NC State proved efficient, focused and dominant in defeating Austin Peay 99-50 on Monday.
The Wolfpack will get to follow up and build off that victory against Campbell at 7 p.m. Friday on ACC Network Extra.
The Fighting Camels went 16-13 overall and 8-8 in the Big South a year ago. Campbell has added former NC State assistant coach Mike Summey to the staff.
Overview
Campbell returns veteran guard Ricky Clemons of Rolesville (N.C.) High, but lost key forward Cedric Henderson Jr., who picked Arizona as a graduate transfer over Texas Tech and NC State, among others.
Campbell cruised past St. Augustine of Raleigh 79-62 on Monday, with Clemons and Northwestern State transfer Jay Pal scoring 13 points apiece. Freshman wing Anthony Dell’Orso of Melbourne, Australia, had 11 points off the bench.
Campbell also returns post player Jesus Carralero of Spain from lsat year’s starting lineup, and reserve junior wing Gedminas Mokseckas has moved into the starting lineup.
NC State is the only Power Five Conference opponent Campbell will play this season. The Fighting Camels also play at East Carolina, at Appalachian State and home vs. North Carolina-Wilmington.
Rankings
Campbell was No. 218 in the NET rankings last season, and NC State was No. 139.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) has the Fighting Camels ranked No. 195 overall, and NC State is No. 55.
KenPom.com has Campbell at No. 195, and NCSU checks in at No. 70.
RealtimeRPI.com had NC State ranked No. 223 in the country, and Campbell was 215 last year.
Shooting
Campbell shot 42.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range in the win over St. Augustine. Six different players hit one three-pointer, and Fairleigh Dickinson transfer Devon Dunn made three of six from beyond the arc. Jones shot 41.8 percent his freshman year at FDU, but slumped to 30.9 percent last year.
Campbell shot 46.0 percent from the field and 31.8 percent on three-pointer’s a year ago.
Rebounding
Campbell out-rebounded St. Augustine 36-30 on Monday, including 12-6 on the offensive boards. Pal led the way with eight boards, and Clemons added seven from the guard position.
Campbell averaged 31.9 rebounds per game last year, with 6-8, 220-pound Carralero leading the way with 5.7 rebounds per game. Clemons chipped in 5.0 boards a contest.
Defense
Campbell held St. Augustine to 46.2 percent from the field and 7 of 17 on three-pointers for 41.2 percent. The. 6-9, 190-pound Pal had four blocks, giving Campbell a rim protector.
Carralero had 26 blocks a year ago, plus 36 steals to lead Campbell in both categories. Opponents averaged 62.0 points per game last year, along with shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 34.4 percent on three-pointers.
Depth
Dell’Orso, Dunn, sophomore shooting guard Jasin Sinani and senior power forward Joshua Lusane appear to be the key cogs off the bench this season.
The 6-1, 180-pound Dunn averaged 9.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game last year for Fairleigh Dickinson. The 6-7, 240-pound Lusane started 23 of 25 games in 2020-21, but came off the bench in all but one game last year. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game.
The 6-3, 195-pound Sinani played for Wisconsin-Milwaukee last year, and logged four starts and played in 21 games.
Star Watch
The 6-2, 210-pound Ricky Clemons arrived at Campbell as a walk-on, and will leave as a three-year starter.
Clemons has reached double figures in 21 career games, including 13 against St. Augustine in the season opener. He came alive for 18 points in a 67-56 loss at Duke last year Nov. 13, 2021. He also had 18 points against Hampton in a 68-66 road loss Feb. 23.
A good rebounder for his size, he had at least seven boards in seven games last year. He had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a 66-55 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Nov. 24, 2021.
Clemons was named preseason second-team All-Big South, and he has played in 80 career games. Clemons was named to the Big South all-tournament team in 2020-21, helping the Fighting Camels reach the title game. He averaged 12.7 points during that event.
Likely Starters
NC State
PG — 1 Jarkel Joiner (6-1, 180, Sr., 18.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 8.0 apg)
SG — 0 Terquavion Smith (6-4, 165, Soph., 26.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.0 bpg)
G — 14 Casey Morsell (6-3, 200, R-Jr., 10.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.0 spg)
PF — 5 Jack Clark (6-8, 200, R-Jr., 15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 3.0 spg, 2.0 bpg)
C — 11 Dusan Mahorcic (6-10, 235, Sr., 8.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.0 apg)
Campbell
PG — 1 Ricky Clemons (6-2, 210, Sr., 13.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg)
SG — 20 Juan Reyna (6-3, 185, Soph., 4.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg)
SF — 0 Gediminas Mokseckas (6-4, 200, Jr., 4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg)
PF — 15 Jay Pal (6-9, 190, Sr., 13.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 4.0 bpg)
C — 12 Jesus Carralero (6-8, 220, Sr., 7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.0 bpg)
Numbers Of Note
6: Place in the Big South preseason poll for Campbell. The Fighting Camels were picked tied for sixth place with Radford with 88 points.
22 Games last year out of 29 that Campbell held opponents below 70 points, helping the Fighting Camels lead the Big South and finish 18th nationally in allowing 62.0 points per game.
60.5 Percent from the field last year for 6-2 guard Ricky Clemons, a former walk-on.
Game Within The Game: Campbell's Jay Pal vs. NC State's Jack Clark
Campbell post player Jay Pal is listed as a senior, but does have two years of eligibility remaining.
The 6-9, 190-pounder has taken an interesting route to reach Campbell. He went to Omaha (Neb.) Central High and then finished up at The Skills Factory in Atlanta. Pal attended Clarendon (Texas) College in 2019-20, where he averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Pal transferred from the junior college to play the last two years Jacksonville State. He averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game last year, and he shot 50.9 percent from the field. He had 16 points against Carver College on Dec. 28, 2021, and he also had 11 points and four rebounds at Virginia Commonwealth on Dec. 8.
Pal had 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against St. Augustine in the season opener.
Jack Clark, a La Salle transfer, did a little bit of everything in the season opener against Austin Peay. He had 15 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two blocks in the 99-50 win.
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