Kevin Keatts on NC State Basketball Loss at Virginia: 'The Ball Stuck'
Kevin Keatts liked what he saw from his eighth NC State basketball squad across the first 22 minutes of its 70-67 loss at Virginia on Tuesday. As for the Wolfpack (8-5, 1-1 ACC) he witnessed in the last 18 minutes, particularly the 10-minute stretch when the Cavaliers (8-5, 1-1 ACC) rallied back and seized control of the contest via a 30-8 run, it came up short in the movement and defense departments.
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NC State was without a key piece to its rotation in senior forward Ben Middlebrooks (illness).
That said, Keatts didn't make excuses for his Pack. Instead, his opening statement to the media centered on his NC State basketball players' sudden abandonment of what worked so well for them in taking a 39-29 lead into halftime and extending their advantage to 43-29 early in the second half.
"Well, the first I'll say, that's another good UVA-NC State game. The last couple of ones were overtime here and then, obviously, in the ACC Tournament. And this one came down to a three-point game.
"You know, completely different halves. If you look at it, we played great, I thought, in the first half — offensively and defensively. What I talked about with the team is, at halftime, we had 11 assists, and we had only given up two 3-pointers. And we were moving the ball. We played well on both ends.
"When we came out in the second half, I thought we played well enough in the first two minutes offensively.
"And then, I thought the ball stuck. And one of the things I talked about is when you play Virginia, because they do a great job with gap protection, it's gotta be more ball movement and player movement. We didn't get that.
"We only had three assists in the second half. We gave up seven 3-pointers in the second half.
"And that's just not a good formula to win.
"I've talked to these guys, and we've preached on it: this group needs each other to play well together to be able to win. And when you look at the first half, man, we were really, really good. And I didn't think we were very good in the second half."
NC State basketball looks to rebound at Wake Forest on Saturday. The Wolfpack and Demon Deacons (9-4, 1-1 ACC) tip off at noon ET (The CW Network).
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.