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Men’s basketball takeaways: Never count on the Wolfpack
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PAGE 11 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019
Men’s basketball takeaways: Never count out the Wolfpack
Anderson Brewer
Correspondent
The No. 23 NC State men’s basketball team fell to No. 3 Virginia Tuesday night, despite a hard-fought performance by the team. After taking down Clemson due to late-game heroics by sophomore guard Braxton Beverly, NC State came into the matchup looking to pull off the upset against an extremely talented Virginia squad, led by head coach Tony Bennett.
It was another tight one in Raleigh, but ultimately the Pack fell short in overtime after junior guard Markell Johnson missed the first of three free throws at the end of the extra session. While there are no moral victories, there are many great things to be taken from this game heading into two top-25 matchups in the coming week.
Never count this team out
If the Clemson game was not proof enough that this team plays until the buzzer sounds, then the Virginia game removed all doubt. Early into the 2nd half, the Pack found itself down 42-28, but like all games in which the Pack has trailed this year, it somehow found a way to come back. After some quick points by redshirt sophomore guard Devin Daniels and redshirt senior guard Torin Dorn, the Pack found itself right back in the game.
This was a Virginia team that was beating opponents by a 20.5-point margin, and many teams have simply laid down and given up when down to the Cavaliers. The Pack didn’t, seeming to have found an identity in never going away when down in games. Wolfpack fans can appreciate that after years where many Wolfpack basketball teams failed to compete against quality opponents, and all of the credit goes to the culture change brought about by head coach Kevin Keatts.
Wyatt Walker played to his potential
Many Wolfpack fans have wondered over the recent games why graduate Wyatt Walker continued to start at center while struggling against some ACC opponents. He put all of those questions to bed Tuesday, as the forward out of Jacksonville, Florida had his best game of the season. On a night where the Pack had one of its worst shooting performances of the year, Walker did not, as he shot 2 for 2 from the floor and finished with 11 points.
Walker not only was efficient at shooting against the Cavaliers, but he was able to grab key rebounds, especially late in the game. Walker finished the game with seven rebounds and only two personal fouls, which is a great sign of improvement, since he has experienced some foul trouble in ACC play. With these kinds of performances, Wolfpack fans can look to Walker to help the Pack compete with the top teams in the ACC.
Keatts’ system works
Ever since Keatts arrived in Raleigh, he has preached that his teams want to play at an extremely fast tempo. Keatts has pushed NC State to be one of the most conditioned teams in the country. He believes that by playing at an up-tempo speed, teams will eventually wear out as the game progresses. In the short one and a half seasons that Keatts has been in Raleigh, this concept has been shown to work in numerous games in which teams have shown extreme progressive fatigue against the Pack.
While his style of up-tempo play has worked in the past, some have questioned whether Keatts’ system would work against every team. Bennett and the Cavaliers run one of the slowest systems in the country, as Virginia ranks at 352nd out of 353 teams in possessions per game. Compare that to NC State, ranked at No. 36, and it is clear that both teams could not be any more philosophically different. On Tuesday, the Pack forced 16 turnovers with its high tempo of play, which is one of its highest totals of the year. While no offense is perfect, Keatts and the Pack proved that they can run their system against anyone.
Despite the loss, Wolfpack fans can look at this game as a step forward rather than a step back. Much like the Wisconsin game, the Wolfpack showed many signs of a great program. As seen Tuesday, this team has the players and heart to compete with anyone in the country. However, the Pack will need to continue and improve on its play as the team faces even more challenging opponents in the coming week. With games against No. 12 Virginia Tech and No. 9 North Carolina, the team has no time to slow down. Despite the tough competition, Wolfpack fans can know that this team will continue to compete and look to take down some big names as they approach the middle of ACC play.
JESSE CHILDS/TECHNICIAN Graduate forward Wyatt Walker defends Virginia guard Kyle Guy at PNC Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. Walker recorded 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as the Wolfpack lost 66-65 in overtime.
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PAGE 12 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019
Funderburk shows off versatility, ability in first season with Wolfpack
Tristan Tucker
Staff Writer
Motivation is key to the success that redshirt sophomore forward DJ Funderburk has found through his first 21 games as a member of the NC State Wolfpack. Currently, Funderburk is averaging 8.4 points per game in just over 18 minutes per game, as his role has increased gameby-game with the lack of big men on the roster.
“Besides my family, my teammates [keep me motivated],” Funderburk said. “We all just have a great bond, and we all just try to come together and complete one goal at the end of every game.”
After playing with current Wolfpack guard Braxton Beverly and playing at Hargrave Military Academy in his senior season, Funderburk was heavily recruited. Funderburk committed to and joined the Ohio State Buckeyes for his freshman season. However, his freshman season did not go as anticipated, with the Buckeyes and former head coach Thad Matta having a strong team, which had included now-NBA forward Keita Bates-Diop.
“Yeah, it was hard,” Funderburk said. “As a freshman, I was kind of upset. [Matta] brought me to the office and said ‘We have a really good team and, you’re a great piece, but we want you to redshirt.’ and I said ‘Whatever you think the best decision is for me and my future, I’ll run with it.’”
The decision to redshirt turned out to be a blessing for the forward, as it led to his transfer to Northwest Florida State College, where he gained valuable experience. This led to his subsequent transfer to NC State, where he will be able to play for up to two more years.
“Yeah, I respect [Matta] for that instead of playing me only two minutes a game,” Funderburk said. “He redshirted me and it helped my future.”
Funderburk is now ready to prove to the ACC that he has been underrated his entire career. He is shooting a tremendous field goal percentage and true shooting percentage, at 58 percent and 65 percent respectively. True shooting percentage includes field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. It is usual for a big man to have a high trueshooting percentage; however, it is less likely for those that can extend beyond the arc. Having above 60 percent true shooting is truly astounding, especially considering that his 3-point shot is not at an elite clip just yet.
“I think it just comes from hard work.” Funderburk said. “I’ve always been shooting 3s, but I’m just now having the confidence to show it in the games.” Funderburk’s astonishing abilities do not stop there. He is one of the best players on the team in terms of what he does best. He’s top three on the team in field goal percentage, 2-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, offensive rebounds and blocks, and is in the bottom three of turnovers per game. His free throw percentage, offensive rebounds per game and blocks per game all lead the team.
Being a Swiss Army knife for the team is invaluable for the Pack, and Funderburk is able to get all of this accomplished at a low usage percentage of 18.8 percent, which ranks seventh on the team and shows that Funderburk is used less than most other players on offense.
For more context of how well Funderburk plays, just take a look at his offensive and defensive ratings. For in-conference play, Funderburk has an offensive rating of 124.9 per 100 possessions and a defensive rating of 102.5 per 100 possessions. This means that when Funderburk is on the floor, the Pack is on pace to score 124.9 points in the game while only giving up 102.5 points per game. Adjust these numbers to include out of conference play, and his numbers only get better. Funderburk’s offensive rating and defensive rating both lead the Wolfpack, and he does all of this while not being a primary option on offense.
“He’s been great,” head coach Kevin Keatts said. “He’s the one guy that, because he is so long and athletic, can get to a lot of offensive rebounds and he’s been great in that area. But not only that, he’s done a great job with the defensive presence. I go back to the Pittsburgh game where he played pretty much the entire game and did a tremendous job without getting in foul trouble. He was able to make some shots and finish around the basket, run the floor. He also gives us the ability on the defensive end to change our defenses up a little bit, where we can switch all five screens if we have to because he is the only guy on the roster that can guard
After being on many teams in the past few years, Funderburk looks to keep up the energy he plays with and continue to be a part of this Wolfpack core heading into the future. Keatts himself sees the tremendous potential for Funderburk and thinks that with continued motivation and his strive for greatness, Funderburk will be a great player for years to come.
“He’s only going to get better as the years go along and he continues to put on
KATIE BARNES/TECHNICIAN Redshirt sophomore forward DJ Funderburk takes a breath as he prepares to shoot a free throw against No. 3 Virginia on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack lost 66-65 in overtime.
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PAGE 13 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019
Women’s basketball looks to extend undefeated streak in Winston-Salem
DAVID CELEMEN/TECHNICIAN Graduate guard Kiara Leslie handles the ball against Pittsburgh in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 10. Leslie recorded 16 points and five assists against the Panthers as NC State won 63-34.
Leigha Bruce
Staff Writer
No. 7 NC State women’s basketball (20-0, 7-0 ACC) is preparing to travel to Wake Forest (1010, 1-6 ACC) to continue ACC play Thursday. The Wolfpack has had an incredible season, remaining undefeated and becoming the only team left in the nation in men’s or women’s Division I basketball to do so.
Graduate guard Kiara Leslie has been a dominant player for the Wolfpack, averaging 15 points per game with 19 blocks and 26 steals. Leslie recently surpassed 1000 career points in her most recent game against Georgia Tech. As one of the leading scorers for NC State, Leslie has compiled a .440 shooting percentage.
Freshman center Elissa Cunane has had a strong season with NC State, securing 21 assists with a .626 shooting percentage. After Cunane’s performance against Georgia Tech, picking up 17 points, she was named ACC Rookie of the Week and USBWA National Freshman of the Week.
Junior point guard Aislinn Konig has had a strong season as well, dishing out 79 assists and 234 total points. With 46 rebounds, Konig has proven her ability to handle the ball up and down the court after stepping into a new position with graduate point guard Kaila Ealey out for the season.
Forward Ona Udoh from Wake Forest has been the Deacons’ biggest rebounder under the basket for the season with 174 boards. To go along with her high rebounds, the junior has also owned a .593 shooting percentage, tallying up 179 points this season.
Forward Elisa Penna had her most impressive game of the season a few weeks back against Boston College when she tallied 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6-foot-3 senior has led the Demon Deacons for multiple seasons as a top competitor in the ACC.
The Wolfpack will face Wake Forest Thursday at 7:00 p.m. inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
NC State swimming and diving travels to Texas
JESSE CHILDS/TECHNICIAN Freshman Kylee Alons competes in the Women’s 100-yard butterfly against UNC-Chapel Hill on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Casey Aquatic Center. Alons finished first in the event with a final time of 53.63 and 9 points. Both Wolfpack teams were undefeated with a final women’s score of 197-97, and men’s final score of 193-101.
Elliott Baldwin
Correspondent
The NC State swimming and diving team will face off against Texas and Arizona on Friday and Saturday at a dual meet in Austin, Texas.
The Wolfpack is coming off a dominating win against the Virginia Cavaliers; the No. 6 women’s team defeated fifth ranked Virginia 167-127 while the No. 5 men’s team scored a 185-100 win.
Freshman Kylee Alons led the Pack women in scoring and set a program record in the 200-yard butterfly, earning Alons her second ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Week of the season.
As NC State picks up steam heading into the final part of the season, the Longhorns have done the same. The No. 2 Texas men’s swimming and diving team downed No. 12 Georgia 162133 and the first-ranked women’s team defeated No. 11 Georgia 169-129, achieving its fourth straight win over an SEC opponent this season.
The Arizona men’s and women’s team has lost back-to-back dual meets. Struggling to find momentum, the No. 13 men lost to Stanford 115-178 and California 127-164, while the No. 21 women’s lost 99-195 to Stanford and 118-179 to California.
With both NC State’s men’s and women’s teams looking to contend for an ACC and NCAA Championship this year, this Texas team will be a challenge for the Pack. In the previous meeting between the teams, the Wolfpack men overcame the Longhorns 176-116, but the women lost 184-116.
The meets will start Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 12 p.m. at Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
FUNDERBURK
continued from page 12
weight,” Keatts said. “I would love to see him up into next year adding 20 pounds to his frame and being able to do some of the same things.”
Funderburk is one of the many transfers that is new to the basketball program this year, and is one of the players that Keatts handpicked to join the squad alongside graduate Wyatt Walker from Samford, sophomore Blake Harris from Missouri, graduate Eric Lockett from Florida International and redshirt-junior C.J. Bryce from UNC-Wilmington.
Despite the amount of new faces around the team, they already feel like a family. The players support each other and are always rooting for their teammates to do well.
“He’s very talented,” Bryce said of Funderburk. “He can defend multiple positions and just brings that energy that we need out on the court. Very skillful player.”
Winning over the fans and teammates is imperative for a newcomer to the team, and Funderburk has done that quickly.
“When I come in the game, I can hear the crowd start cheering, and that’s always a good feeling,” Funderburk said. “When coach calls my name, I try to go in there and give it everything I’ve got.”
Currently, Walker and Funderburk are the only true big men on the roster. Sometimes, that means that the Pack has to run with Funderburk as an impromptu center, or just two forward systems.
“I’m sure some people can see that I’m playing out of position but whatever we have got to do to get the team a win, I’m fine with it and I’m going to do what I’ve got to do,” Funderburk said.
Funderburk will look to make an impact on the team for the rest of the season, and to become a staple of NC State basketball in the future.
“I’m just trying to do everything in my power to help my team win,” Funderburk said. “If I have to rebound, I have to rebound. If I have to cheer my team on from the bench, that’s what I have to do. I’ve just got to try and help my team out.”
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PAGE 14 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019
No. 8 NC State continues ACC schedule against No. 23 Virginia
SINDY HUANG/TECHNICIAN Redshirt senior Jamel Morris wrestles Drexel junior Nick Widmann during the dual on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019 at Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack beat the Dragons 25-16.
Ryan Henkel
Correspondent
No. 8 NC State wrestling (13-2, 1-0 ACC) will continue its ACC schedule as it takes on No. 23 Virginia (11-7, 0-1 ACC) Friday.
The Wolfpack is coming off its first ACC win with a 30-12 victory over Duke and looks to keep that winning streak going as the team gets closer to the ACC Championships.
NC State currently has eight ranked wrestlers in the first NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings.
Redshirt senior Jamel Morris (17-3) is ranked 26th in the 141-pound weight class, redshirt sophomore Thomas Bullard (14-5) is 16th in the 165-pound weight class, redshirt sophomore Daniel Bullard (15-6) is ranked 21st in the 174-pound weight class and redshirt senior Malik McDonald (13-6) is ranked 21st in the 197-pound weight class.
Of those eight, the Pack also has four wrestlers ranked in the top eight of their weight classes, all-American status. Those wrestlers are redshirt sophomore Tariq Wilson (12-2), ranked eighth in the 133-pound weight class, graduate Justin Oliver (12-3), ranked seventh in the 149-pound weight class, redshirt sophomore Hayden Hidlay (14-2), ranked fourth in the 157-pound weight class and redshirt sophomore Nick Reenan (10-1), ranked fourth in the 184-pound weight class.
NC State redshirt senior and former ACC champion Sean Fausz (6-1) was ineligible for ranking in the Coaches’ Panel Rankings due to not meeting the minimum match requirement at the 125-pound weight class. Fausz has been inactive since suffering an injury. His last match was a technical fall win in NC State’s victory against Brown on Jan. 12th.
Fausz recently competed in the Appalachian Open tournament, winning the 125-pound weight class, which bodes well for his return for the Wolfpack. Redshirt freshman Zurich Storm (12-3) has been filling in for Fausz, winning his last three bouts, the most recent being a technical fall victory in NC State’s win over Duke.
Another return to NC State’s lineup is Wilson, who was eligible to wrestle against Duke but did not, winning his match through forfeit. Wilson has been out since suffering an injury in the loss to Ohio State on Jan. 6th.
Virginia is coming off a 22-13 loss to UNCChapel Hill (8-5, 1-0 ACC) and will be looking to even out its ACC record at home against the Pack.
Virginia has seven wrestlers in the rankings, two of which are in the top eight. Of those two, the one to take notice of is Jack Mueller, who is ranked fifth in the 125-pound weight class. If Fausz is fully healthy, expect a great matchup in that bout.
The match is set for Friday in Memorial Gym at 7 p.m.
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ACROSS
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DOWN
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