An incredible late-game collapse ended N.C. State’s tumultuous season Thursday, silencing a campus that had been upbeat since State slipped into the NCAA Tournament March 16.
An unlikely NCAA Tournament berth, thanks in large part to a semifinal run at the ACC Tournament, seemed to re-energize State’s students, giving them hope that the Wolfpack could yet make national headlines with a series of trademark upsets in the tourney.
Thursday night’s loss extinguished that hope. But despite the torturous nature of State’s demise, the morning after saw many student supporters in a surprisingly cheerful mood.
As always, Wolfpack fans were supportive of their team and filled social media feeds with encouraging posts. Outsiders can say what they want about State fans, but they always back their teams to the hilt, regardless of circumstance.
Of course, there were still a few Wolfpack fans stuck deep in a blind rage of bitterness, myself included. Most of our disappointment was borne out of disbelief for the Pack’s inability to make free throws down the stretch Thursday.
But our sadness also took root in perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in the recent history of Wolfpack athletics. We knew N.C. State’s star had probably played his last game in a Wolfpack uniform.
N.C. State fans received a confirmation of their worst fears Monday afternoon, with ESPN and Yahoo reporting sophomore forward T.J. Warren will forgo his junior and senior seasons in Raleigh to enter the 2014 NBA Draft.
However, the Wolfpack basketball program has not yet received word from the sophomore star about his potential jump to the professional ranks. As of this moment, T.J. Warren is still an N.C. State player.
But although Warren tweeted Monday he is “undecided” about his future, many expect the Durham native will leave N.C. State for the greener pastures, and millions of dollars, of the NBA.
After winning ACC Player of the Year and leading the Wolfpack in points (24.9) and rebounds (7.1), Warren has nothing left to prove in Raleigh. He gave his all for the Wolfpack, and his 24 jersey should join those of Julius Hodge, Tommy Burleson, Tom Gugliotta and John Richter (fellow wearers of the 24 jersey) in the rafters of PNC Arena.
Wolfpack nation will miss Warren and graduating senior center Jordan Vandenberg, who underwent a startling transformation of his own during the summer of 2013, developing into a reliable starter in head coach Mark Gottfried’s rotation.
But despite the loss of two key starters on the frontline, many State students and fans are upbeat about the future of Wolfpack basketball.
State’s coaching staff deserves massive amounts of credit, helping the Pack maximize its potential on the court to receive its third straight NCAA Tournament bid.
A pair of guards, rising senior Ralston Turner and rising junior Tyler Lewis, will provide leadership for the Wolfpack next season, while a large group of underclassmen provides the muscle to build on the success of the 2013-2014 season.
Freshman forwards Kyle Washington, Lennard Freeman and Beejay Anya will have to develop quickly in the offseason to give State the inside presence it needs to win games. Washington will need to add strength to his unbelievably athletic frame and Anya will be expected to adopt the tried-and-tested “Warren/Vandenberg weight-loss regime.”
The members of State’s 2014 recruiting class will also be expected to contribute immediately upon arrival.
Power forward Abdul-Malik Abu should give Gottfried a formidable option off the bench, mixing aggressive, high-motor play with a dependable mid-range jumper, while small forwards Caleb Martin and Cody Martin provide size and 3-point shooting on the wings.
In the year after State lost six players accounting for 85 percent of its offensive production, Gottfried’s gang exceeded expectations, playing as team instead of as five players on the same court wearing the same color jersey.
In doing so, N.C. State gave its fan base a renewed sense of optimism that its future will be brighter than its illustrious past.
Not bad for a rebuilding year.
