3 Observations Proving NC State Can Win the National Championship
By Joe Summers
3. The Role Players Are All Stepping Up
You don't normally get to the Final Four on the backs of a couple of players alone, and NC State's role players have done a fantastic job stepping up down the stretch.
Five different players scored in double figures in the second-round win over Oakland, showcasing the team's depth and trust in each other.
There are almost too many great secondary efforts to remember. Senior Casey Morsell is averaging 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game in the tournament, Ben Middlebrooks had 21 points against Texas Tech and three blocks against Duke, Mohamed Diarra is averaging a double-double, and Michael O'Connell even had a 6-6-11 line in that Elite Eight victory.
🇫🇷 Mohamed Diarra got the job done perfectly with a dominant presence on the glass and switchable defense, putting up another double double (11 PTS & 15 REB) to help NC State keep the spirit of '83 alive with a 67-58 upset victory over Marquette in the Sweet 16#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/lhwl7zDFuQ
— CBB Europe (@CBB_Europe) March 30, 2024
When you have this many players in perfect sync and fulfilling their roles, you create history. This Wolfpack group is already the most successful in the last 40 years of the program, but the job isn't finished yet.
If NC State continues playing within themselves, controlling the tempo and protecting the ball while soundly executing, they've got every chance in the world to get past Purdue. Once they're there, I'll take Burnes, Horne and this group against anyone.
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