ACC In 2024 NCAA Tournament
Sweet 16 Preview: #11 NC State vs. #2 Marquette
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
NOTE: Our video preview of the NC State-Marquette game is at the bottom of this article. Thank you for your amazing support of the new North Carolina Sports Network, which has added more than 2,000 new YouTube subscribers during March Madness alone.
School: North Carolina State University
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Previous Conference Affiliations: Independent (1912-1921), Southern Conference (1921-1953)
ACC Member Since: 1953-54
ACC Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 5th (2024), 7th (2023), 5th (2022), 5th (2021), 4th (2020)
NCAA Tournament Bids: 29 (1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1965, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024)
Sweet 16s*: 8/14 (1951, 1952, 1954, 1965, 1970, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 2005, 2012, 2015, 2024)
Elite Eights*: 5/6 (1950, 1951, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986)
* — ACC/NCAA do not credit Sweet 16s pre-1975 or Elite Eights pre-1951
Final Fours: 3 (1950, 1974, 1983)
NCAA Titles: 2 (1974, 1983)
Head Coach: Kevin Keatts, 51, 7th season at NC State, 137-93 (.596)
As A Player: Ferrum (1991-95)
Record As Head Coach (Through March 28): 209-121 (.633) in 9+ seasons, including 72-28 (.720) in 3 seasons at UNC Wilmington
Previous HC Experience: Hargrave Military Academy/prep school (1999-2001; 2003-11), UNC Wilmington (2014-17)
AC Experience: Southwest Michigan/NJCAA (1996-97), Hargrave Military Academy (1997-99), Marshall (2001-03), Louisville (2011-14)
Assistant Under: Greg White, Rick Pitino
2023-24 Record (Through March 28): 24-14, 9-11 ACC (10th place), ACC Tournament champions
2023-24 Rankings (AP Poll/BPI/KenPom/NET): NR/#45/#53/#63
2023-24 Offensive/Defensive Efficiency (KenPom): #41/#75
2024 NCAA Tournament/South Region:
#11 NC State 80, #6 Texas Tech 67 in Round of 64
#11 NC State 79, #14 Oakland 73 (OT) in Round of 32
#11 NC State vs. #2 Marquette, Sweet 16 (Friday, 7:09 pm, CBS)
(NCSU-Marquette winner will face Duke-Houston winner in Elite Eight)
2023-24 NC State Wolfpack
(24-14, 9-11 ACC; Through March 28)
Starters
PG Michael O’Connell, 6-2/195, Gr.
25 mpg, 6 ppg, 3 rpg, 46% FG, 84% FT, 37% threes, 121/44 ATO, 3 blocks, 32 steals
2023 Stanford transfer (3-year starter); Blair (N.J.) Academy; Mineola, N.Y.
G DJ Horne, 6-2/180, Gr., 2024 3rd-Team All-ACC
32 mpg, 17 ppg, 3 rpg, 44% FG, 81% FT, 41% threes, 79/48 ATO, 4 blocks, 50 steals
2023 Arizona State transfer (2-year starter); Illinois State (2019-21); Trinity Christian; Raleigh, N.C.
G Casey Morsell*, 6-3/200, Gr.
32 mpg, 11 ppg, 3 rpg, 41% FG, 80% FT, 27% threes, 64/36 ATO, 18 blocks, 41 steals
2021 Virginia transfer (backup); St. John’s College HS; Ft. Washington, Md.
F Mohamed Diarra, 6-10/215, Jr.
22 mpg, 6 ppg, 8 rpg, 49% FG, 66% FT, 34% threes, 22/26 ATO, 39 blocks, 26 steals
2023 Missouri transfer (reserve); Garden City CC (2020-22); Montreuil, France
C DJ Burns Jr.*, 6-9/275, Gr., 2023 Honorable Mention All-ACC
25 mpg, 13 ppg, 4 rpg, 53% FG, 68% FT, 103/70 ATO, 23 blocks, 18 steals
2022 Winthrop transfer (3-year starter); 2023 HM All-ACC; York Prep; Rock Hill, S.C.
Key Reserves
G Jayden Taylor, 6-4/195, Jr.
28 mpg, 12 ppg, 4 rpg, 42% FG, 77% FT, 36% threes, 53/59 ATO, 18 blocks, 44 steals
2023 Butler transfer (2-year starter); Perry Meridian HS; Indianapolis, Ind.
G Dennis Parker Jr., 6-6/205, Fr.
15 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 44% FG, 54% FT, 31% threes, 11/19 ATO, 7 blocks, 21 steals
4-star signee; 3x state champion; John Marshall HS; Richmond, Va.
F Ben Middlebrooks, 6-10/240, Jr.
16 mpg, 6 ppg, 4 rpg, 48% FG, 74% FT, 20/25 ATO, 20 blocks, 32 steals
2023 Clemson transfer (reserve); Westminster Academy; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)
2023-24 Marquette Golden Eagles
(27-9, 14-6 Big East; Through March 28)
Head Coach: Shaka Smart (46 years old, 3rd season at Marquette)
Record as Head Coach (Through March 28): 347-171 (.670) in 14+ seasons; 163-56 (.744) in 6 seasons at VCU; 109-86 (.559) in 6 seasons at Texas; 75-29 (.721) in 2+ seasons at Marquette
2023-24 Rankings (AP Poll/BPI/KenPom/NET): #8/#13/#13/#14
2023-24 Offensive/Defensive Efficiency (KenPom): #19/#19
Starters
PG Tyler Kolek*, 6-3/195, Sr., 2023/2024 1st-Team All-Big East
33 mpg, 15 ppg, 5 rpg, 50% FG, 85% FT, 40% threes, 236/87 ATO, 4 blocks, 49 steals
G Kam Jones*, 6-5/200, Jr., 2023 2nd-Team All-Big East
29 mpg, 17 ppg, 3 rpg, 50% FG, 72% FT, 41% threes, 86/47 ATO, 1 block, 41 steals
G Stevie Mitchell*, 6-3/200, Jr.
26 mpg, 9 ppg, 4 rpg, 53% FG, 76% FT, 28% threes, 27/25 ATO, 5 blocks, 60 steals
F David Joplin, 6-8/225, Jr.
28 mpg, 11 ppg, 4 rpg, 42% FG, 71% FT, 37% threes, 22/42 ATO, 32 blocks, 30 steals
F Oso Ighodaro*, 6-11/235, Sr., 2024 2nd-Team All-Big East
32 mpg, 14 ppg, 7 rpg, 58% FG, 63% FT, 102/63 ATO, 45 blocks, 37 steals
Key Reserves
G Chase Ross, 6-5/205, So.
22 mpg, 6 ppg, 3 rpg, 43% FG, 71% FT, 37% threes, 21/25 ATO, 13 blocks, 38 steals
F Ben Gold, 6-11/245, So.
17 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 45% FG, 53% FT, 36% threes, 24/17 ATO, 16 blocks, 16 steals
*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)
