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NC State Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Wolfpack

By Jerran Anderson

RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 01: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Image was created as an Equirectangular Panorama. Import image into a panoramic player to create an interactive 360 degree view.) A general view prior to the game between the Syracuse Orange and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at PNC Arena on February 1, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Syracuse won 100-93 in OT. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 01: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Image was created as an Equirectangular Panorama. Import image into a panoramic player to create an interactive 360 degree view.) A general view prior to the game between the Syracuse Orange and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at PNC Arena on February 1, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Syracuse won 100-93 in OT. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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NC State Basketball
NC State Basketball Kevin Keatts  Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Head coach Kevin Keatts and NC State basketball made a deep run in the NIT in 2020-21. Expectations are a lot higher with the return of four players with starting experience, nine total returners, and just five newcomers to adjust to in 2021-22. Two of their newcomers join the roster via the transfer portal, giving them some veteran experience to look forward to as well.

The Wolfpack will look to reach their first NCAA Tournament since 2018 under Keatts in a pivotal season for him. While they’ve managed to go 79-47 (.627) with Keatts on the sideline through four seasons, they’re 39-34 in ACC basketball play with just two seasons with above .500 finishes.

Even finishing at 9-8 last season left them on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament’s “bubble”. They started their conference slate at 4-8 before winning their final five contests on the regular-season schedule. Granted, they were the victim of not one, but two Covid pauses due to Covid-19.

NC State basketball will look to pick up where they left off this past season, so to speak, with some new pieces in the rotation giving them more of their usual guard depth and a highly-rated name in Ernest Ross with tons of potential in the frontcourt.

Coach Keatts should have a competitive bunch this season in the ACC basketball landscape. Here’s a look at NC State basketball’s season preview for 2021-22.

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