College basketball is used to change, but the combination of allowing players unlimited movement, pay-for-play and conference realignment has made the last few years more hectic.
Different milestones have always popped up — integration of the sport, freshman being eligible, the dunk allowed, three-point line invented, the shot clock coming into play or qualifying numbers for being eligible. All each on their own ushered in new change, along with changes in who made the NCAA Tournament and how many teams in the field.
NC State didn’t get to have David Thompson as a freshman, or to see him soar for dunks (unless he purposely went for a technical foul). The 1983 Wolfpack went 172-of-381 from the much shorter 3-point line in 1983, and then adjusted in 1986-87 with the new stripe to 164 of 397 for 41.3 percent. Having both Bennie Bolton and Vinny Del Negro shoot lights out helped in that regard. The ACC was at eight teams that season, with Maryland one of them.
The changes have led to NC State playing at No. 9-ranked North Carolina at 4 p.m. Saturday, and then hosting No. 10-ranked Duke on Monday. Even not having home-and-homes with its biggest rivals continue to evolve over time.
“In the past we may not have been able to beat Duke or Carolina, or climb that ladder to be able to do that, but we’ve been able to do that,” NCSU coach Kevin Keatts said. “Our guys recognize that. Even though they are probably two of the top programs in the history [of the sport], we are competing and right there. I do like where we are at.”
Duke has lost coach Mike Krzyzewski to retirement, and the same for UNC with coach Roy Williams. It’s a new era of college basketball, where none of the traditional powers reached the 2023 Final Four.
“Everything comes down to NIL as you guys know, and really the coaches,” Keatts said. “It is about how much a collective can take care of these young men. That’s the way it is now. Recruiting has really shifted. It’s not about having the best facilities, though you want to keep up with those, but it’s also in this moment of time, guys are looking to capitalize on their NIL.
“It certainly helps at NC State if we get our fans behind it because these are opportunities to directly impact all of our programs.”
Keatts has changed two starters in the lineup since the first meeting, when UNC won a defensive grind-it-out battle 67-54 on Jan.10.
The extra size of junior power forward Mohamed Diarra could help on the boards, where the Tar Heels held a 36-28 advantage, due in part to junior forward Harrison Ingram grabbing 19 boards. Keatts hopes having Diarra as a major factor will shrink the rebounding advantage.
The insertion of senior point guard Michael O’Connell could help free up D.J. Horne, who went 2 of 16 from the field for six points in the first meeting.
“I thought they played really good defense and D.J. Horne wasn’t D.J. Horne at the time,” Keatts said. “We did some really good things. D.J. Burns had an effective game, especially early.
“I thought we missed some shots that we normally would make or have been making lately.”
What Keatts won’t put up with is allowing 90 points again, after falling 90-83 to Florida State on Tuesday. Another key aspect is locking up senior guard R.J. Davis of the Tar Heels again, who went 6 of 19 for 16 points against the Wolfpack. Davis is coming off scoring 42 points and going 7 of 11 on three-pointers in a 75-71 win over Miami (Fla.) on Monday.
“He is doing it in so many different ways,” Keatts said. “He is doing it with the ball in his hands, off the ball screen, catch and shoot opportunities and transition. He is playing the best basketball of anybody in this league.”
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