In a perfect world, NC State has a healthy roster against a talented Oklahoma State team Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.
The Wolfpack could have used the 1-2 punch in the post of redshirt junior center Manny Bates and junior power forward Greg Gantt, but both are injured. The Wolfpack hung tough with the taller and more athletic Cowboys, but the size and depth proved too much to overcome. Oklahoma State improved to 4-1 with a 74-68 win over NC State, which fell to 3-1 overall.
“I thought we showed a lot of fight today,” NC State coach Kevin Keatts said. “We played a really good team on a neutral court. Obviously, without one of our best players in Manny Bates, who will be out the rest of the year. I will say is our team fought the entire time.”
NC State was the aggressor early, taking a 15-6 lead while the Cowboys struggled mightily on offense. Wing Rondel Walker came off the bench and scored five quick points to tie the game 25-25 with 2:27 left in the first half. Once Oklahoma State got the lead, the Cowboys never relented, surging to a 31-25 lead at halftime. NC State scored just two points over the final 5:34 of the first half.
A OSU 6-0 spurt gave the Cowboys a 46-33 lead with 12:32 left in the game. NC State hung around, but needed Oklahoma State to lose the game at the free-throw line in the final 33 seconds. Instead, the Cowboys went 6 of 6 at the charity stripe.
“We got down as much as 14, and we found a way to claw back in it, which is a very positive thing for us,” Keatts said.
Oklahoma State also came up big off the bench, holding a monster 56-5 advantage. The Cowboys roster has eight players who were ranked in the Rivals150, and three others who were four-star prospects and not ranked.
The depth was particularly true in the post, where the Cowboys held a 42-24 advantage for points in the paint. Junior center Kalib Boone had 20 points off the bench and Texas Tech sophomore power forward transfer Tyreek Smith added 10 points and five minutes. Add in Walker, who had 16 points and that proved to be the difference in the contest.
NC State was led once again by redshirt sophomore Dereon Seabron, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and senior forward Jericole Hellems bounced back from a frustrating effort against Central Connecticut State on Tuesday, to have 18 points and four boards. Sophomore point guard Cam Hayes added 16 points, but went 4 of 16 from the field and had just one assist.
Hellems made all 10 of his free-throw attempts.
“I thought he [Hellems] played well because he had the chance to stay on the floor,” Keatts said. “That was one of the keys to it. I thought he played like a veteran guy.”
Hayes said the squad never wants to ever quit.
“It was nice knowing early that the team was going to fight regardless of the score,” Hayes said. “We aren’t going to quit on any possession or any play. It was a good little test and I’m glad we passed it.”
NC State’s freshman played like freshman. Wing freshman Terquavion Smith was fearless in the first three games, but the challenge of big, athletic team like Oklahoma State presented different problems. He finished 0 of 5 from the field for zero points and three turnovers in 16 minutes. He entered the game averaging 14.3 points in 26.3 minutes per game.
Freshman point guard Breon Pass played the first three games, but wasn’t in the rotation against Oklahoma State. The third freshman, post player Ernest Ross, logged seven minutes and went 0 of 2 for zero points. Smith had a minus-15 for plus/minus and Ross was minus-12.
“I thought some of our young didn’t necessarily play well,” Keatts said. “This was similar to what we’ll get in an ACC game. It is a good opportunity to learn, especially early in the season.”
NC State returns to action against Texas Southern at 6 p.m. Sunday at PNC Arena.
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