One seat left to fill
Now that the portal has closed and we know who intends to return, plus we have all but one of our scholarships filled, we have an idea of what the team is going to look like next season.
What about that last scholarship?
Right now, Ezra Ausar, 6’8” forward out of ECU, is our preferred target and will get the slot if he chooses to commit. He visited Seton Hall and Georgia Tech and did a zoom visit with Georgetown before his official visit in Raleigh last week. Since that time, we have not heard that he visited anyone else, but there are rumors that Utah has been in contact with him. 247 and On3 still predict the Wolfpack as his destination. He visited Raleigh last Tuesday (4/30), we should expect either a commit, or for the team to make some calls and start planning other visits this week.
Experience
Last year’s team started 4 grad students and was ranked by KenPom as the 14th most experienced team in the country. This year’s team won’t be quite so long in the tooth, but still has experience. You love to see a smart, experienced point guard!
Roster ranked by D1 Starts:
- Michael O’Connell – 98
- Jayden Taylor – 71
- Brandon Huntley-Hatfield – 66
- Mike James – 64
- Marcus Hill – 34
- Dontrez Styles – 32
- Ben Middlebrooks – 14
- Dennis Parker Jr – 12
- Rice, Pass, McNeil, Parker – 0
Comparing last season’s stats for our four outbound starters with our four inbound transfers:
It’s much too early to guess who next season’s starters will be, (admit it, most of you already have – me too), but it is interesting to compare the production of the 4 starters we lost (Horne, Morsell, Diarra, Burns), with the transfers (Huntley-Hatfield, James, Styles, Hill). Standard disclaimer applies, new coach, new system, new roles, new teammates, ACC competition, etc – these numbers will not be the same next season.
Notes:
- Interesting to note how close the field goal and free throw percentages are to one another
- The inbound player’s 3PT% is inflated because Huntley-Hatfield hit 9-21 (42.9%). Without his number it’s 33.2%.
- As anticipated, the rebound numbers compare well for the inbound players
- Assists & steals will certainly be influenced by the system, but the turnovers are a concern.