NC State Basketball: Latest Second Half Excites Kevin Keatts
The 2024-25 NC State basketball team is far from dominant. A few of the Wolfpack's matchups versus lesser foes, including Division II Lees-McRae back in exhibition action, have been a bit too close for comfort at times.
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But NC State's record remains unblemished at 3-0 (0-0 ACC) while riding a two-game streak with wire-to-wire wins. Plus, even though AP Top 25 Poll voters haven't taken notice yet, it's worth reminding folks that the program has reeled off 13 wins across its past 14 contests that counted.
As for the latest Wolfpack victory, 82-70 over the visiting Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the Lenovo Center on Wednesday night, Kevin Keatts sounded less than impressed with his eighth NC State basketball team's effort late in the first half. After all, the Chanticleers pulled within two points at the break, 35-33.
However, in the opening statement of his postgame presser, Keatts spotlighted a couple of standout performances, most notably senior starting guard Jayden Taylor's game-high 22 points and freshman guard Trey Parker's career-high 13 points off the bench.
Keatts noted that State's tempo and execution in winning the second half, 47-37, serves as an example of what the Pack is capable of as it eagerly looks to improve before the level of competition rises:
"I love the way our guys came out in the second half with energy. I thought we did a good job.
"When we lost Michael [O'Connell] to his second foul, and him only playing four minutes in the first [half], it kind of changed us a little bit. We didn't finish the [first] half like I wanted to. Obviously, [O'Connell] is one of the guys that steadies us and gets us in the right stuff.
"But I thought we did some good things. I thought [Jayden Taylor] played extremely well. I was very excited at what I saw from Trey Parker; I thought he was very aggressive. And I think we're getting better. We want to build on that second half. I like some of the things I've seen.
"You know, Coastal is a team that loves to control tempo, and they want to play the game in the 50s and 60s. And we came in wanting to play fast and make them play fast. I thought we did a good job on the defensive end, once again forcing 19 turnovers."
Next up for the Wolfpack is a home game against the Colgate Raiders (1-2, 0-0 Patriot League) at 7 p.m. ET Monday (ACC 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.