Basketball Season: We’re Baaaacckk

Practice officially starts Monday

Let’s take a minute and enjoy the season that was:

Reigning ACC Champions

We went into the postseason on a four-game losing streak with a record of 17-14.

Only second team (UConn first) to win five games in five days

First team ever to get ‘road win ice cream’ five days in a row

First double-digit seed to win ACC tournament

Beat five consecutive former NCAA champs in five days. Never been done before.

1. Beat Louisville (NCAA champs 1980 & 1986) (2013 vacated)

2. Beat Syracuse (NCAA champs 2003)

3. Beat Duke (NCAA champs 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015)

4. Beat Virginia (NCAA champs 2019)

5. Beat UNC (also former NCAA champs, I’m told)

Record: 26-15

Exactly 50 seasons since we won more games (’73-’74 30-1 NCAA Champs)

Final Four – “Why Not Us?”

Coach Keatts joins the Wolfpack MBB Coach’s Mt. Rushmore, Coaches Valvano (’82-’83), Sloan (’73-’74), and Case (’49-’50), as the only coaches to take a Wolfpack team to a Final Four (https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/north-carolina-state/men/ )

The Lady Wolfpack also played in the Final Four. (31-7 Outstanding season! Going to be another great season for them this year.)

Looking ahead to the ‘24-’25 season

Highlights

“Ben is going to be really good”

“We have 3 really solid front court guys with Ismael”

“Michael, JT, Ben showing great leadership”

“Expect the entire schedule Tuesday”

“McNeil & Heard – will play the 2 & 3 [positions] – have each added 10 lbs muscle”

“Trey Parker – combo guard – will play the 1 & 2 [positions]”

“No freshman was brought in to redshirt, no current plans to redshirt anyone but will reconsider before season starts”

“This team is faster than last season’s team”

“Marcus Hill is the highest ranked returning scorer in college basketball”