On ‘great night,’ NC State basketball teams’ quest for Final Four repeats on full display

N.C. State basketball fans got a chance to see the 2024-25 men’s and women’s teams for the first time Friday at Reynolds Coliseum.

The Wolfpack hosted its annual Primetime with the Pack event, which included a women’s 3-point contest, Trey Parker dunking over Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Ismael Diouf and Mr. Wuf and a scrimmage featuring the men’s squad.

“What a great night for us and our women’s team,” N.C. State men’s coach Kevin Keatts said. “When you think about how special last year was with two teams coming off a Final Four, us winning five games in five days, winning the ACC, it was just good to get these guys out here to feel the love a little bit and also for some of our fans, some of our students to meet the new players that are on the team.”

Expectations remain high for the women’s squad, with the Pack being picked to finish No. 2 in the league and ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25. Senior guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James were named to the All-ACC preseason team. Rivers received two first-place votes, while James earned one.

Freshman guard Zamareya Jones was named to the ACC Newcomer of the Year watchlist.

The men weren’t so fortunate. They were picked to finish eighth in the ACC and no players were selected to the preseason All-Conference teams. The Pack did not receive any votes in the AP Poll, either, despite returning Michael O’Connell, Ben Middlebrooks and Jayden Taylor.

According to KenPom.com, the Pack has a projected 18-12 overall record and 11-9 league record. Eight projected losses, however, are by no more than two possessions. Five of the projected losses are by two points or fewer.

Entering the season, Ben Middlebrooks said the underdog status wasn’t completely gone and the current roster wasn’t being viewed particularly favorably.

“I don’t think our team, especially right now, is really even being considered as being at the same level as we were last year. I think that’s wrong,” Middlebrooks said. “I think we’ve got a lot of new guys who are gonna bring bigger and better things. We’re gonna be a different team … but I think we’ve got just as much skill. If we’re able to play together, play as confident as we were last year, I think we could be just as good.”

Keatts said he wishes the team had a few more days to prepare for the season, but it has to play a game next week.

“Because we played so long — and I hope we’re always in that situation — it seems like (the season is coming) a lot quicker than it was in the past year, but it’s here whether I like it or not.”

He said there are still things to work on, but here are a few takeaways from the night:

Feeling the fun

The 12-minute scrimmage didn’t really feature any set plays or anything particularly creative, but it was clear the players enjoyed being together in front of the crowd.

Forward Diouf had a big smile on his face when he caught a lob from guard Bryce Heard. Guard Dontrez Styles passed to Parker inside the paint for a lob of their own, the crowd erupting in cheers.

Keatts has repeatedly said much of the team’s success last season was predicated on its chemistry and the fun it had together.

It’s in a good spot right now. Between Primetime with the Pack, going to the state fair and tailgating at football games, the team is building that bond.

“It’s a work in progress and, certainly, nights like this really help,” Keatts said. “When you can get them out there, they can have fun, they can come together.”

No shortage of scoring threats

The Wolfpack probably won’t see as much offense from everyone as it did Friday, but it has threats, notably with the bigs, that could make an impact.

Middlebrooks and Huntley-Hatfield made a handful of threes, a positive sign that the Wolfpack can stretch the floor. Now, fans should not expect the team to take them regularly — Middlebrooks airballed the first 3-point attempt — but it could make things interesting.

Additionally, the freshmen still have room to grow when it comes to finishing their shots, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see guys like Heard and Parker earning a role in the rotation and contributing regularly.

Keatts said Parker is “really improving” and took major strides in the past week.

“He’s going to be able to help us,” Keatts said. “I know you guys saw him dunk, but he’s so much more than just a dunker. He’s becoming a very good basketball player.”

Dennis Parker Jr., now in his second season, could also make a bigger impact, with his ability to drive inside or shoot from outside the paint.

“I like our team. I’ve warned everybody that this is not the same team that was at the end of the year that won nine straight games,” Keatts said. “We’re still going to have to develop chemistry. We’ll still get better, but we do have some very exciting pieces that I like, and I think we can go two deep at every position.”

Defensive question marks

It’s hard to gauge where the team will be defensively considering the relaxed nature of the scrimmage, and Keatts asked fans to be patient with his squad.

“I don’t want to get any messages on social media. Nobody direct message me, asking me about defense,” Keatts said with a smile. “We’re gonna work on it. We’ll get better at that.”

He also said mid-scrimmage that it “looks like defense took the night off,” in response to a lack of pressure and rebounding.

The Wolfpack has the size and length to be a good defensive team, so that’s something that will need to be evaluated when N.C. State faces other teams in a more formal setting. The Pack hosts Lees-McRae at 7 p.m. Wednesday for an exhibition. Its official opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 4 against USC Upstate.

Aziaha James nursing minor injury

Aziaha James has a minor knee injury and made her preseason appearance Friday on crutches. The senior handed the crutches to Mallory Collier during player introductions to perform a dance, but she limited pressure.

“If we could get everybody healthy and on the court, it’s going to be great,” women’s head coach Wes Moore said.

It’s unclear when James will return. The Wolfpack hosts Anderson at 7 p.m. Tuesday for an exhibition. The team hosts East Tennessee State on Nov. 5 for its season opener.