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NC State

Larry Dixon added to NC State basketball staff

MattCarterby: Matt Carter08/23/23TheWolfpacker
NC State HC Kevin Keatts
Rich Barnes | USA TODAY Sports

A new NCAA rule permits college basketball programs to make two add assistant coaches who do not have off-campus recruiting responsibilities. NC State basketball previously promoted former director of operations Steve Snell for one of the posts, and on Wednesday the Pack announced the hire of Larry Dixon for the other.

NC State previously had selected former Cincinnati and Indiana assistant Mike Roberts for the spot, but a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Roberts is no longer with the program. Dixon is taking the position vacated by Roberts.

Dixon is a Salisbury, N.C., native who played at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. After his playing days, he coached in the prep ranks throughout the state of North Carolina, rising to head coach at Charlotte’s Garinger High, where in 2001 he was selected as the Mecklenberg County Coach of the Year by the Charlotte Observer.

In 2002, Dixon began his lengthy career as an assistant, starting with two years at St. Andrews before heading to South Carolina State (2003-05), East Carolina (2005-07), Winthrop (2007-12), Georgia Southern (2013-17) and South Florida, where he has spent the past five seasons and was named interim coach in March after head coach Brian Gregory was fired.

“I think Larry is a great addition to our staff,” NC State basketball head coach Kevin Keatts said in a statement. “He’s a North Carolina native that has dedicated himself to a coaching career since graduating from college. He started at the high school level in North Carolina and eventually moved up to college and now has been a Division I assistant coach for almost 20 years. I think his experience is going to be a great asset for me and our coaching staff, as well as the young men in our program as we develop them on and off the court.”

Larry Dixon’s debut on the NC State basketball bench comes in an exhibition game Nov. 1at PNC Arena against Mount Olive ahead of the 2023-24 season opener against The Citadel in Raleigh five days later.

Last season, NC State went 23-11 overall and 12-8 in the ACC, earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament before losing to Creighton in the first round of the Big Dance. Two starters return from that squad, including honorable mention All-ACC post player D.J. Burns Jr.

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