NC State eager to play at Reynolds Coliseum
NC State men’s basketball got a taste of playing at renovated Reynolds Coliseum for Primetime With The Pack in mid-October, but will get the full force of the experience Saturday.
NCSU (6-2) plays its annual Heritage Game against Tennessee State at 4 p.m. Saturday at Reynolds, which underwent a $35 million makeover last year. The Tigers aren’t expected to be a pushover, bringing a 7-1 mark including a win over Middle Tennessee State.
Head coach Mark Gottfried has always embraced playing at Reynolds Coliseum and hopes to play at least one game a year in the historic venue. The program enjoys the intimate and loud atmosphere.
“I’ve enjoyed every year we’ve played there and this should be a lot of fun,” Gottfried said. “They’ve done an amazing job with the building, the renovations especially. I know our players are excited too.”
Gottfried could also be welcoming back sophomore small forward Maverick Rowan, who has missed the last seven games after suffering concussion-like symptoms after the Georgia Southern season opener Nov. 11. The 6-foot-7, 220-pounder returned to practice Wednesday, but Gottfried noticed a little more zip during Thursday’s practice. Rowan averaged 12.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last year, and shot 36 percent from the field and 33.6 percent on three-pointers.
Gottfried knows Rowan will give the Wolfpack one more “big-shot maker” on the perimeter. The Tennessee State game will also be the last one for freshman center Omer Yurtseven to sit out.
“I think we’ll have Mav,” Gottfried said. “He practice yesterday and today, but today I thought his legs were underneath him a little better. When you sit out three weeks and aren’t doing anything at all due to the concussion protocol, it’s going to take him a little while to find his groove.”
NC State’s last game at Reynolds Coliseum resulted in a 55-54 loss against Wofford on Dev. 14, 2014. The Terriers’ won with a shot with 1.9 seconds left and the Wolfpack’s Trevor Lacey’s game-winner came a split second after the game ended. The contest also marked the last time referee Karl Hess worked an NC State game.
Gottfried knows that Tennessee State will be another tough challenge. TSU features three Division I transfers and two junior college transfers in its top seven players. Gottfried thinks it might be the oldest team the Wolfpack play this season.
NC State assistant coach Heath Schroyer was the head coach at Tennessee-Martin, which is also in the Ohio Valley Conference. UT-Martin won the lone meeting 72-56 on Feb. 25, 2016, in Martin, Tenn.
“This is their year,” Gottfried said. “They are going to come in here with the attitude that they can beat us. He [Schroyer] knows them pretty good and he knows their players well.
“They aren’t going to come in here and beat themselves. They are a veteran group who probably in their minds thinks they are going to win the OVC.”