NC State Basketball Coach Offers Promise in Final Preseason Practice
Roughly 15 minutes ahead of the 2024-25 NC State basketball season opener versus the USC Upstate Spartans tipping off at 7 p.m. ET Monday (ACC Network Extra), the program's 2024 ACC Tournament title and Final Four banners will unfurl in the Wolfpack's newly named Lenovo Center.
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In putting a few finishing touches on preparations for his eighth campaign as NC State basketball head coach, Kevin Keatts spent part of Sunday's practice getting his Wolfpack mentally ready for the big night. His talk includes a promise that, with hard work, the 2024-25 squad can reach similar heights to last season's unforgettable Cinderella team.
"We're gonna drop two banners," Keatts reminded his players, including returning scholarship talents Michael O'Connell, Jayden Taylor, Ben Middlebrooks, Dennis Parker Jr., and Breon Pass, at the beginning of his speech (below), "OK, that's No. 1. We'll have a really nice crowd for our opening night because of the fact that they want to see you guys and we're dropping a couple of banners.
Play for NC State 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/xojf55SNdB
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) November 3, 2024
"Hey, and you have to have the mentality from this point on that we're wearing the same jersey. OK, all we're going to do is prepare for a couple of days in between, but we're wearing the same jersey. You made it through 30 practices. Ask questions. Be students of the game. Be ready to play for NC State.
"And if you do, I promise you you'll get the reward that we got last year...
"The level we're building here, but it's got to be, from this point on, there's no more dress rehearsals. We're going out there to play. Every team in the country is 0-0 right now...
"All we care about is NC State."
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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.