ACC Basketball power rankings: Florida State rises, Louisville dives downward
Wolfpack . 11. team. 442. . 10-10 (3-6).
After a brutal five-game losing streak that seemingly put the Wolfpack out of contention for any postseason play, they’ve since gone 3-3 in the last six games to get out the very bottom of the standings. The first two wins came on the road against disappointing teams, Virginia Tech and Louisville. But after losing to Duke and the Hokies in back-to-back games, NC State had to find a way to score on one of the best defenses in the country in Virginia at home.
That proved not to be a big issue after all. The Wolfpack put up one of its best shooting performances of the season, making 60% of their total shots from the field and going 12/22 from three-point range in the 77-63 victory. Jericole Hellems had a game-high 21 points, while freshman guard Terquavion Smith went for 20.
The Wolfpack has had plenty of ups and downs, evident by the 10-10 overall record. But the play of the underclassmen guards provides a hopeful outlook for the future. Even if they lose leading scorer Dereon Seabron after the season, they’ll still have Smith, Casey Morsell, and get the returns of Manny Bates, Ernest Ross, and Providence transfer forward Greg Gantt, all of whom are injured.