Women's hoops notebook: Freshman Elle Sutphin learning while redshirting
Graduating early has become semi-normal in men’s college basketball, but not as prevalent in women’s hoops, at least not at NC State.
NC State freshman forward Elle Sutphin had always wanted to move into the class of 2019 and graduate from Pilot Mountain (N.C.) East Surry High in three years. The five-star ESPNW recruit was ranked No. 39 overall in her original class of 2020. Sutphin had helped East Surry reach the NCHSAA 1A state title last year, and averaged 21.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
“I am so happy I have done it because of all the benefits that have come out of it," Sutphin said. "I told my coaches that I am really happy, and I don’t regret it. I really have enjoyed the head start I am getting.”
The 6-foot-3 Sutphin originally hoped to play this season, but NC State coach Wes Moore and his staff knew it was best for her long-range future to redshirt. Watching the team be 19-1 and ranked No. 7 in the country has been fun and she’s learning valuable lessons, but there will always be that urge to want to be on the court helping them.
Senior guard Katie Wadsworth has been great at helping her adjust to college.
“It’s an awesome experience that a lot of freshmen should do,” Sutphin said. “It gives you the background knowledge to put all the stuff together that they are doing now. It also gives you a chance to start on your academic career here.”
Sutphin followed the East Surry football team on its path to winning the NCHSAA 1A state title over Tarboro, and she does plan to attend prom next spring.
“Those guys were some of my friends back at East Surry,” said Sutphin, 17. “I did think about that stuff, but I can’t go back and change things. I can only build on it from here.”
“I am going to prom with my really good friends, so I’m really excited.”
The biggest adjustment during Wolfpack practices has been the speed of the game. Sutphin got a little bit of that with her traveling team, but it’s different at the ACC level.
“I’ve seen a lot of the girls playing over the years in AAU ball,” Sutphin said. “I’ve played them, and I’ve played with them. The high school game and college game, it’s just not the same.”
The time to work on her game has given Sutphin the opportunity to expand her game.
“I’ve definitely improved my outside game like shooting, coming down and shoot off the dribble and shoot with a hand in my face,” Sutphin said. “I can definitely communicate better on offense and defense.”
NC State Has Three Straight Road Games
Not every road trip is the same, but NC State is in the midst of having four road games out of five.
It started with the 88-44 win at Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, and coming up is at Clemson on Thursday, at Duke on Sunday and at Virginia Tech on Feb. 6.
“We’ll fly down there [to Clemson on Wednesday] after practice and then fly right back after the game,” Moore said. “On game day, we’ll have shoot-arounds and watch film and eating pre-game. There isn’t a whole lot of bonding time at this time of the year.”
At least with the Duke game the players and coaches will be able to sleep in their own beds the night before.
“It is kind of a mentality where you have to be disciplined mentally and physically,” NC State junior guard Kai Crutchfield said. “The mental part is traveling on an airplane because that isn’t easy for anyone, in my opinion. You have to make sure you get the treatment and do the best we can of taking care of our bodies.
“The mental part is also to get rest, whether on the plane or when we get off the plane”
The road trip of all road trips took place earlier this season when the team went to Saint Mary’s in Moraga, Calif. on Nov. 24, followed by games in the Hawaii Tournament Nov. 29-Dec. 1. NCSU won all four contests, including a nice 84-73 win over Texas on Nov. 29.
“We had so much fun, but it was like, ‘Gosh, I miss my bed,’” Crutchfield said. “It’s a blessing to say that I went to Hawaii to play basketball, the game I love. Hawaii was the coolest thing because they have a friendly, nurturing type of thing. Cancun was pretty cool, too.”
If Moore is the coach on the court, then Jill Handlon is the coach in preparing the team for road trips. She has been the Director of Olympic Athletic Equipment at NC State since 2010.
“She oversees all that and has a great staff of managers that make sure the girls are taken care of,” Moore said. “We need to have the right uniforms and the practice gear we need.”
Wolfpack Enjoy Pregame Routines
Crutchfield has the moves on the court and with handshakes among her teammates.
NC State has a routine of slapping hands that Crutchfield said is easier than people expect. It really shouldn’t take incoming freshmen long to learn.
“Honestly, we taught the freshmen in like 30 seconds,” Crutchfield said. “It was just like spin with your right hand up and take you from there. That was it. It wasn’t too hard, but some of them overthought it.
“It is our thing. It is a Wolfpack thing.”
Crutchfield has slapped hands with the same player every single season, but she doesn’t think it is superstitious.
“If we didn’t do it, it would be like, ‘Whoa,’” said Crutchfield on doing her route with senior Katie Wadsworth. “Next year, I’m going to miss her.”
Moore doesn’t expect to be part of any choreographed handshake routine in the future.
“It’s more a fist bump or high five or whatever,” Moore said. “I have my own [handshakes], so they have to learn mine.”
Crutchfield is tied for fourth on the team with 9.3 points per game, plus is shooting 38.4 percent on three-pointers. The 5-9 Raleigh Millbrook High product had 13 points, three assists and shot 3 of 5 on three-pointers in the big 76-68 win over North Carolina on Sunday in front of 5,591 fans at Reynolds Coliseum. The win evened the season series with the Tar Heels.
“It was a game where we had to be focused for sure,” Crutchfield said. “It is great to win, but even better to learn from our wins than from our losses.”
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