Kevin Keatts: 'What a special backcourt this has been'

With 6:33 to go in the NC State’s 72-63 NCAA Tournament loss to Creighton, Terquavion Smith was more than ready for the moment. The electrifying sophomore guard had already scored 21 points but, with the Pack trailing by 9 and the window closing on the program’s March Madness run, the team needed more from him.

He delivered.

Coming out of a timeout, Smith drained a 3 and then went on to score 8 of the Wolfpack’s next 11 points, a sequence highlighted by a dunk over Creighton’s towering center Ryan Kalkbrenner and a ferocious block at the other end of the court.

TERQUAVION SMITH POSTER 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/1F27IdpiC2

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 17, 2023

Smith routinely fought through contact Friday afternoon and, despite the Big East defensive player of the year waiting in the middle, the guard showcased the talent that could land him in the first round of the NBA Draft later this year.

In his NCAA Tournament debut, Smith finished with 32 points— just 3 shy of a career high.

“I’m just blessed and glad that I got to play with the group of guys I got to play with,” Smith said after the loss. “And I’m glad I got the coaches I have and I’ve got the staff that I have, and I’m glad I chose NC State.”

The sophomore superstar scored more than half of the team’s points, and Jarkel Joiner was the only other member of the Pack who put up double figures. He scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, shooting an uncharacteristic 0 of 5 from three.

Despite the loss, Friday’s tournament showdown further established this All-ACC duo as one of the best in program history.

“I haven’t said this, but what a special backcourt this has been,” head coach Kevin Keatts said. “You look at two guys that are right over 17 points a game, they trust each other, they fight each other, they compete against each other, they love each other, they hang out with each other. It’s been a really special group.”

When Smith opted to return to Raleigh for another year and Joiner committed to the Pack out of the transfer portal, it was a leap of faith with a passionate sense of belief in Keatts, who turned the program around from the previous year’s last-place conference finish.

After the game, Joiner called back to his visit to campus, which helped him choose NC State as his third and final collegiate home.

“When I first came on my visit, Coach told me we [were] going to go to the NCAA Tournament, and everything he said to me in the office came true, man,” Joiner said. “And I love him to death. I’m so glad I came here. It’s so family oriented, and I’m glad that we got back to the NCAA Tournament.”

Whether it was Joiner hitting a series of clutch shots during a tense rivalry win over UNC, or Smith’s flame-throwing, 30-point performance in the ACC Tournament, this shot-draining, playmaking backcourt built a bond that stretches beyond basketball this season.

“Me and T are like brothers,” Joiner said. “I love him to death. He’s an amazing person. Like, he’s a more amazing person than he is a basketball player, and he’s an amazing basketball player.”

“This is my big brother,” Smith said. “I take everything he said into consideration. Whenever he tries to tell me anything as far as on the court, off the court, [he is] somebody I know I can count on, and I just love him. I wish we had more time together, just to try to make it better, make the chemistry better.”

Joiner played his final collegiate game Friday, and the opportunity to reach the tournament for the first time in his six year career is something he clearly appreciated. Smith could return next year but, after receiving significant buzz around last year’s NBA Draft, it would not be surprising to see him become the first Wolfpack athlete selected since Dennis Smith Jr. in 2017.

As he wrapped up his final press conference of the 2022-23 season, Keatts acknowledged the choice Smith made, returning to campus for one more year as the duo helped set the program on a postseason course.

“I am proud,” Keatts said. “We did some really great things this year. Maybe one of the best turnarounds in college basketball, and it’s because of the people around me and the staff that I put together, and everybody’s hard work and everybody’s commitment to get us to where we needed to be.”

Wherever the sophomore guard, star center D.J. Burns or anyone else on the team decides to spend the next year of their careers, Keatts sees this round of 64 as the next step in the elevation of the Wolfpack program.

“We are going to walk out of here with our head up, continue to build and keep pushing this program in the right direction,” Keatts said.