The NC State men’s basketball team split its weekend games, losing to William & Mary on Friday night 68-85 before bouncing back with a 88-70 victory over South Alabama Sunday night. Here are the top performances from the Pack’s first two games.
Anthony “Cat” Barber
Barber had an off night on Friday, shooting 4-for-16 from the floor en route to an 11-point performance. The real highlight of the weekend for the Newport News, Virginia native came Sunday night, when he recorded his first career double-double. Barber had 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the Pack’s win over the Jaguars, falling just two assists shy of a triple-double. Although Barber’s shooting woes continued, he showed improvement from the free throw line, making 11-of-12 on the night.
Head coach Mark Gottfried praised his “floor general” in the post-game press conference, noting Barber’s leadership and defensive focus. Playing 40 and 39 minutes in each game respectively, Barber’s proving he can be a dependable, durable player for the upcoming season, and he needs to be, given the team’s lack of depth in the backcourt.
Abdul-Malik Abu
Abu’s start to the 2015-16 season couldn’t be going any better. Posting a shooting percentage of at least 50 percent the first two games, Abu’s improvement in the offseason is evident in his play. In Friday’s loss to the Tribe, Abu logged 30 minutes while scoring 17 points on 8-for-16 shooting. On Sunday, Abu ran into some foul trouble early against the Jaguars and played only 20 minutes as a result. He still managed to provide 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
With limited scoring options in the paint, especially with the departure of Kyle Washington, Abu has elevated his offensive play. He’s emerged as a legitimate scoring threat in the frontcourt, showing diversity in his skill set. While not the tallest, the 6-foot-8 Boston native uses his speed and athleticism incredibly well, either taking a defender with his back to the basket or stepping out to shoot a clean 12-to-15 foot jump shot.
Caleb Martin
The scoring sensation for the Wolfpack this season has come from sophomore Caleb Martin. With a career-high 21 points on Friday against William & Mary, Martin provided much of the offense for the Pack that night, joining Abu on the stats sheet. Martin followed up Friday’s career night with a 19-point performance Sunday. Shooting 7-of-10 from the floor, Martin could not miss against the Jaguars, especially from beyond the arc. He went 4-for-6 on three-point attempts, showing off a quickened release and excellent shot selection.
Averaging 20.0 PPG through the Wolfpack’s first two games, Martin’s confidence is sky high right now, and it seems like it’s only getting higher. Martin worked on his shot in the offseason, and it’s clear Gottfried trusts his shot-making ability as he has let him run wild in the Pack’s offense this season. Since losing scoring guard Terry Henderson to a foot injury, State will need Martin’s scoring from the wing.
Maverick Rowan
The Wolfpack’s top recruit from the class of 2015 has started off his freshman season with two solid performances. Rowan dropped 16 points off the bench against William & Mary via a 6-for-15 shooting performance. While not incredibly efficient, he showed confidence and a silky smooth shooting stroke. He then followed that up with a 15-point outing on Sunday as he started in place of the injured Henderson against the Jaguars. Rowan shot 5-for-10 from the floor Sunday night, a much-improved performance in terms of efficiency.
His 21.4 percent from three isn’t good (owing almost entirely to his 1-for-8 showing vs. W&M), and his defense needs work, but with Henderson out the Pack needs scoring, and Rowan can flat out score the rock. His three-point percentage will definitely improve as he continues to carve out his niche in the offense.
