Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
We’ve seen what the North Carolina State Wolfpack can do when they are at the top of their game. Their losses are impressive. Their wins are even more impressive. Coach Mark Gottfried has an experienced ball club on his hands and it shows. Having dominated the competition in other conferences, N.C. State has their sights set on a conference championship.
After upsetting an undefeated and top ranked Duke team, the debate began in the college basketball world as to whether it was a fluke win for the Wolfpack, or whether N.C. State is a certifiably better basketball team than Duke. As we’re still in the early stages of conference play, N.C. State still has to go through the gauntlet of a tough ACC schedule. They will be doing so not as an underrated Cinderella, but with a target on their back due to being chosen as the preseason ACC Champions.
Expect N.C. State to pass with flying colors on their first go around of the ACC. But as teams become more familiar with what Coach Gottfried likes to do with this particular team, expect the Pack to face some trouble. There are too many good teams left on the schedule to think that N.C. State will have a sort of miracle season.
With that said, N.C. State is still a team to watch. On any given night, they could show up and play with any team in the country. With senior sharpshooter Scott Wood, and all-everything play maker C.J. Leslie, opposing teams better watch out when they see N.C. State on the schedule.
