. Manny Bates and Greg Gantt both sat out the game, which means Keatts might play up to 12 players when both guys return.
Coming into the opener versus Bucknell, expect to see a solid 10 players log double digit minutes. Against the Vikings, seven guys played 19 minutes or more.
“I went into the game saying I wanted to play 10 guys,” Keatts said. “By doing that we were able to see some guys who worked well together and then some guys who didn’t and we were able to go back and put that combination together at practice and then work on some things when they could get better as a group.”
Heading into the opener, Keatts confirmed that he still believes he can go 10 deep into his bench.
No minutes restriction for Bates
Bates wasn’t available versus ECSU, but he wasn’t injured. Keatts just gave the Fayetteville native the night off. Bates will play against Bucknell. How many minutes? That is yet to be determined.
Last season Bates averaged 27.3 minutes per game, second on the team after Daniels went down.
Bates won’t be on a pitch count on Tuesday. His time on the floor will depend on flow and foul trouble.
Who will start?
In the exhibition Keatts rolled out a starting five of freshman Terquavion Smith, Hayes and junior Casey Morsell in the backcourt, with senior Jericole Hellems and Ebenezer Dowuona in the front court.
Dating back to the preseason, Keatts said no spots in the starting five were written in stone. Keatts likes to watch his team during morning shoot-arounds, then determine who starts. That will be the case again on Tuesday.
“Right now, I have, in my mind, six, maybe seven guys who are possible to start,” Keatts said. “And I don’t know who is going to get the nod. I won’t know until probably an hour before the game.”
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 4:03 PM with the headline "Everything you need to know as NC State opens the 2021-22 college basketball season."
