NC State Basketball: CJ Bryce transfers to Wolfpack

By Stuart Gill | May 30, 2017

Mar 6, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; UNCW Seahawks guard C.J. Bryce (12) drives to the basket as Northeastern Huskies guard David Walker (4) defends during the first half of game two of the CAA conference tournament semi finals at Royal Farms Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

NC State Basketball has acquired a proven scorer, former UNCW Guard CJ Bryce.

NC State is focusing on the future. Last season, the team finished 15-17 overall and No. 13 in the ACC, leading to Mark Gottfried’s firing. Former UNCW Head Coach Kevin Keatts was hired to take the helm and that decision has already paid dividends, in the form of UNCW’s leading scorer from a season ago choosing to follow his head coach to Raleigh.

CJ Bryce didn’t waste time in having an impact in Wilmington. In the 2015-16 season, he led all Seahawks’ freshmen in scoring and rebounding, averaging 10.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. In his second season at UNC, he took over, leading the team in scoring with 17.4 points per game. He also averaged close to 35 minutes per game. In each of those seasons UNCW won both the Colonial Athletic Association Regular Season and CAA Tournament titles.

Bryce’s accomplishments landed him on the CAA’s First Team, and he was also selected as the CAA Tournament MVP. After sitting out the 2017-2018 season, Bryce will have two years of eligibility to play for the Wolfpack. Because the team has just three guards currently on the roster, each of whom have limited experience, Bryce appears to be an essential piece in the Wolfpack’s rebuilding plan.

While he was also considering the University of South Carolina, NC State was the better fit for the Charlotte native. Boyce stated that his choosing the Wolfpack boiled down to “loyalty and family” — he is remaining loyal to Coach Keatts while taking an opportunity to play in his home state in front of his family.

Next: The other top remaining transfers

While he won’t be playing in any games, Bryce will be an asset to Keatts in his first season in Raleigh. He doesn’t just know his coach’s system, he was in charge of running it on the court in just his second season at UNCW. He is a team leader and his influence on the freshmen that Keatts recruits in the next three years will have great impact on how the program fares under Keatt’s direction.

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