North Carolina State begins season number 102 with as many questions as answers. The first one: how will the team respond to new head coach Mark Gottfried? The cupboard was pretty bare when Sidney Lowe took the job in 2006; in contrast, Coach Gottfried has the benefit of some young, talented players that have already been thoroughly battle-tested in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Last year the Wolfpack finished with a 15-16 record overall and another 5-11 losing season in conference play. That was the only real consistency Lowe’s teams showed during his tenure as head coach. After five years, a 25-55 ACC record, and only two NIT appearances to show for the effort, Sidney Lowe resigned at the end of the season. Now, the team seeks to re-establish a tradition that has been missing from the program for the past generation. Fortunately for the new regime, the growing pains of last season may prove a valuable experience in the long run.
Key Returns
Forward C. J. Leslie (11.0 points, 7.2 rebounds) and guard Lorenzo Brown (9.3 points, 3.7 assists) will play an even more pivotal role in the Wolfpack’s success in their sophomore seasons. Their talent isn’t questioned, but the decision-making at times last season was a source of frustration. Scott Wood (9.7 points) remains the team’s only legitimate outside shooting threat until proven otherwise; his teammates have to do a better job of finding him. Forwards Richard Howell (7.4 points, 6.5 rebounds) and DeShawn Painter (4.6 points, 3.5 rebounds) showed good signs of development, although Painter saw much less playing time toward the end of the season. The big Aussie, Jordan Vandenberg (1.6 points, 1.7 rebounds), could be a valuable asset as a true seven-footer at center. Senior swingman C. J. Williams (4.7 points, 2.4 rebounds) brings a positive energy and spark off the bench and will likely continue in his reserve role.
Key Losses
Leading scorer Tracy Smith (14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds) had a frustrating finish to his NC State career, missing 10 games early on with a knee injury from which he never fully recovered. Javier Gonzalez (5.5 points, 2.3 assists) graduated after losing his starting point guard job last season. Soon after the coaching transition, rising sophomore point guard Ryan Harrow (9.3 points, 3.3 assists) decided to transfer to Kentucky. On the sidelines, assistants Monty Towe, Larry Harris, and Pete Strickland were let go when Lowe resigned as head coach. Also, local Word of God recruit Joseph Uchebo, a four-star center who had previously committed to NC State, asked to be released from his letter of intent when the coaching change was made.
Key Additions
The new regime under Mark Gottfried is the biggest change. He brings with him a 279-154 record in 14 years as a head coach and a history of proven success at Murray State and Alabama. Joining him on the bench are assistants Orlando Early, Bobby Lutz, and Rob Moxley, all of whom bring strong reputations as coaches and recruiters. In addition to the returning talent, Gottfried will introduce freshmen in power forward Tyler Harris and shooting guard Jaqawn Raymond, both of whom are honoring their commitments to the school. Harris is a smooth shooter who can also drive the lane, and Raymond could provide an outside shot off the bench. Gottfried also signed Thomas de Thaey, a forward from Belgium’s national team.
What to Expect
There are enough variables–and questions–at play here that it’s hard to say what to expect from this season. The non-conference schedule is manageable, with Vanderbilt, Syracuse, and a potential matchup with Texas as legitimate challenges. It remains to be seen what will happen once the ACC schedule begins. The team is coming off five consecutive losing seasons in conference play. And although the ACC has been trending downward in top-to-bottom strength over the past few years, so far NC State has yet to take advantage of the situation. With the new regime and a fresh sense of accountability in place, there should be plenty enough motivation to move out of the ACC cellar. However, the team will need a marked improvement on defense and perimeter shooting to make that move.
Prediction
More questions than answers, at least at the start of the season. Will the team play to its potential? Will the players be able to make the adjustment to a new system? Will the adversities of last year translate into tangible improvements this season? The fact is that Duke and UNC remain the top dogs by far in the conference, and NCSU has quite a few teams to jump this season to be considered competitive again. It seems sadly reasonable to anticipate something in the neighborhood of a 16-13 record, going 6-10 in ACC play for eighth place. That being said, it wouldn’t be surprising for the team to outperform expectations this season after failing to live up to them in seasons past.