The NC State men’s basketball team continued its 2015-16 season campaign during the past week as it won two of its three games. The marquee performance came on Nov. 24 as the Wolfpack defeated the No. 22 LSU Tigers in overtime in the third-place game of the Fan Duel Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Here are the standout performances of the past week for the Pack.
Anthony “Cat” Barber
The junior guard from Newport News, Virginia averaged 26.3 points and 7.6 assists over the last three games for the Pack, highlighted by a 37-point performance Friday night against Winthrop. Barber also showed improvement at the free-throw line, missing only five of his 48 attempts from the line over that same span, including 19-of-22 against Winthrop.
During the Pack’s win over the Tigers in Brooklyn, Barber showed off his poise and leadership making clutch shots down the stretch for the Wolfpack. On the season, Barber’s improved his scoring average to 21.0 points per game while also averaging 6.3 rebounds per game and 6.7 assists per game.
Maverick Rowan
Rowan had a quiet week until Friday’s game against Winthrop. Rowan put up 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting. He also had a much better day shooting from beyond the arc, going 3 for 6 on the day. The freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida now averages a solid 14.5 PPG this season. In the wake of the injured Terry Henderson, Rowan’s stepped up and contributed to a Wolfpack offense that desperately needed help.
On the season, Rowan’s shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three. Expect Rowan to improve his three-point shooting as the season goes on and dovetails into head coach Mark Gottfried’s offense.
Caleb Martin
Martin’s been the center of much praise in the early stages of this season. Showing off a much-improved jump shot and awareness on offense, Martin has proved he can be a consistent contributor to this Wolfpack team. The highlight of the week for Martin came in the LSU game where he fell a rebound shy of a double-double. Martin had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Tigers while providing a tenacious presence on the defensive side of the ball along with his brother Cody. The twins helped hold No. 1 recruit and freshman forward Ben Simmons to just four points on 1-of-6 shooting on the night.
Cody Martin
While much of the attention this season has been given to his brother Caleb, Cody Martin had a great game against LSU. Scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, Martin proved integral in the Pack’s overtime win against the Tigers. Through several hustle plays, Martin provided a spark for the Pack in the second half to help keep the rallying Tigers at bay. Although Martin’s minutes have been limited this season due to his role as a backup point guard to Barber, he’s made the most of the playing time he’s see on the court this season.
With other important non-conference games coming up for the Pack, it is crucial these players keep contributing. The Wolfpack needs everyone win it can get while it tries to build a quality resume come Selection Sunday in March.
