Since transferring from Iowa State, redshirt senior shooting guard Farnold Degand has struggled to find his way. Whether it be his first year at Iowa State, where he redshirted and had to sit out a year due to NCAA eligibility rules for transferring to N.C. State, or blowing out his knee early on in the season his sophomore year, the 6-foot 4-inch guard has had a hard time finding his niche with the Pack.

But now in his senior season, the guard has made a transition from point guard to shooting guard, and it seems that Degand has finally found his home.

‘He has played well for us,’ coach Sidney Lowe said. ‘He has kept himself ready. More mentally than anything, I think playing the two allows him more freedom.’

For Degand, the transfer to the two-guard spot allow him a lot more freedom and also the ability to create for himself as opposed to trying to create for others while playing the point.

‘As a one he is trying to come down and trying to run the play or push and get us into something,’ Lowe said. ‘Whereas in the two spot, most of the time when it gets into his hands he is in attack mode and I give him that freedom.’

With Degand’s ability to push the ball and get from one side of the court to the other in a matter of seconds, his teammates understand his ability and the different style that the guard brings to the team, including him sharing ball-handling duties during the game. This gives the Pack a big advantage to have two players capable of handling the ball, especially when they are up against a strong press from an opposing defense.

‘Farnold brings another style to our offense,’ senior forward Dennis Horner said. ‘The pace of play he goes at and the fact that he is another ball handler helps a lot.’

The transition to the off-guard spot has made a difference in Degand’s stats as well, as he is averaging almost two more points in ACC play this season compared to last season, and has averaged 8.3 points a game in the last six games since he became the starter.

But the most obvious thing that Lowe notices is the comfort that Degand plays with at shooting guard.

‘I think he is more comfortable with that and no question it has helped us,’ Lowe said. ‘It gives us those off guards that can handle the basketball and create something either for themselves or their teammates.’

Degand’s quickness is not always a good thing, according to Horner.

‘He can definitely move the ball,’ Horner said. ‘Sometimes when I am taking the ball out, he is already down the court while I am just at the foul line, so I don’t get any shots.’

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