Reason for Tweaked NC State Basketball Starting Lineup in ACC Opener
Entering the NC State basketball team's 84-74 home victory over Florida State on Saturday, former Tennessee and Louisville big man Brandon Huntley-Hatfield was averaging double-digit points in his first Wolfpack campaign. And ever since the second game of the season, the 21-year-old senior from Clarksville, Tenn., had been a full-time starter under reigning ACC champion head coach Kevin Keatts.
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But against the Seminoles (7-3, 0-1 ACC), as the Pack (6-3, 1-0 ACC) ended a three-game skid to win its conference opener, Huntley-Hatfield played only 18 minutes off the bench. His mere two points and three rebounds in the contest dropped his season averages to 9.7 and 5.8, respectively.
Senior forward Ben Middlebrooks, who posted a game-high plus/minus of +25 across his 27 minutes on the floor, drew the start in place of Huntley-Hatfield, joining Michael O'Connell, Marcus Hill, Dontrez Styes, and Jayden Taylor.
Evidently, Huntley-Hatfield's omission from the group had nothing to do with motivation and everything to do with discipline.
"It wasn't an inspiration thing," Keatts noted in his postgame presser. "We have a major standard in this program, and Brandon, unfortunately, was a little late to practice yesterday. And we just don’t care who you are — you gotta punch the clock.
"So, that wasn't a message. It was [that] he was late."
NC State basketball is now gearing up to face the visiting Coppin State Eagles (0-10, 0-0 Mid-Eastern) in Reynolds Coliseum at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday (ACC Network Extra).
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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.