The NC State men’s basketball team has been one of the best offenses in the ACC all season, averaging nearly 80 points per game. However, there is one starting lineup that could make the Pack one of the best offensive teams in all of college basketball.
Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner, sophomore guard Terquavion Smith, senior guard Casey Morsell, graduate guard Jack Clark and graduate forward DJ Burns make up the “death lineup.” This unit as a whole hasn’t seen the court much mainly due to injury, but it’s a scary sight for the opponent when they play together.
The “death lineup” has started five games this season, averaging 75 points per game. This is below the season average, but any reasonable observer will tell you this is the best offensive group the red-and-white has.
For starters, the lineup has the elite backcourt duo of Joiner and Smith who can create their own shots as well as shots for their teammates. Smith and Joiner have been building excellent chemistry all season and the fruits of their labor was on display most recently on an alley-oop play between the two against UNC-Chapel Hill.
As mentioned above, both have the ability to score in bunches. Joiner and Smith average 17 and 17.6 points per game, respectively, which puts them both in the top five highest-scoring players in the ACC. It’s hard to find a better offensive backcourt in the country when both are on top of their game.
In order to be a great offense, you need an elite shooter — and Morsell is just that. Morsell is a vital piece to this lineup because Smith and Joiner draw a lot of attention from the defense.
On the season, Morsell is shooting an elite 42.9% from beyond the arc. Although he is mostly known as a spot-up shooter, he can also create his own shot off the dribble when necessary.
A shooter like Morsell puts a lot of stress on the defense to make sure he doesn’t get an open look. As seen below, the defense loses a second of concentration and Morsell makes them pay.
While Clark was out for nearly two months with an injury, his significant offensive contributions were overlooked because the Pack was winning without him. Since he came back from his injury, he has been an important offensive weapon for the Wolfpack.
Like the players mentioned above, Clark is able to create his own shot, unlike the players that were replacing him — sophomore forward Ernest Ross and redshirt junior forward Greg Gantt. His shotmaking ability was most recently on display with a clutch shot against North Carolina.
Last, but not least the big man that anchors the offense is arguably the most lethal offensive threat. The 6-foot-9 275-pound Burns is a problem on the low block and is almost unguardable when he has his back to the basket. Burns is a great compliment to a lineup that has a lot of great shooters.
Aside from his dominant scoring prowess, Burns is a gifted passer and whenever he is doubled, finding the open shooter hasn’t been a problem. Burns showed off his vision against Wake Forest with a cross court pass to Morsell.
What sticks out the most about this lineup is the veteran leadership. This lineup has four players with over three years of college basketball experience, well accustomed to the bright lights and big stages.
While I understand there may be some doubters when it comes to this lineup because of the limited time they’ve played together, the combination of shot creators, 3-point shooters, and a dominant big man will cause problems for anyone who stands in its way.
