Season Preview

C.J. Leslie

6. NC State


2010-2011 record: 15-16 (5-11 ACC)


Games against NCAA Tournament teams: 10
Best non-conference game: 11/19 vs. Vanderbilt (in East Rutherford, NJ)








Projected Starting Five:


F - Richard Howell (Junior)
F - C.J. Leslie (Sophomore)
F - Scott Wood (Junior)
G - C.J. Williams (Senior)
G - Lorenzo Brown (Sophomore)




You probably heard the collective sigh of relief coming from NC State fans this spring as the school made a change at head coach.  Sidney Lowe was an alum and tried his best, but just didn't cut it as the coach of the Wolfpack.  He was able to recruit decent players, but didn't get them motivated to play at their best, and had disappointing year after disappointing year.  Now Mark Gottfried is the head man at NC State, a coach who did some good things at Alabama.  And he inherits some talent.


Perhaps no one was a better example of not playing to his potential than C.J. Leslie.  He was touted as one of the best freshman in the ACC last year, but seemed to have trouble with focus at times.  He ended up scoring 11 points per game, but shot 25% from 3-point land and 54% from the line.  Leslie will have to be the main focus for the Wolfpack this year, with Tracy Smith gone.


Besides Leslie, there are other players with potential.  I have always liked Richard Howell, who has played in a supporting role but will be able to step up into the starting lineup.  And many people are high on Lorenzo Brown, who will hopefully provide some stability at a point guard spot that Javier Gonzalez did not provide the last few years.  Scott Wood is a very capable shooter that can light you up very quickly.


NC State has some tests on their schedule.  An early season game against Princeton is intriguing.  They also face two top-10 teams in Vanderbilt and Syracuse between now and Christmas.  I think NC State has the talent to make the NCAA Tournament.  If Coach Gottfried can find a lineup combination that he likes and can get the most out of players like Leslie, the other teams in the ACC have enough question marks that they can finish in the top half of the conference.  That will be a welcome change in Raleigh.