NC State prepares for schedule to get ‘really tough’ moving forward
NC State coach Kevin Keatts built the Wolfpack’s non-conference schedule with an idea of each opponent getting progressively better. It was visible through the first five games, which included Patriot League favorite Colgate — a team that has made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
But now, the schedule will take another step up in competition. The Wolfpack is set to clash with No. 13 Purdue to kick off the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego Thursday afternoon before playing either BYU or Ole Miss on Friday.
Is NC State ready for the step up in competition? There’s only one way to see.
“Well, we’ll find out,” Keatts said. “It’s a good Purdue team. … It’s a rematch of the Final Four. How sweet is that? To have the opportunity to play against the team that you played against in the Final Four.”
Both squads look different from their last meeting inside State Farm Stadium at the Final Four. NC State’s face of March, DJ Burns, has since graduated and is playing in South Korea, while former Purdue standout Zach Edey was selected with the ninth overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.
While the two star post players have departed, both teams enter the game with momentum. NC State has won five in a row to open the season, while Purdue is fresh off a 35-point win over Marshall and it owns a victory over No. 2 Alabama already this season.
For NC State’s players, the opportunity to play quality competition over the Thanksgiving break was a welcomed sight — and it doesn’t hurt that it’s in San Diego, either.
“Just one game at a time, playing all this great competition — that’s the great part about college basketball,” graduate guard Michael O’Connell said of this week’s games. “It’s going to be cool to travel to San Diego. You can’t complain about that one, great weather and basketball.”
Senior guard Marcus Hill, meanwhile, has been waiting for an opportunity like this his entire basketball career. The Pack’s second-leading scorer at 13.2 points a night began his career at the junior college ranks before playing at Bowling Green a year ago. Now, he’s set to help be a key piece of NC State’s offense on a national level.
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And he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“It feels good,” Hill said with a toothy grin. “I came a long way. Playing these teams will be great and it’ll be a good challenge for our team.”
While Purdue is the first team up — and then either BYU or Ole Miss — NC State will also face Texas and Florida State in the following two games once it returns from San Diego. And then a trip to No. 1 Kansas looms not too long after that.
It’s quite the difference from playing the likes of USC Upstate and William & Mary, but NC State believes it’s ready for the step up in competition as it boasts a top-five 3-point defense in college basketball.
“Our non-conference schedule gets really tough. The teams that we’ve played are dangerous enough to beat you,” Keatts said. “They’re beating some good people. … It does get tougher. That’s why we scheduled them to have that opportunity.”
But first, the trip to nice weather and sunshine in San Diego. NC State has an opportunity to begin building its NCAA at-large resume with Purdue on tap first.
Hill, who has been one of the key engines of the Wolfpack’s offense, thought NC State has been prepared for this moment through its first five games as the roster of eight newcomers has been able to blend with the five returning players from last year’s ACC Championship squad.
“I feel like we’ve gotten better every game,” Hill said, “so I think we’re ready for it.”
