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NC State basketball enters season opener concerned with injuries

If NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts had his way, he probably wouldn’t have picked opening up against Georgia Tech, at least not for this particular year.

The new ACC Network wanted to make a splash, so league teams are playing each other to kick off the 2019-20 season. However, NC State won’t have its full squad against the Yellow Jackets for an 8:30 p.m. tip-off Tuesday at PNC Arena, and that is what has Keatts concerned.

He knew the Wolfpack would be without suspended redshirt junior center D.J. Funderburk, who has returned to practice but has not been cleared to play games. However, in addition a few other players are sporting minor injuries.

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“We are a little banged up,” Keatts said. “I don’t know, we’ll make a game-time decision on a couple of guys — but I won’t say who. We are not at full strength, but we are hoping a couple of guys will be ready to play at 8:30 tomorrow night.”

All the ACC teams are playing each other except for Duke, who opens against Kansas.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our league on opening night,” Keatts said. “I’m excited about that part of it.”

Keatts mentioned the reality is that NC State will be a better team in a few weeks. A showdown against No. 14 Memphis Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving) in Brooklyn, N.Y., could be the next challenge after the opener.

“We are a work in progress, which sounds funny heading into a game,” Keatts said. “Every coach in the country will tell you on Nov. 5 that they are nowhere near what they need to be and will get better.”

Georgia Tech returns all five starters and one reserve that played in last year’s 63-61 win over NC State at PNC Arena on March 6, 2019. Keatts, who has five players returning from that game (not counting Funderburk), did re-watch the contest in preparation for the season opener.

GT shot 58.1 percent from the field with post players James Banks III and Moses Wright going a combined 15 of 19 en route to 37 points and 17 rebounds. Redshirt freshman center Manny Bates will get the challenge of battling Banks and Wright in light of Funderburk’s suspension.

“We are going to have to depend a lot on Manny Bates,” Keatts said. “That’s a good thing for us because he has been able to play in a scrimmage and exhibition game. He’s got those practice reps.”

Bates missed last year after undergoing shoulder surgery prior to the start of the season. The same injury caused him to miss all but two games his senior year at Fayetteville (N.C.) Northwood Temple.

“He allows us to gamble a little bit,” Keatts said. “He allows us to get in the passing lane. He allows us to make a few mistakes on the perimeter with his shot-blocking ability. He can clean up a lot of our mistakes. He’s going to be a really good player.”

Keatts also brought up how junior guard Braxton Beverly and fifth-year senior wing C.J. Bryce combined to shoot 1 of 16 from the field and 0 of 11 on three-pointers for a combined two points in the loss to the Yellow Jackets. Keatts knows that was the difference in a close game.

“I’ve watched the tape from last year, and we quite frankly didn’t make shots,” Keatts said. “We got great shots, but we didn’t make shots in that game.”

Beverly also watched film of his struggles against Georgia Tech. He is glad to open the season against an ACC opponent, and knows the injuries could increase his role Tuesday night.

“I think it’s really good, and I think it’s good for our conference,” Beverly said. “As good as our conference is from top to bottom, it’s great for us to open up with a really good team, a really talented team like that.”

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