For fans watching an N.C. State game this year, head coach Sidney Lowe’s trademark red blazer may be the only thing they recognize.
This year’s Wolfpack squad will look to quickly establish an identity of its own, as N.C. State needs to fill gaping holes left by departed seniors. With three starters gone, N.C. State has to replace 60 percent of its scoring and the two best rebounders on last year’s team, Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner.
Scoring points will be the biggest struggle for the Wolfpack, who managed only 73 per game last year. Lowe has high expectations for 6-foot-8 junior forward Tracy Smith, who averaged 10 points per contest as a sophomore. Smith will have to carry a heavy load, though, on the offensive end and in captaining the defense.
Australian recruit Jordan Vandenberg and fellow freshman DeShawn Painter will give the Wolfpack some much-needed size in the post. Vandenberg and Painter, at 7-foot-1 and 6-foot-9 respectively, could prove to be important role players for N.C. State, which was second to last in the ACC in rebounding.
The Wolfpack will also have to deal with a tough nonconference schedule in which N.C. State plays three 2009 NCAA Tournament teams—Akron, Auburn and Austin Peay—and has road trips to Arizona and Marquette.
With five incoming freshmen, a young team will have to mature quickly.
“With all the freshmen, it’s going to take a while for them to get up to speed,” senior guard Farnold Degand said. “There are certain things you can’t teach them in practice, and it’s going to take some game time to get things straight.”
Degand said the low expectations for the Wolfpack will benefit the young team.
“It’s fine what people say, we’re just going to go out there and surprise a lot of people,” he said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.