Kevin Keatts believes NC State's roster makeup 'makes for a great story'
NC State is the Sweet 16’s most unlikely candidate. The 11-seeded Wolfpack needed the ACC Tournament championship to make it to the big dance — and they haven’t lost since.
Their roster is comprised of some of the most unique stories in college basketball. Featuring someone like DJ Burns, whose body type is closer to a left tackle, a former All-American in lacrosse like Michael O’Connell and Mohamed Diarra, who is fasting in observation of Ramadan throughout the NCAA Tournament.
It’s clear NC State features one of the most unique teams still left in the field.
“DJ Burns would think he is a tight end. You can’t say left tackle. That isn’t right,” Keatts joked before their Sweet 16 matchup. “It makes for a great story, and it does. When you look at teams that are in the Sweet 16, you always try to figure out how did they get here? We got here because we’re very unique. I want you to think about this.
“We’ve got a traditional old-school back to the basket post guy who can score. Most teams don’t have that. We’re starting a point guard who is a legitimate point guard. Most teams have kind of a combo guard, as we’ve had in the past. Then we’ve got a lot of good pieces around. We’ve got a 6’1” combo guard in DJ Horne who can really score the basketball.”
Keatts continued, saying that being different may actually be what has helped them remain undefeated during the month of March.
“How often are you going to play against a post guy that’s a lefty with a great touch that can really pass on the double-team?” Keatts asked. “Michael O’Connell has become a scorer. You look at him in the early games and you think, man, he just is a passer, passer, passer, and his numbers don’t support it.
“Give our assistant coaches a lot of credit. I think the development of some of these guys late in the year has really helped us become a good team and has gotten us to this point so far.”
NC State will look to continue its unlikely run in the NCAA Tournament on Friday against two-seeded Marquette. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:09 p.m. ET and will air live on CBS.